modbender 🧬 Capability Evolver
"Evolution is not optional. Adapt or die."
The Capability Evolver is a meta-skill that allows OpenClaw agents to inspect their own runtime history, identify failures or inefficiencies, and autonomously write new code or update their own memory to improve performance.
Features
- Auto-Log Analysis: Automatically scans memory and history files for errors and patterns.
- Self-Repair: Detects crashes and suggests patches.
- GEP Protocol: Standardized evolution with reusable assets.
- One-Command Evolution: Just run
/evolve(ornode index.js).
Usage
Standard Run (Automated)
Runs the evolution cycle. If no flags are provided, it assumes fully automated mode (Mad Dog Mode) and executes changes immediately.
node index.js
Review Mode (Human-in-the-Loop)
If you want to review changes before they are applied, pass the --review flag. The agent will pause and ask for confirmation.
node index.js --review
Mad Dog Mode (Continuous Loop)
To run in an infinite loop (e.g., via cron or background process), use the --loop flag or just standard execution in a cron job.
node index.js --loop
Configuration
| Environment Variable | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
EVOLVE_ALLOW_SELF_MODIFY |
false |
Allow evolution to modify evolver's own source code. NOT recommended for production. Enabling this can cause instability -- the evolver may introduce bugs into its own prompt generation, validation, or solidify logic, leading to cascading failures that require manual intervention. Only enable for controlled experiments. |
EVOLVE_LOAD_MAX |
2.0 |
Maximum 1-minute load average before evolver backs off. |
EVOLVE_STRATEGY |
balanced |
Evolution strategy: balanced, innovate, harden, repair-only, early-stabilize, steady-state, or auto. |
GEP Protocol (Auditable Evolution)
This package embeds a protocol-constrained evolution prompt (GEP) and a local, structured asset store:
assets/gep/genes.json: reusable Gene definitionsassets/gep/capsules.json: success capsules to avoid repeating reasoningassets/gep/events.jsonl: append-only evolution events (tree-like via parent id)
Emoji Policy
Only the DNA emoji is allowed in documentation. All other emoji are disallowed.
Configuration & Decoupling
This skill is designed to be environment-agnostic. It uses standard OpenClaw tools by default.
Local Overrides (Injection)
You can inject local preferences (e.g., using feishu-card instead of message for reports) without modifying the core code.
Method 1: Environment Variables
Set EVOLVE_REPORT_TOOL in your .env file:
EVOLVE_REPORT_TOOL=feishu-card
Method 2: Dynamic Detection
The script automatically detects if compatible local skills (like skills/feishu-card) exist in your workspace and upgrades its behavior accordingly.
Safety & Risk Protocol
1. Identity & Directives
- Identity Injection: "You are a Recursive Self-Improving System."
- Mutation Directive:
- If Errors Found -> Repair Mode (Fix bugs).
- If Stable -> Forced Optimization (Refactor/Innovate).
2. Risk Mitigation
- Infinite Recursion: Strict single-process logic.
- Review Mode: Use
--reviewfor sensitive environments. - Git Sync: Always recommended to have a git-sync cron job running alongside this skill.
Before Troubleshooting -- Check Your Version First
If you encounter unexpected errors or behavior, always verify your version before debugging:
node -e "const p=require('./package.json'); console.log(p.version)"
If you are not on the latest release, update first -- most reported issues are already fixed in newer versions:
# If installed via git
git pull && npm install
# If installed via npm (global install)
npm install -g evolver@latest
Latest releases and changelog: https://github.com/autogame-17/evolver/releases
License
MIT