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Workflow Tools

Work smarter with loop detection, parallel decisions, and file size analysis.

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4.9 (73 reviews)
Downloads
35,774 downloads
Version
1.0.0

Overview

Work smarter with loop detection, parallel decisions, and file size analysis.

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workflow-tools (工具)

Unified skill for workflow utilities including open loop detection, parallel/serial decision framework, MCE file analysis, and subworkflow spawning. Consolidates 4 skills.

Trigger: 明示呼出 (explicit invocation)

Source skills: loop-closer, parallel-decision, MCE (minimal-context-engineering), subworkflow-spawner

Removed: pbd-strength-classifier (redundant with /fm classify)

Installation

bash
openclaw install leegitw/workflow-tools

Dependencies:

  • leegitw/failure-memory (for loop context)
  • leegitw/constraint-engine (for enforcement context)
bash
# Install with dependencies
openclaw install leegitw/context-verifier
openclaw install leegitw/failure-memory
openclaw install leegitw/constraint-engine
openclaw install leegitw/workflow-tools

Standalone usage: Loop detection, parallel decisions, and MCE analysis work independently. Full integration provides constraint-aware workflow recommendations.

Data handling: This skill operates within your agent's trust boundary. When triggered, it uses your agent's configured model for workflow analysis and decision support. No external APIs or third-party services are called. Results are written to output/ subdirectories in your workspace.

⚠️ File access: This skill reads user-specified directories and files for analysis:

  • /wt loops [path] scans the specified directory (default: current working directory)
  • /wt mce reads the specified file for size analysis
The metadata declares only config and output paths. See Security Considerations for details.

What This Solves

Workflows accumulate friction — loops that never close, decisions about parallel vs serial execution, files that grow too large. This skill provides utilities for common workflow problems:

  • Loop detection — find DEFERRED, PLACEHOLDER, and TODO markers before marking work complete
  • Parallel decisions — 5-factor framework for when to parallelize vs serialize
  • MCE analysis — identify files exceeding size thresholds, suggest splits
The insight: Small tools that do one thing well. Don't overthink the workflow — detect, decide, analyze, move on.

Usage

text
/wt <sub-command> [arguments]

Sub-Commands

CommandCJKLogicTrigger
/wt loops循環scan(DEFERRED∨PLACEHOLDER∨TODO)→openloop[]Explicit
/wt parallel並列5因子→serial∨parallelExplicit
/wt mce極限file.lines>200→split_suggestions[]Explicit
/wt subworkflow副流task→spawn(clawhub.skill)Explicit

Arguments

/wt loops

ArgumentRequiredDescription
pathNoDirectory to scan (default: current)
--patternNoCustom patterns to detect (comma-separated)
--excludeNoPaths to exclude (comma-separated)

/wt parallel

ArgumentRequiredDescription
taskYesDescription of task to evaluate
--factorsNoSpecific factors to evaluate (default: all 5)

/wt mce

ArgumentRequiredDescription
fileYesFile to analyze
--thresholdNoLine threshold (default: 200)
--suggestNoGenerate split suggestions

/wt subworkflow

ArgumentRequiredDescription
taskYesTask description
--skillNoSpecific ClawHub skill to use
--backgroundNoRun in background

Configuration

Configuration is loaded from (in order of precedence):

  • .openclaw/workflow-tools.yaml (OpenClaw standard)
  • .claude/workflow-tools.yaml (Claude Code compatibility)
  • Defaults (built-in)
yaml
# .openclaw/workflow-tools.yaml
loops:
  patterns:                  # Patterns to detect as open loops
    - "TODO:"
    - "FIXME:"
    - "HACK:"
    - "XXX:"
    - "DEFERRED:"
    - "PLACEHOLDER:"
  exclude:                   # Paths to exclude from scanning
    - "vendor/"
    - "node_modules/"
mce:
  threshold: 200             # Line threshold for MCE compliance
  warning_threshold: 300     # Line threshold for warning
parallel:
  default_factors: 5         # Number of factors to evaluate

Core Logic

Open Loop Detection

Scans for unclosed work items:

