Ideaflow

Version 1.0.0

Capture and manage ideas from fragment to finished product.

Configuration & Vault Path

• Config file:

  ~/.openclaw/ideaflow.json

• Structure:

{
  "initialized": true,
  "vaultPath": "~/.openclaw/workspace/ideas-vault/ideas"
}

• On first interaction, check if the config file exists.
  • No config = first run → show welcome, run setup, create config.
  • Config exists = skip setup, use the stored

    vaultPath

    .

All file operations must use the configured

vaultPath

Default Vault Path

During setup, offer the default path

~/.openclaw/workspace/ideas-vault/ideas

First-Run Setup Flow

1. Check for

   ~/.openclaw/ideaflow.json

   .
2. If missing → Welcome message → Ask about vault location (offer default or custom) → Create folders → Create config file.
3. After setup, offer the optional addon:

   Optional: Want quick-access slash commands (

   /ideas

   ,

   /ideas_status

   )? Install:

   openclaw plugins install @benmillerat/ideaflow-commands

   Reply install or skip.

4. If exists → Read

   vaultPath

   from config → Proceed normally.

Folder Structure (configured vaultPath)

<vaultPath>/
├── workbench/     ← Active ideas (all stages except Shipped)
├── shipped/       ← Completed ideas (trophy case 🏆)
└── trash/         ← Soft-deleted ideas (recoverable)

Stages (emoji derived, not stored)

Commands

• /idea [text]

  — Create new idea (agent-assisted: generate titles, summary)

• /ideas

  — List 6 most recent (auto-reply, no AI)

• /ideas_status

  — Stage browser with buttons (auto-reply, no AI)

Note:

/ideas

and

/ideas_status

are available when the optional @benmillerat/ideaflow-commands addon is installed.

Creating Ideas (

/idea

)

1. Generate

   title

   (max ~30 chars) from description
2. Generate

   short_title

   (max ~18 chars) for Telegram buttons
3. Generate

   summary

   (1-2 sentences)
4. Create file in

   <vaultPath>/workbench/

   with frontmatter:

---
title: Recipe-Database
short_title: Recipe DB
stage: Brainstorming
summary: "A searchable database for personal recipes..."
summary_updated: 2026-02-09T14:30:00
created: 2026-02-09
---

Stage Movement

Via conversation:

• "Move the Weather App note to validating"
• "Move the Recipe DB idea to greenlit"

Update frontmatter

stage

Moving to Shipped

1. Move file:

   <vaultPath>/workbench/X.md

   →

   <vaultPath>/shipped/X.md

2. Scan vault for links to old path
3. Update links to new path
4. Update

   stage: Shipped

Summary Staleness

Compare file mtime vs

summary_updated

⚠️ Summary may be outdated. Reply 'update' to regenerate.

Deletion

<vaultPath>/trash/

Moving the Vault

When the user says "Move my ideas vault to [new path]":

1. Confirm the move.
2. Move all files from the current configured

   vaultPath

   to the new location.
3. Update

   ~/.openclaw/ideaflow.json

   with the new

   vaultPath

   .
4. Confirm completion.

Guardrails

"Ship" Ambiguity

When user says "ship [X]" without "note" or "idea":

⚠️ DO NOT assume deployment. ASK: "Do you mean move the idea note to shipped, or actually release/deploy something?"

Title Stability

• New idea (no explicit title): Generate a fitting, short title.
• Updating existing idea: NEVER change the title — only add/update notes and content.
• Rename: Only when user explicitly asks to rename (e.g., "rename this idea to X").

This keeps naming predictable and user-controlled.

Deletion Safety

• "Delete" → soft delete (recoverable)
• "Permanently delete" → require confirmation

Empty Trash

When user asks to "empty the trash" / "clear trash" / "delete everything in trash":

1. List all files in

   <vaultPath>/trash/

   folder
2. Show confirmation prompt with ALL affected ideas:

   "Are you sure? This will permanently delete 3 ideas: Weather-App, Baking-App, Dancing-App"

3. Wait for explicit confirmation before proceeding
4. Only then:

   rm <vaultPath>/trash/*.md

Never auto-empty trash without confirmation.