Upstream Issue: Make OPENCLAW_BOOTSTRAP_PREFER_SESSION_CONTEXT a native config option

Project: OpenClaw Component: Gateway / Session Bootstrapping Suggested label: enhancement, configuration

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Problem

OpenClaw now supports OPENCLAW_BOOTSTRAP_PREFER_SESSION_CONTEXT natively in newer builds. However, teams on older builds still report confusion because historical setup guides required a manual host patch and those instructions are still copy-pasted in some environments.

Without native support (older builds), the system falls back to loading full MEMORY.md on every session, causing frequent context max-outs for larger workspaces.

Manual patching is:

• Error-prone: users must locate the correct file and apply exact code changes.
• Non-persistent: openclaw upgrade overwrites the host binary, wiping the patch.
• Poor discoverability: the required step is easy to miss in installation docs, leading to failed setups.

For smooth adoption of AINL-based token optimizations, this behavior should be native (now true on current builds) and documented as version-gated for older installs.

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Proposed Solution

Add native support for OPENCLAW_BOOTSTRAP_PREFER_SESSION_CONTEXT (or a similarly named config key) in OpenClaw’s gateway configuration. When enabled (e.g., "bootstrap": { "preferSessionContext": true } or via env var), the gateway automatically loads .openclaw/bootstrap/session_context.md if it exists and is non-empty, bypassing the full MEMORY.md load.

This would:

• Eliminate the need for the host binary patch script.
• Make AINL token optimizations truly turnkey.
• Persist across upgrades (as part of user config).
• Reduce support friction.

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Implementation Sketch

In the gateway’s session initialization code (likely the workspace loader), there is already a hook to generate session_context.md via AINL. Add a simple conditional:

// Existing: const bootstrapPath = path.join(workspaceDir, '.openclaw', 'bootstrap', 'session_context.md');
// After reading the main MEMORY.md or before building context:
if (process.env.OPENCLAW_BOOTSTRAP_PREFER_SESSION_CONTEXT === '1') {
  try {
    const ctx = fs.readFileSync(bootstrapPath, 'utf8');
    if (ctx && ctx.trim().length > 0) {
      console.log('[AINL] Using session_context.md (OPENCLAW_BOOTSTRAP_PREFER_SESSION_CONTEXT=1)');
      return ctx; // or inject into context builder
    }
  } catch (e) {
    // no session_context.md; continue with normal bootstrap
  }
}

Alternatively, read from openclaw.json config (e.g., config.get('bootstrap.preferSessionContext')) instead of an env var for clarity.

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Context for Maintainers

• AINL v1.2.8+ includes a wrapper token_aware_startup_context.ainl that generates the compact context file on a schedule (e.g., every 15 minutes); current PyPI: v1.3.3.
• The wrapper and bridge integration are documented in AI_Native_Lang/docs/openclaw/TOKEN_AWARE_STARTUP_CONTEXT.md.
• Current recommendation: use native support on recent OpenClaw builds and avoid patch scripts unless running an older version.
• Making this native removes a significant barrier to adoption and aligns with OpenClaw’s philosophy of user-friendly AI integration.

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References

• AINL OpenClaw unified integration: AI_Native_Lang/docs/ainl_openclaw_unified_integration.md (section: Token-aware startup context optimization)
• Legacy patch script (older OpenClaw only): AI_Native_Lang/scripts/patch_bootstrap_loader.sh
• Wrapper: AI_Native_Lang/openclaw/bridge/wrappers/token_aware_startup_context.ainl
• Integration docs: AI_Native_Lang/docs/openclaw/TOKEN_AWARE_STARTUP_CONTEXT.md

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Suggested commit message (if submitting PR):

feat: support OPENCLAW_BOOTSTRAP_PREFER_SESSION_CONTEXT natively

Add native check in workspace loader to prefer session_context.md when
the env flag is set. This enables AINL token-aware startup to work
without manual host binary patches, improving upgrade persistence and
setup simplicity.

Closes #XXXX