capability-evolver▌
evomap/evolver · updated Apr 8, 2026
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"Evolution is not optional. Adapt or die."
🧬 Evolver
"Evolution is not optional. Adapt or die."
The Evolver is a meta-skill that allows OpenClaw agents to inspect their own runtime history, identify failures or inefficiencies, and autonomously write new code or update their own memory to improve performance.
Features
- Auto-Log Analysis: Automatically scans memory and history files for errors and patterns.
- Self-Repair: Detects crashes and suggests patches.
- GEP Protocol: Standardized evolution with reusable assets.
- One-Command Evolution: Just run
/evolve(ornode index.js).
Usage
Standard Run (Automated)
Runs the evolution cycle. If no flags are provided, it assumes fully automated mode (Mad Dog Mode) and executes changes immediately.
node index.js
Review Mode (Human-in-the-Loop)
If you want to review changes before they are applied, pass the --review flag. The agent will pause and ask for confirmation.
node index.js --review
Mad Dog Mode (Continuous Loop)
To run in an infinite loop (e.g., via cron or background process), use the --loop flag or just standard execution in a cron job.
node index.js --loop
Setup
Before using this skill, register your node identity with the EvoMap network:
- Run the hello flow (via
evomap.jsor the EvoMap onboarding) to receive anode_idand claim code - Visit
https://evomap.ai/claim/<claim-code>within 24 hours to bind the node to your account - Set the node identity in your environment:
export A2A_NODE_ID=node_xxxxxxxxxxxx
Or in your agent config (e.g., ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json):
{ "env": { "A2A_NODE_ID": "node_xxxxxxxxxxxx", "A2A_HUB_URL": "https://evomap.ai" } }
Do not hardcode the node ID in scripts. getNodeId() in src/gep/a2aProtocol.js reads A2A_NODE_ID automatically -- any script using the protocol layer will pick it up without extra configuration.
Configuration
Required Environment Variables
| Variable | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
A2A_NODE_ID |
(required) | Your EvoMap node identity. Set after node registration -- never hardcode in scripts. |
Optional Environment Variables
| Variable | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
A2A_HUB_URL |
https://evomap.ai |
EvoMap Hub API base URL. |
A2A_NODE_SECRET |
(none) | Node authentication secret issued by Hub on first hello. Stored locally after registration. |
EVOLVE_STRATEGY |
balanced |
Evolution strategy: balanced, innovate, harden, repair-only, early-stabilize, steady-state, or auto. |
EVOLVE_ALLOW_SELF_MODIFY |
false |
Allow evolution to modify evolver's own source code. NOT recommended for production. |
EVOLVE_LOAD_MAX |
2.0 |
Maximum 1-minute load average before evolver backs off. |
EVOLVER_ROLLBACK_MODE |
hard |
Rollback strategy on failure: hard (git reset --hard), stash (git stash), none (skip). Use stash for safer operation. |
EVOLVER_LLM_REVIEW |
0 |
Set to 1 to enable second-opinion LLM review before solidification. |
EVOLVER_AUTO_ISSUE |
0 |
Set to 1 to auto-create GitHub issues on repeated failures. Requires GITHUB_TOKEN. |
EVOLVER_ISSUE_REPO |
(none) | GitHub repo for auto-issue reporting (e.g. EvoMap/evolver). |
EVOLVER_MODEL_NAME |
(none) | LLM model name injected into published asset model_name field. |
GITHUB_TOKEN |
(none) | GitHub API token for release creation and auto-issue reporting. Also accepts GH_TOKEN or GITHUB_PAT. |
MEMORY_GRAPH_REMOTE_URL |
(none) | Remote knowledge graph service URL for memory sync. |
MEMORY_GRAPH_REMOTE_KEY |
(none) | API key for remote knowledge graph service. |
EVOLVE_REPORT_TOOL |
(auto) | Override report tool (e.g. feishu-card). |
RANDOM_DRIFT |
0 |
Enable random drift in evolution strategy selection. |
Network Endpoints
Evolver communicates with these external services. All are authenticated and documented.
| Endpoint | Auth | Purpose | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
{A2A_HUB_URL}/a2a/* |
A2A_NODE_SECRET (Bearer) |
A2A protocol: hello, heartbeat, publish, fetch, reviews, tasks | Yes |
api.github.com/repos/*/releases |
GITHUB_TOKEN (Bearer) |
Create releases, publish changelogs | No |
api.github.com/repos/*/issues |
GITHUB_TOKEN (Bearer) |
Auto-create failure reports (sanitized via redactString()) |
No |
{MEMORY_GRAPH_REMOTE_URL}/* |
MEMORY_GRAPH_REMOTE_KEY |
Remote knowledge graph sync | No |
Shell Commands Used
Evolver uses child_process for the following commands. No user-controlled input is passed to shell.
