Openclaw Migration

OpenClaw -> Hermes Migration

Use this skill when a user wants to move their OpenClaw setup into Hermes Agent with minimal manual cleanup.

CLI Command

For a quick, non-interactive migration, use the built-in CLI command:

hermes claw migrate              # Full interactive migration
hermes claw migrate --dry-run    # Preview what would be migrated
hermes claw migrate --preset user-data   # Migrate without secrets
hermes claw migrate --overwrite  # Overwrite existing conflicts
hermes claw migrate --source /custom/path/.openclaw  # Custom source

The CLI command runs the same migration script described below. Use this skill (via the agent) when you want an interactive, guided migration with dry-run previews and per-item conflict resolution.

First-time setup: The hermes setup wizard automatically detects ~/.openclaw and offers migration before configuration begins.

What this skill does

It uses scripts/openclaw_to_hermes.py to:

• import SOUL.md into the Hermes home directory as SOUL.md
• transform OpenClaw MEMORY.md and USER.md into Hermes memory entries
• merge OpenClaw command approval patterns into Hermes command_allowlist
• migrate Hermes-compatible messaging settings such as TELEGRAM_ALLOWED_USERS and MESSAGING_CWD
• copy OpenClaw skills into ~/.hermes/skills/openclaw-imports/
• optionally copy the OpenClaw workspace instructions file into a chosen Hermes workspace
• mirror compatible workspace assets such as workspace/tts/ into ~/.hermes/tts/
• archive non-secret docs that do not have a direct Hermes destination
• produce a structured report listing migrated items, conflicts, skipped items, and reasons

Path resolution

The helper script lives in this skill directory at:

• scripts/openclaw_to_hermes.py

When this skill is installed from the Skills Hub, the normal location is:

• ~/.hermes/skills/migration/openclaw-migration/scripts/openclaw_to_hermes.py

Do not guess a shorter path like ~/.hermes/skills/openclaw-migration/....

Before running the helper:

1. Prefer the installed path under ~/.hermes/skills/migration/openclaw-migration/.
2. If that path fails, inspect the installed skill directory and resolve the script relative to the installed SKILL.md.
3. Only use find as a fallback if the installed location is missing or the skill was moved manually.
4. When calling the terminal tool, do not pass workdir: "~". Use an absolute directory such as the user's home directory, or omit workdir entirely.

With --migrate-secrets, it will also import a small allowlisted set of Hermes-compatible secrets, currently:

• TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN

Default workflow

1. Inspect first with a dry run.
2. Present a simple summary of what can be migrated, what cannot be migrated, and what would be archived.
3. If the clarify tool is available, use it for user decisions instead of asking for a free-form prose reply.
4. If the dry run finds imported skill directory conflicts, ask how those should be handled before executing.
5. Ask the user to choose between the two supported migration modes before executing.
6. Ask for a target workspace path only if the user wants the workspace instructions file brought over.
7. Execute the migration with the matching preset and flags.
8. Summarize the results, especially:
   • what was migrated
   • what was archived for manual review
   • what was skipped and why

User interaction protocol

Hermes CLI supports the clarify tool for interactive prompts, but it is limited to:

• one choice at a time
• up to 4 predefined choices
• an automatic Other free-text option

It does not support true multi-select checkboxes in a single prompt.

For every clarify call:

• always include a non-empty question
• include choices only for real selectable prompts
• keep choices to 2-4 plain string options
• never emit placeholder or truncated options such as ...
• never pad or stylize choices with extra whitespace
• never include fake form fields in the question such as enter directory here, blank lines to fill in, or underscores like _____
• for open-ended path questions, ask only the plain sentence; the user types in the normal CLI prompt below the panel

If a clarify call returns an error, inspect the error text, correct the payload, and retry once with a valid question and clean choices.

When clarify is available and the dry run reveals any required user decision, your next action must be a clarify tool call. Do not end the turn with a normal assistant message such as:

• "Let me present the choices"
• "What would you like to do?"
• "Here are the options"

If a user decision is required, collect it via clarify before producing more prose. If multiple unresolved decisions remain, do not insert an explanatory assistant message between them. After one clarify response is received, your next action should usually be the next required clarify call.

Treat workspace-agents as an unresolved decision whenever the dry run reports:

• kind="workspace-agents"
• status="skipped"
• reason containing No workspace target was provided

In that case, you must ask about workspace instructions before execution. Do not silently treat that as a decision to skip.

Because of that limitation, use this simplified decision flow:

1. For SOUL.md conflicts, use clarify with choices such as:
   • keep existing
   • overwrite with backup
   • review first
2. If the dry run shows one or more kind="skill" items with status="conflict", use clarify with choices such as:
   • keep existing skills
   • overwrite conflicting skills with backup
   • import conflicting skills under renamed folders
3. For workspace instructions, use clarify with choices such as:
   • skip workspace instructions
   • copy to a workspace path
   • decide later
4. If the user chooses to copy workspace instructions, ask a follow-up open-ended clarify question requesting an absolute path.
5. If the user chooses skip workspace instructions or decide later, proceed without --workspace-target.
6. For migration mode, use clarify with these 3 choices:
   • user-data only
   • full compatible migration
   • cancel
7. user-data only means: migrate user data and compatible config, but do not import allowlisted secrets.
8. full compatible migration means: migrate the same compatible user data plus the allowlisted secrets when present.
9. If clarify is not available, ask the same question in normal text, but still constrain the answer to user-data only, full compatible migration, or cancel.

Execution gate:

• Do not execute while a workspace-agents skip caused by No workspace target was provided remains unresolved.
• The only valid ways to resolve it are:
  • user explicitly chooses skip workspace instructions
  • user explicitly chooses decide later
  • user provides a workspace path after choosing copy to a workspace path
• Absence of a workspace target in the dry run is not itself permission to execute.
• Do not execute while any required clarify decision remains unresolved.

Use these exact clarify payload shapes as the default pattern:

• {"question":"Your existing SOUL.md conflicts with the imported one. What should I do?","choices":["keep existing","overwrite with backup","review first"]}
• {"question":"One or more imported OpenClaw skills already exist in Hermes. How should I handle those skill conflicts?","choices":["keep existing skills","overwrite conflicting skills with backup","import conflicting skills under renamed folders"]}
• {"question":"Choose migration mode: migrate only user data, or run the full compatible migration including allowlisted secrets?","choices":["user-data only","full compatible migration","cancel"]}
• {"question":"Do you want to copy the OpenClaw workspace instructions file into a Hermes workspace?","choices":["skip workspace instructions","copy to a workspace path","decide later"]}
• {"question":"Please provide an absolute path where the workspace instructions should be copied."}

Decision-to-command mapping

Map user decisions to command flags exactly:

• If the user chooses keep existing for SOUL.md, do not add --overwrite.
• If the user chooses overwrite with backup, add --overwrite.
• If the user chooses review first, stop before execution and review the relevant files.
• If the user chooses keep existing skills, add --skill-conflict skip.
• If the user chooses overwrite conflicting skills with backup, add --skill-conflict overwrite.
• If the user chooses import conflicting skills under renamed folders, add --skill-conflict rename.
• If the user chooses user-data only, execute with --preset user-data and do not add --migrate-secrets.
• If the user chooses full compatible migration, execute with --preset full --migrate-secrets.
• Only add --workspace-target if the user explicitly provided an absolute workspace path.
• If the user chooses skip workspace instructions or decide later, do not add --workspace-target.

Before executing, restate the exact command plan in plain language and make sure it matches the user's choices.