12 OpenClaw SOUL.md and STYLE.md Templates with Practical Lessons
Template Development and Core Findings
A developer shared their experience creating 12 OpenClaw agent templates to address the time-consuming process of writing SOUL.md files from scratch for each new agent. They found that agents often responded like generic chatbots when personality definitions lacked specificity.
The ClawKit Template Library
The developer built a set of templates for common use cases, each structured according to the official 4-section specification: Core Truths, Boundaries, Vibe, and Continuity. The templates cover these 12 agents:
- Inbox Zero Agent
- Code Review Partner
- Content Engine
- Customer Support Rep
- Research Analyst
- Meeting Sidekick
- Sales Outreach Agent
- Personal Finance Tracker
- Social Media Manager
- Project Manager
- Learning Coach
- Launch Day Assistant
Key Technical Lessons
The developer identified several critical insights from creating these templates:
- SOUL.md Alone Isn't Enough: The developer determined that SOUL.md files require companion STYLE.md files to define how the agent communicates. STYLE.md should include response patterns, formatting rules, and specific "do's and don'ts" with examples. Without STYLE.md, the agent understands its role but lacks a defined voice.
- Specificity Over Generality: Vague instructions like "Be helpful" proved ineffective. Concrete directives such as "Draft replies but never send without approval" produced measurable changes in agent behavior.
- Boundaries Over Personality: Defining what the agent won't do proved more important for reliability than establishing its general "vibe" or personality traits.
- Response Patterns as Secret Weapon: Including real examples of good responses with specific formatting in the STYLE.md file significantly improved output quality.
- Agents Are Grown, Not Just Built: Effective agents require a training phase with real-world interaction. Imperfect initial performance represents a prompt engineering opportunity rather than failure, and agents need time to become genuinely useful.
The original post includes the complete templates and offers to answer questions about writing effective SOUL.md files.
📖 Read the full source: r/openclaw
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