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
git checkout, git clean, git log, git status, git diff |
Version control for evolution cycles |
git rebase --abort, git merge --abort |
Abort stuck git operations (self-repair) |
git reset --hard |
Rollback failed evolution (only when EVOLVER_ROLLBACK_MODE=hard) |
git stash |
Preserve failed evolution changes (when EVOLVER_ROLLBACK_MODE=stash) |
ps, pgrep, tasklist |
Process discovery for lifecycle management |
df -P |
Disk usage check (health monitoring fallback) |
npm install --production |
Repair missing skill dependencies |
node -e "..." |
Inline script execution for LLM review (no shell, uses execFileSync) |
File Access
| Direction | Paths | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Read | ~/.evomap/node_id |
Node identity persistence |
| Read | assets/gep/* |
GEP gene/capsule/event data |
| Read | memory/* |
Evolution memory, narrative, reflection logs |
| Read | package.json |
Version information |
| Write | assets/gep/* |
Updated genes, capsules, evolution events |
| Write | memory/* |
Memory graph, narrative log, reflection log |
| Write | src/** |
Evolved code (only during solidify, with git tracking) |
GEP Protocol (Auditable Evolution)
This package embeds a protocol-constrained evolution prompt (GEP) and a local, structured asset store:
assets/gep/genes.json: reusable Gene definitionsassets/gep/capsules.json: success capsules to avoid repeating reasoningassets/gep/events.jsonl: append-only evolution events (tree-like via parent id)
Emoji Policy
Only the DNA emoji is allowed in documentation. All other emoji are disallowed.
Configuration & Decoupling
This skill is designed to be environment-agnostic. It uses standard OpenClaw tools by default.
Local Overrides (Injection)
You can inject local preferences (e.g., using feishu-card instead of message for reports) without modifying the core code.
Method 1: Environment Variables
Set EVOLVE_REPORT_TOOL in your .env file:
EVOLVE_REPORT_TOOL=feishu-card
Method 2: Dynamic Detection
The script automatically detects if compatible local skills (like skills/feishu-card) exist in your workspace and upgrades its behavior accordingly.
Safety & Risk Protocol
1. Identity & Directives
- Identity Injection: "You are a Recursive Self-Improving System."
- Mutation Directive:
- If Errors Found -> Repair Mode (Fix bugs).
- If Stable -> Forced Optimization (Refactor/Innovate).
2. Risk Mitigation
- Infinite Recursion: Strict single-process logic.
- Review Mode: Use
--reviewfor sensitive environments. - Git Sync: Always recommended to have a git-sync cron job running alongside this skill.
Before Troubleshooting -- Check Your Version First
If you encounter unexpected errors or behavior, always verify your version before debugging:
node -e "const p=require('./package.json'); console.log(p.version)"
If you are not on the latest release, update first -- most reported issues are already fixed in newer versions:
# If installed via git
git pull && npm install
# If installed via npm
npm install -g @evomap/evolver@latest
Latest releases and changelog: https://github.com/EvoMap/evolver/releases
License
MIT
How to use capability-evolver on Cursor
AI-first code editor with Composer
Prerequisites
Before installing skills in Cursor, ensure your development environment meets these requirements:
- ›Cursor installed and configured on your development machine
- ›Node.js version 16.0+ with npm package manager (verify with
node --version) - ›Active project directory or workspace where you want to add capability-evolver
Execute installation command
Execute the skills CLI command in your project's root directory to begin installation:
The skills CLI fetches capability-evolver from GitHub repository evomap/evolver and configures it for Cursor.
Select Cursor when prompted
The CLI will show a list of available agents. Use arrow keys to navigate and space to select Cursor:
Verify installation
Confirm successful installation by checking the skill directory location:
Reload or restart Cursor to activate capability-evolver. Access the skill through slash commands (e.g., /capability-evolver) or your agent's skill management interface.
Security & Verification Notice
We perform automated surface-level scans (Gen AI Scanner, Socket, Snyk) during installation. These checks detect common vulnerabilities but do not guarantee complete security. Always review skill source code and verify the publisher's reputation before production use.
Skills execute code in your development environment. Always verify the publisher's identity, review recent commits, and test in isolated environments before production deployment.
