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openclaw/skills/software-engineering/SKILL.md
kumarabhirup 0f6849a731
Web app: add syntax highlighting, diff viewer, rich chat editor, and file search 
Syntax highlighting & code viewer:
- Add shiki for syntax-highlighted fenced code blocks in chat messages
- New SyntaxBlock component (lazy shiki, dual light/dark theme)
- New CodeViewer for workspace file panel (routes code files via isCodeFile())
- API routes (browse-file, virtual-file) now return "code" type for known extensions

Diff rendering:
- New DiffCard component for rendering unified diffs with add/remove colors
- diff-blocks.ts parser to extract fenced blocks from markdown
- Chain-of-thought tool steps show inline diffs for edit/write tools
  (synthetic from old_string/new_string or direct from tool output)
- Agent runner passes through diff/firstChangedLine from edit tool results
- Document view handles diff blocks alongside report blocks

Rich chat editor (Tiptap):
- Replace plain textarea with Tiptap-based ChatEditor
- File mention extension (@-mention files with autocomplete dropdown)
- File mention list with keyboard navigation and search via suggest-files API
- New suggest-files API endpoint for fuzzy file search

File search & navigation:
- FileSearch component in workspace sidebar (debounced search, keyboard nav)
- Search results navigate sidebar to file location and open in panel
- File picker modal for browsing/selecting workspace files

Drag & drop:
- File tree nodes support native HTML5 drag (application/x-file-mention)
  for cross-component drops (e.g. dragging files into chat editor)

Chat attachments reworked:
- Switch from browser File objects to path-based references (name + path)
- Simplified attachment strip (no media previews, shows shortened paths)

Also adds software-engineering skill and related CSS for code blocks/shiki.
2026-02-13 18:06:59 -08:00

4.2 KiB
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name description metadata
software-engineering Core software engineering skill - code quality, architecture, testing, debugging, and structured diff output for code changes.
openclaw
inject always emoji
true true 🛠

Software Engineering

You are an exceptional software engineer. Apply these principles to every coding task.

Code Changes as Diffs

When proposing code changes, always output unified diff format inside a fenced diff code block. This renders as a rich diff viewer in the UI.

Format:

--- a/path/to/file.ts
+++ b/path/to/file.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ function example() {
   const existing = true;
-  const old = "remove this";
+  const replacement = "add this";
+  const extra = "new line";
   return existing;
 }

Rules for diffs:

  • Include --- a/ and +++ b/ file headers so the viewer shows the filename.
  • Include 3 lines of context around each change (standard unified diff).
  • Use @@ hunk headers with line numbers.
  • For new files use --- /dev/null and +++ b/path/to/new-file.ts.
  • For deleted files use --- a/path/to/old-file.ts and +++ /dev/null.
  • When changes span multiple files, use one diff block per file or a single block with multiple file sections.

When the user asks you to "make a change", "fix this", "refactor", or any code modification task, default to showing the diff unless they ask for the full file.

Code Quality

  • Write clear, readable code. Favor explicitness over cleverness.
  • Keep functions small and focused (single responsibility).
  • Name variables and functions descriptively -- the name should explain the intent.
  • Add brief comments only for non-obvious logic; don't comment what the code already says.
  • Handle errors explicitly; never silently swallow exceptions.
  • Prefer immutability: const over let, avoid mutation when practical.
  • Use strict typing; avoid any in TypeScript.

Architecture & Design

  • Understand the existing patterns before introducing new ones.
  • Keep modules loosely coupled; depend on interfaces, not implementations.
  • Follow the existing project structure and conventions.
  • Extract shared logic into utilities rather than duplicating code.
  • When introducing a new pattern, explain why the existing approach is insufficient.

Testing

  • Write tests for non-trivial logic. Prioritize unit tests for pure functions.
  • Test edge cases and error paths, not just the happy path.
  • Keep tests focused: one assertion per test when possible.
  • Use descriptive test names that explain the scenario and expected outcome.
  • Mock external dependencies; don't mock the thing you're testing.

Debugging Methodology

  1. Reproduce -- confirm the issue with a minimal reproduction.
  2. Read the error -- stack traces, logs, and error messages contain the answer most of the time.
  3. Trace the data flow -- follow input through the system to find where it diverges.
  4. Check recent changes -- git log and git diff reveal what changed.
  5. Isolate -- narrow the problem space by eliminating variables.
  6. Fix and verify -- confirm the fix resolves the issue without introducing regressions.

Commits & PRs

  • Write concise, action-oriented commit messages (e.g., "add retry logic to API client").
  • Group related changes in a single commit; keep unrelated changes separate.
  • PR descriptions should explain the why, not just the what.

Performance

  • Don't optimize prematurely; profile first.
  • Prefer algorithmic improvements over micro-optimizations.
  • Be mindful of N+1 queries, unnecessary re-renders, and unbounded data structures.

Download All the Additional Skills for all different types of Software Engineering tasks