PatternTypeExample
DEFERRED:Postponed work// DEFERRED: handle edge case
PLACEHOLDER:Temporary code// PLACEHOLDER: implement auth
TODO:Task marker// TODO: add error handling
FIXME:Bug marker// FIXME: race condition
HACK:Technical debt// HACK: workaround for bug
XXX:Attention needed// XXX: review this logic

Parallel vs Serial Decision Framework

Five factors determine parallel suitability:

FactorQuestionParallel IfSerial If
TeamCan different people work on parts?Independent partsShared expertise needed
CouplingHow connected are the tasks?Loose couplingTight coupling
InterfaceAre boundaries clear?Well-definedFluid/evolving
PatternIs approach consistent?Divergent explorationConvergent refinement
IntegrationHow complex is merging?Simple mergeComplex coordination
Decision matrix:

Factors favoring parallelRecommendation
5/5Strongly parallel
4/5Parallel with coordination checkpoints
3/5Consider case-by-case
2/5Serial with parallel sub-tasks
0-1/5Serial

MCE (Minimal Context Engineering)

File size thresholds for context efficiency:

LinesStatusAction
≤200✓ MCE compliantNo action needed
201-300⚠ Approaching limitConsider refactoring
>300✗ Exceeds MCESplit recommended
Split suggestions based on:
  • Function/method boundaries
  • Logical groupings
  • Import dependencies
  • Test coverage boundaries

Subworkflow Spawning

Delegate tasks to specialized ClawHub skills:

text
Task → Skill Selection → Spawn → Monitor → Collect Results

Available skill categories:

  • research-*: Investigation and analysis
  • generate-*: Content generation
  • validate-*: Verification and testing
  • transform-*: Data transformation

Example: Deployment Workflow Analysis

text
/wt parallel "Deploy new payment service to production"
[PARALLEL VS SERIAL ANALYSIS]
Task: "Deploy new payment service to production"

Factor Analysis:
1. Team: ✗ Serial - Single SRE team handles deploys
2. Coupling: ✗ Serial - Payment depends on auth service
3. Interface: ✓ Parallel - Clear API contracts defined
4. Pattern: ✗ Serial - Requires sequential rollout (canary → staging → prod)
5. Integration: ✗ Serial - Payment gateway integration must be verified

Score: 1/5 factors favor parallel
Recommendation: SERIAL deployment
Rationale: High-risk service requiring careful sequential verification.

Example: Infrastructure Loop Detection

text
/wt loops infra/ --pattern "MANUAL:,HARDCODED:"
[OPEN LOOPS DETECTED]
Scanned: ./infra
Files checked: 23

Infrastructure Issues (5):
  infra/terraform/main.tf:45  HARDCODED: AWS region
  infra/k8s/deployment.yaml:78  MANUAL: replica count
  infra/docker/Dockerfile:12  TODO: multi-stage build
  infra/scripts/deploy.sh:34  FIXME: rollback not implemented
  infra/helm/values.yaml:56  PLACEHOLDER: production secrets

Summary: 2 high, 2 medium, 1 low priority
Action: Address HARDCODED and FIXME before next release.

Output

/wt loops output

text
[OPEN LOOPS DETECTED]
Scanned: ./src
Files checked: 47

Open loops found (12):

High Priority (FIXME, XXX):
  src/auth/handler.go:45  FIXME: race condition in token refresh
  src/api/client.go:123   XXX: review error handling

Medium Priority (TODO):
  src/handlers/user.go:78  TODO: add input validation
  src/db/queries.go:234    TODO: optimize query
  src/utils/hash.go:12     TODO: add caching

Low Priority (DEFERRED, PLACEHOLDER):
  src/config/loader.go:89  DEFERRED: support YAML config
  src/templates/email.go:34 PLACEHOLDER: email templates
  ...

Summary: 2 high, 5 medium, 5 low priority loops
Action: Address high priority loops before release.