List & Monetize Your Skill
Submit your Claude Code skill and start earning
Use Cases▌
User Story & Requirements Generation
Create detailed user stories, acceptance criteria, and feature specs
Example
Generate user stories for 'password reset feature' with acceptance criteria, edge cases, and test scenarios
Reduce spec writing time by 50%, ensure comprehensive coverage
Competitive Analysis
Research competitors, compare features, identify gaps
Example
Analyze 5 competitor products, create feature comparison matrix, suggest differentiation opportunities
Complete competitive research in 2 hours instead of 2 days
Roadmap Prioritization
Evaluate features using frameworks (RICE, ICE, Kano) and create prioritized backlogs
Example
Score 20 feature ideas using RICE framework, generate prioritized roadmap with rationale
Make data-driven prioritization decisions faster
Stakeholder Communication
Draft PRDs, status updates, and stakeholder presentations
Example
Create executive summary of Q3 roadmap, monthly progress report, feature launch announcement
Save 3-5 hours/week on communication overhead
Implementation Guide▌
Prerequisites
- ›Claude Desktop or compatible AI client
- ›Access to product documentation and roadmap tools (Jira, Notion, etc.)
- ›Understanding of product management frameworks (RICE, Jobs-to-be-Done, etc.)
- ›Stakeholder contact information and communication channels
Time Estimate
30-60 minutes to see productivity improvements
Installation Steps
- 1.Install product management skill
- 2.Start with user story generation for known feature
- 3.Progress to competitive analysis: research 2-3 competitors
- 4.Use for roadmap prioritization: apply RICE/ICE scoring
- 5.Draft stakeholder communications and refine based on feedback
- 6.Build template library for recurring PM tasks
- 7.Share effective prompts with product team
Common Pitfalls
- ⚠Not validating competitive research—verify facts before sharing
- ⚠Accepting user stories without involving engineering team
- ⚠Over-relying on frameworks without qualitative judgment
- ⚠Not customizing outputs to company culture and communication style
- ⚠Skipping stakeholder validation of generated requirements
Best Practices▌
✓ Do
- +Validate research and competitive analysis with real data
- +Collaborate with engineering when generating technical requirements
- +Customize frameworks and templates to your company context
- +Use skill for first drafts, refine with stakeholder input
- +Document successful prompt patterns for PM tasks
- +Combine AI efficiency with human judgment and intuition
✗ Don't
- −Don't publish competitive analysis without fact-checking
- −Don't finalize user stories without engineering review
- −Don't make prioritization decisions solely on AI scoring
- −Don't skip customer validation of generated requirements
- −Don't ignore company-specific context and culture
💡 Pro Tips
- ★Provide context: company goals, constraints, customer feedback
- ★Ask for alternatives: 'Show 3 ways to prioritize this roadmap'
- ★Request stakeholder-specific formatting: 'Executive summary vs. engineering spec'
- ★Use skill for 70% generation + 30% customization to company needs
When to Use This▌
✓ Use When
Use for user story writing, competitive research, roadmap prioritization, stakeholder communication, and PRD drafting. Best for reducing repetitive documentation and research work.
✗ Avoid When
Avoid for strategic product vision (requires deep customer empathy), pricing decisions (needs market and financial expertise), or when face-to-face customer discovery is more valuable than speed.
Learning Path▌
- 1Basic: user stories, feature specs, status updates
- 2Intermediate: competitive analysis, prioritization frameworks, PRDs
- 3Advanced: product strategy, go-to-market planning, OKR setting
- 4Expert: product vision, market positioning, business model innovation
Discussion
Product Hunt–style comments (not star reviews)- No comments yet — start the thread.
Ratings
4.6★★★★★72 reviews- ★★★★★Ira Garcia· Dec 20, 2024
capability-evolver has been reliable in day-to-day use. Documentation quality is above average for community skills.
- ★★★★★Charlotte Farah· Dec 20, 2024
We added capability-evolver from the explainx registry; install was straightforward and the SKILL.md answered most questions upfront.
- ★★★★★Henry Ramirez· Dec 16, 2024
capability-evolver fits our agent workflows well — practical, well scoped, and easy to wire into existing repos.
- ★★★★★Dhruvi Jain· Dec 12, 2024
Solid pick for teams standardizing on skills: capability-evolver is focused, and the summary matches what you get after install.
- ★★★★★Alexander Bansal· Dec 12, 2024
capability-evolver reduced setup friction for our internal harness; good balance of opinion and flexibility.
- ★★★★★Ira Tandon· Dec 4, 2024
We added capability-evolver from the explainx registry; install was straightforward and the SKILL.md answered most questions upfront.
- ★★★★★Ira Thompson· Nov 23, 2024
Solid pick for teams standardizing on skills: capability-evolver is focused, and the summary matches what you get after install.
- ★★★★★Isabella Menon· Nov 19, 2024
capability-evolver is among the better-maintained entries we tried; worth keeping pinned for repeat workflows.
- ★★★★★Mateo Reddy· Nov 19, 2024
Keeps context tight: capability-evolver is the kind of skill you can hand to a new teammate without a long onboarding doc.
- ★★★★★Ishan Sethi· Nov 11, 2024
capability-evolver fits our agent workflows well — practical, well scoped, and easy to wire into existing repos.
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