PicoClaw

PicoClaw is an active Spawnfile runtime with a JSON config file and a workspace-first model. It has one of the strongest MCP surfaces among the supported runtimes.

Status: Active

Config Shape

PicoClaw uses a JSON configuration file at ~/.picoclaw/config.json. The adapter emits config that maps Spawnfile execution intent to PicoClaw’s native structure.

runtime:
  name: picoclaw
  options:
    restrict_to_workspace: true

Runtime options like restrict_to_workspace are adapter-specific and passed through to the compiled config.

Workspace Layout

PicoClaw defaults to ~/.picoclaw/workspace as its workspace root. The adapter places docs into this structure:

Spawnfile Role	PicoClaw File
identity	IDENTITY.md
soul	SOUL.md
system	AGENTS.md
memory	memory/ directory
heartbeat	HEARTBEAT.md
extras.*	Placed by key name

Skills are placed under the workspace skills/ directory with their SKILL.md files preserved. PicoClaw also supports global skills, builtin skills, and a registry/search/install system.

Model Mapping

PicoClaw uses a model-centric config via vendor/model format. The adapter maps:

• execution.model.primary to the default vendor/model setting
• execution.model.fallback to PicoClaw’s fallback model list (explicitly supported)

Provider-specific auth uses PicoClaw’s native auth system (e.g. picoclaw auth login --provider anthropic).

At the pinned version, the compiled config uses model_list[].api_key with file references like file://secrets/OPENAI_API_KEY. The entrypoint materializes those files from environment variables before startup.

Schedule Handling

PicoClaw supports Spawnfile schedule.kind: cron through its native cron service. The adapter emits a workspace/cron/jobs.json store and enables PicoClaw’s tools.cron config so the gateway can wake the agent. spawnfile up starts PicoClaw with that job store in place, and each due job delivers the declared schedule.prompt as an agent turn.

schedule.kind: every is validated but reported as degraded for PicoClaw in v0.1. schedule.kind: disabled emits no cron job.

MCP Handling

PicoClaw has a first-class MCP config surface, making it one of the best early targets for canonical MCP lowering:

{
  "tools": {
    "mcp": {
      "enabled": true,
      "servers": {
        "web_search": {
          "enabled": true,
          "type": "http",
          "url": "https://search.mcp.example.com/mcp"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Supported transports:

• stdio — via command, args, env
• sse — via url
• http — via url, headers

Each server can have enabled, command, args, env, env_file, type, url, and headers fields.

Workspace and Sandbox

PicoClaw has a strong workspace-first model:

• restrict_to_workspace is the main sandbox switch
• The same restriction is inherited by subagents and heartbeat tasks

The adapter maps:

• workspace.docs and workspace.resources to workspace path configuration
• execution.sandbox.mode to restrict_to_workspace and related settings

Teams

PicoClaw has:

• Spawned subagents with optional agent_id
• Heartbeat-driven async spawning

It does not have a strong native team object. The adapter:

• Compiles team members into named agents
• Uses spawn or agent-targeted spawn for delegation
• Reports degradation when native behavior cannot preserve Spawnfile representatives, context artifacts, team networks, team identity, or nesting

Surfaces

PicoClaw supports Discord, Telegram, WhatsApp, and Slack with token wiring and user allowlists. Guild, channel, chat, and group allowlists are not lowered in v0.1. Portable HTTP is not part of the v0.1 alpha surface contract.

Discord

Spawnfile lowers Discord into PicoClaw’s channel config:

• token
• allow_from
• mention_only

Mode	Support
open	Supported
allowlist (users)	Supported
allowlist (guilds/channels)	Not lowered in v0.1
pairing	Not supported

Telegram

Spawnfile lowers Telegram into PicoClaw’s channel config:

• token
• allow_from

Mode	Support
open	Supported
allowlist (users)	Supported
allowlist (chats)	Not lowered in v0.1
pairing	Not supported

WhatsApp

Spawnfile lowers WhatsApp into PicoClaw’s channel config:

• enabled
• use_native
• allow_from

Mode	Support
open	Supported
allowlist (users)	Supported
allowlist (groups)	Not lowered in v0.1
pairing	Not supported

WhatsApp does not have a portable token secret. QR/session auth is runtime-defined.

Slack

Spawnfile lowers Slack into PicoClaw’s channel config:

• enabled
• group_trigger.mention_only
• allow_from

Mode	Support
open	Supported
allowlist (users)	Supported
allowlist (channels)	Not lowered in v0.1
pairing	Not supported

Slack requires both bot_token_secret and app_token_secret. PicoClaw replies to channel messages in a thread and replies to direct messages inline.

What The Adapter Emits

For a single agent:

• A PicoClaw JSON config file
• Workspace markdown files
• Skill directories
• MCP server configuration
• A workspace/cron/jobs.json store when schedule.kind: cron is declared

For container compilation:

• Base image metadata and system dependencies
• Config and workspace path templates
• Port configuration (health on /health and /ready)
• Start command (picoclaw gateway --allow-empty)

Container Notes

• The pinned version needs workspace/ copied into cmd/picoclaw/internal/onboard/workspace before go build in a clean checkout.
• Provider auth needs model_list[].api_key file references. The entrypoint materializes secret files from env before startup.
• Clean container boot uses picoclaw gateway --allow-empty.
• Cron schedules require tools.cron.enabled in the compiled config and a workspace/cron/jobs.json store.
• Health endpoints: /health and /ready.
• For multi-agent compilation, one PicoClaw gateway process runs per compiled target with ports incremented from the adapter base port.

Example

From the agent-with-subagents fixture:

spawnfile_version: "0.1"
kind: agent
name: editor

runtime:
  name: picoclaw
  options:
    restrict_to_workspace: true

execution:
  model:
    primary:
      provider: openai
      name: gpt-4o-mini
  sandbox:
    mode: workspace

workspace:
  docs:
    system: AGENTS.md

subagents:
  - id: researcher
    ref: ./subagents/researcher
  - id: critic
    ref: ./subagents/critic