/wt parallel output

text
[PARALLEL VS SERIAL ANALYSIS]
Task: "Implement authentication and authorization"

Factor Analysis:

1. Team (独立性):
   ✓ Parallel - Auth and authz can be assigned separately

2. Coupling (結合度):
   ✗ Serial - Authz depends on auth tokens

3. Interface (境界):
   ✓ Parallel - Clear token interface between them

4. Pattern (手法):
   ✓ Parallel - Both follow established patterns

5. Integration (統合):
   ✗ Serial - Token format must match exactly

Score: 3/5 factors favor parallel

Recommendation: SERIAL with parallel sub-tasks
Rationale: Core dependency between auth and authz, but sub-components
           within each can be developed in parallel.

Suggested approach:
1. Define token interface (serial, required first)
2. Implement auth + authz (parallel, once interface stable)
3. Integration testing (serial, final step)

/wt mce output

text
[MCE ANALYSIS]
File: src/handlers/user.go
Lines: 347

Status: ✗ EXCEEDS MCE THRESHOLD (200 lines)

Complexity Analysis:
  Functions: 12
  Avg function length: 29 lines
  Max function length: 67 lines (HandleUserUpdate)
  Import groups: 4

Split Suggestions:

1. Extract CRUD handlers (lines 45-180):
   → src/handlers/user_crud.go (~135 lines)
   - CreateUser, GetUser, UpdateUser, DeleteUser

2. Extract validation (lines 181-250):
   → src/handlers/user_validation.go (~70 lines)
   - ValidateUserInput, ValidateEmail, ValidatePassword

3. Keep orchestration (remaining):
   → src/handlers/user.go (~142 lines)
   - Handler setup, middleware, routing

After split: 3 files, all ≤200 lines ✓

/wt subworkflow output

text
[SUBWORKFLOW SPAWNED]
Task: "Research competitor authentication implementations"
Skill: research-web-analysis
Status: Running in background

Job ID: SW-20260215-001
Monitor: /wt subworkflow --status SW-20260215-001

Expected completion: ~5 minutes
Results will be written to: output/subworkflows/SW-20260215-001/

Integration

  • Layer: Extensions
  • Depends on: failure-memory (for loop context), constraint-engine (for enforcement context)
  • Used by: governance (for loop detection), review-orchestrator (for parallel decisions)

Failure Modes

ConditionBehavior
Invalid sub-commandList available sub-commands
File not foundError: "File not found: {path}"
No patterns foundInfo: "No open loops detected"
Skill not availableError: "Skill not found: {skill}"

Next Steps

After invoking this skill:

ConditionAction
Loops foundPrioritize and address high-priority loops
Parallel recommendedCreate parallel work streams
MCE exceededApply split suggestions
Subworkflow completeReview and integrate results

Workspace Files

This skill reads/writes:

text
output/
├── loops/
│   └── scan-YYYY-MM-DD.md    # Loop scan results
├── parallel-decisions/
│   └── task-YYYY-MM-DD.md    # Decision records
├── mce-analysis/
│   └── file-YYYY-MM-DD.md    # MCE analysis results
└── subworkflows/
    └── SW-YYYYMMDD-XXX/      # Subworkflow outputs
        ├── status.json
        └── results.md

Security Considerations

What this skill accesses:

  • Configuration files in .openclaw/workflow-tools.yaml and .claude/workflow-tools.yaml
  • User-specified directories via /wt loops [path] — scans for patterns (read-only)
  • User-specified files via /wt mce — reads for size analysis (read-only)
  • Its own output directories (write):
  • output/loops/ — loop scan results
  • output/parallel-decisions/ — decision records
  • output/mce-analysis/ — file analysis results
  • output/subworkflows/ — subworkflow outputs
⚠️ IMPORTANT: The metadata declares only config and output paths. However, /wt loops and /wt mce read arbitrary user-specified paths beyond the declared metadata. This is by design — analysis requires reading the files/directories you want to analyze.

What this skill does NOT access:

  • System environment variables
  • Network resources or external APIs
What this skill does NOT do:
  • Send data to external services
  • Execute arbitrary code
  • Modify source files (analysis is read-only)
⚠️ Path scanning (/wt loops): The /wt loops command accepts an arbitrary directory path argument. It will recursively scan the specified directory for loop patterns (TODO, FIXME, etc.). This is a read-only operation but can scan any directory you have filesystem access to. The skill does NOT restrict which paths can be scanned — use caution with sensitive directories. Consider using --exclude to skip sensitive paths.

