improve: simplify repository tooling, contribution templates, and packaged skill docs (#168708)

.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.yml

@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ body:
     id: repro
     attributes:
       label: Steps to reproduce
-      description: Provide the shortest deterministic repro path supported by direct observation. If the repro path cannot be grounded from the evidence, respond with exactly `NOT_ENOUGH_INFO`.
+      description: Provide the shortest repeatable reproduction steps supported by direct observation. If the steps cannot be grounded from the evidence, respond with exactly `NOT_ENOUGH_INFO`.
       placeholder: |
         1. Start OpenClaw 2026.2.17 with the attached config.
         2. Send a Telegram thread reply in the affected chat.

docs/plugins/plugin-inventory.md

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ summary: "Generated inventory of OpenClaw plugins shipped in core, published ext
 read_when:
   - You are deciding whether a plugin ships in the core npm package or installs separately
   - You are updating bundled plugin package metadata or release automation
-  - You need the canonical internal vs external plugin list
+  - You need the current internal vs external plugin list
 title: "Plugin inventory"
 ---
 

scripts/bench-cron-session-reaper.md

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ imports, and removes its fixture tree afterward. It accepts 1–1000 agents.
 
 ## What it measures
 
-Each agent gets a real canonical SQLite database with four persisted sessions
+Each agent gets a real SQLite database with four persisted sessions
 and 512 KiB of synthetic padding in the existing cache table. The harness calls
 the production `sweepCronRunSessions` sequentially, matching the scheduler's
 per-agent await ordering without adding yields, accessor spies, or mocks.

scripts/dependency-vulnerability-gate.mts

@@ -395,7 +395,7 @@ export function renderDependencyVulnerabilityGateMarkdownReport(
     `- Coverage issues: ${report.coverage.upstream.issues.length}`,
     `- GitHub-reviewed range reconciliations: ${report.coverage.upstream.reconciliations.length} (raw ranges retained in JSON coverage evidence)`,
     "",
-    "An empty source response is not comprehensive vulnerability clearance. Unsupported or incomplete upstream checks are not evidence that a package is unaffected.",
+    "An empty source response is not a full vulnerability assessment. Unsupported or incomplete upstream checks are not evidence that a package is unaffected.",
     "",
     ...report.graphs.flatMap((graph) => [
       `### ${graph.lockfile}`,
@@ -511,7 +511,7 @@ export async function main(
       `PASS dependency vulnerability gate: checked ${packageVersions} resolved ` +
         `package versions across ${report.graphs.length} separate lockfile graphs; 0 known malware, ` +
         `${advisories.length} non-blocking advisories recorded as release evidence; ${coverage}. ` +
-        "This is not comprehensive vulnerability clearance.\n",
+        "This is not a full vulnerability assessment.\n",
     );
     return 0;
   }

scripts/generate-plugin-inventory-doc.mts

@@ -623,7 +623,7 @@ summary: "Generated inventory of OpenClaw plugins shipped in core, published ext
 read_when:
   - You are deciding whether a plugin ships in the core npm package or installs separately
   - You are updating bundled plugin package metadata or release automation
-  - You need the canonical internal vs external plugin list
+  - You need the current internal vs external plugin list
 title: "Plugin inventory"
 ---
 

scripts/github/barnacle-auto-response.mjs

@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ const candidateActionRules = Object.entries({
   [candidateLabels.dirtyCandidate]: noisyPrMessage,
   [candidateLabels.externalPluginCandidate]: thirdPartyExtensionMessage,
   [candidateLabels.riskyInfra]:
-    "Closing this PR because it changes infra/CI/release/ops plumbing without maintainer context and validation. That surface is high-blast-radius; open an issue/RFC or get owner approval before sending a patch.",
+    "Closing this PR because it changes infra/CI/release/ops plumbing without maintainer context and validation. These changes can affect many development and release workflows; open an issue/RFC or get owner approval before sending a patch.",
   [candidateLabels.docsDiscoverability]:
     "Closing this PR because docs discoverability and community-plugin listing changes should go through ClawHub or a maintainer-owned docs plan, not drive-by core churn.",
   [candidateLabels.lowSignalDocs]:

scripts/install.sh

@@ -1922,7 +1922,7 @@ ensure_default_node_active_shell() {
     ui_error "Active Node.js must be ${NODE_SUPPORTED_VERSION_LABEL} but this shell is using ${active_version} (${active_path})"
     print_active_node_paths || true
 
-    echo "Install/select Node.js ${NODE_DEFAULT_MAJOR} and ensure it is first on PATH, then rerun installer."
+    echo "Install/select Node.js ${NODE_DEFAULT_MAJOR} and check that it is first on PATH, then rerun installer."
     return 1
 }
 

scripts/k8s/create-kind.sh

@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ detect_provider() {
     if command -v "$candidate" &>/dev/null; then
       case "$candidate" in
         podman)
-          fail "Podman is installed but not responding, and no responsive Docker daemon was found. Ensure the podman machine is running (podman machine start) or start Docker."
+          fail "Podman is installed but not responding, and no responsive Docker daemon was found. Start the podman machine (podman machine start) or start Docker."
           ;;
         docker)
           fail "Docker is installed but not running, and no responsive Podman machine was found. Start Docker or start Podman."
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ if ! "$CONTAINER_CMD" info &>/dev/null; then
   if [[ "$CONTAINER_CMD" == "docker" ]]; then
     fail "Docker daemon is not running. Start it and try again."
   elif [[ "$CONTAINER_CMD" == "podman" ]]; then
-    fail "Podman is not responding. Ensure the podman machine is running (podman machine start)."
+    fail "Podman is not responding. Start the podman machine (podman machine start)."
   fi
 fi
 

scripts/openclaw-npm-release-check.ts

@@ -409,7 +409,7 @@ export function collectControlUiPackErrors(paths: Iterable<string>): string[] {
   for (const requiredPath of REQUIRED_PACKED_PATHS) {
     if (!packedPaths.has(requiredPath)) {
       errors.push(
-        `npm package is missing required path "${requiredPath}". Ensure UI assets are built and included before publish.`,
+        `npm package is missing required path "${requiredPath}". Build and include UI assets before publishing.`,
       );
     }
   }

scripts/pre-commit/pnpm-audit-prod.mjs

@@ -583,7 +583,7 @@ export async function runPnpmAuditProd({
         reason: `No matching ${normalizedMinSeverity} or higher advisories returned by npm bulk for production dependencies.`,
       };
       stdout.write(
-        `${result.reason} Upstream repository advisories were not checked; this is not comprehensive vulnerability clearance.\n`,
+        `${result.reason} Upstream repository advisories were not checked; this is not a full vulnerability assessment.\n`,
       );
       return 0;
     }

scripts/qa/render-maturity-docs.ts

@@ -996,7 +996,7 @@ function evidenceScorecardWarnings(
       .filter((item) => (item.profile === "all" || item.profile === "release") && !item.scorecard)
       .map(
         (item) =>
-          `${item.path}: ${item.profile} profile qa-evidence.json does not include a scorecard field; run pnpm openclaw qa run --qa-profile ${item.profile} to produce deterministic scorecard rows`,
+          `${item.path}: ${item.profile} profile qa-evidence.json does not include a scorecard field; run pnpm openclaw qa run --qa-profile ${item.profile} to produce repeatable scorecard rows`,
       ),
     ...coverage.warnings,
   ];

skills/control-ui/SKILL.md

@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ explanations, and dashboard content. Keep session and board organization here.
 
 ## Navigate and arrange the UI
 
-Use `screen` for deterministic client commands:
+Use `screen` for direct client commands:
 
 - `navigate` to open a session by `sessionKey`;
 - `sidebar_show` / `sidebar_hide` for the session sidebar;
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@ Use `screen` for deterministic client commands:
   docked panels.
 
 `screen` broadcasts to every connected Control UI that advertises UI commands;
-it cannot select one browser tab. Confirm the blast radius when several clients
-may be open. If it reports no capable client, ask the user to open the Control
+it cannot select one browser tab. Check which clients are connected before sending
+a command. If it reports no capable client, ask the user to open the Control
 UI and retry.
 
 Use the in-app browser or an available browser-control tool when the task needs

skills/openhue/SKILL.md

@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ Use when:
 Do not use when:
 
 - Non-Hue smart devices (other brands) -> not supported
-- HomeKit scenes or Shortcuts -> use Apple's ecosystem
+- HomeKit scenes or Shortcuts -> use Apple's Home app or Shortcuts
 - TV or entertainment system control
 - Thermostat or HVAC
 - Smart plugs (unless Hue smart plugs)

skills/skill-creator/SKILL.md

@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ description: "Author or review AgentSkills: create, repair, validate, or restruc
 3. Structure the skill.
    - Map shared ordered procedure to `SKILL.md`; end every step with a checkable completion criterion and finish with verification.
    - Keep routing conditions in `description`; start the body with execution.
-   - Map branch-only detail to `references/`, deterministic helpers to `scripts/`, output resources to `assets/`, and optional UI metadata to `agents/`.
+   - Map branch-only detail to `references/`, repeatable helpers to `scripts/`, output resources to `assets/`, and optional UI metadata to `agents/`.
    - **Done when:** every planned resource has one purpose and a direct pointer from `SKILL.md`.
 
 4. Draft and persist.

test/scripts/dependency-vulnerability-gate.test.ts

@@ -304,9 +304,7 @@ describe("dependency-vulnerability-gate", () => {
         });
         expect(report.coverage.upstream.issues).toHaveLength(4);
         expect(stdout.mock.calls.flat().join("")).toContain("public upstream partial");
-        expect(stdout.mock.calls.flat().join("")).toContain(
-          "not comprehensive vulnerability clearance",
-        );
+        expect(stdout.mock.calls.flat().join("")).toContain("not a full vulnerability assessment");
         expect(stderr.mock.calls.flat().join("")).toContain(
           "WARN incomplete upstream advisory coverage",
         );

test/scripts/pnpm-audit-prod.test.ts

@@ -779,7 +779,7 @@ ${packageNames.map((name) => `  ${name}@1.0.0: {}`).join("\n")}
           expect(stdoutChunks.join("")).toContain(
             "Upstream repository advisories were not checked",
           );
-          expect(stdoutChunks.join("")).toContain("not comprehensive vulnerability clearance");
+          expect(stdoutChunks.join("")).toContain("not a full vulnerability assessment");
         }
       } finally {
         vi.unstubAllEnvs();