Subworkflow spawning (/wt subworkflow): The /wt subworkflow command spawns other ClawHub skills installed in your environment.

  • Scope: Can invoke any skill installed via openclaw install
  • Permissions: Spawned skills execute with their own declared permissions (not elevated)
  • Categories: Typically research-, generate-, validate-, transform- skills
  • Risk: The effective permission footprint is the union of this skill plus any spawned skills
Review your installed skills (openclaw list) to understand the combined permission scope when using subworkflow spawning.

Provenance note: This skill is developed by Live Neon (https://github.com/live-neon/skills) and published to ClawHub under the leegitw account. Both refer to the same maintainer.

Acceptance Criteria

  • [ ] /wt loops detects all standard loop patterns
  • [ ] /wt loops categorizes by priority (high/medium/low)
  • [ ] /wt parallel evaluates all 5 factors
  • [ ] /wt parallel provides clear recommendation with rationale
  • [ ] /wt mce identifies files exceeding threshold
  • [ ] /wt mce --suggest generates actionable split suggestions
  • [ ] /wt subworkflow spawns ClawHub skills correctly
  • [ ] /wt subworkflow supports background execution
  • [ ] Results written to workspace files

Consolidated from 4 skills as part of agentic skills consolidation (2026-02-15).

Installation

Terminal bash

openclaw install workflow-tools
    
Copied!

💻Code Examples

openclaw install leegitw/workflow-tools

openclaw-install-leegitwworkflow-tools.txt
**Dependencies**:
- `leegitw/failure-memory` (for loop context)
- `leegitw/constraint-engine` (for enforcement context)

openclaw install leegitw/workflow-tools

openclaw-install-leegitwworkflow-tools.txt
**Standalone usage**: Loop detection, parallel decisions, and MCE analysis work independently.
Full integration provides constraint-aware workflow recommendations.

**Data handling**: This skill operates within your agent's trust boundary. When triggered,
it uses your agent's configured model for workflow analysis and decision support. No external APIs
or third-party services are called. Results are written to `output/` subdirectories in your workspace.

**⚠️ File access**: This skill reads user-specified directories and files for analysis:
- `/wt loops [path]` scans the specified directory (default: current working directory)
- `/wt mce <file>` reads the specified file for size analysis
The metadata declares only config and output paths. See Security Considerations for details.

## What This Solves

Workflows accumulate friction — loops that never close, decisions about parallel vs serial execution, files that grow too large. This skill provides utilities for common workflow problems:

1. **Loop detection** — find DEFERRED, PLACEHOLDER, and TODO markers before marking work complete
2. **Parallel decisions** — 5-factor framework for when to parallelize vs serialize
3. **MCE analysis** — identify files exceeding size thresholds, suggest splits

**The insight**: Small tools that do one thing well. Don't overthink the workflow — detect, decide, analyze, move on.

## Usage

/wt <sub-command> [arguments]

wt-sub-command-arguments.txt
## Sub-Commands

| Command | CJK | Logic | Trigger |
|---------|-----|-------|---------|
| `/wt loops` | 循環 | scan(DEFERRED∨PLACEHOLDER∨TODO)→openloop[] | Explicit |
| `/wt parallel` | 並列 | 5因子→serial∨parallel | Explicit |
| `/wt mce` | 極限 | file.lines>200→split_suggestions[] | Explicit |
| `/wt subworkflow` | 副流 | task→spawn(clawhub.skill) | Explicit |

## Arguments

### /wt loops

| Argument | Required | Description |
|----------|----------|-------------|
| path | No | Directory to scan (default: current) |
| --pattern | No | Custom patterns to detect (comma-separated) |
| --exclude | No | Paths to exclude (comma-separated) |

### /wt parallel

| Argument | Required | Description |
|----------|----------|-------------|
| task | Yes | Description of task to evaluate |
| --factors | No | Specific factors to evaluate (default: all 5) |

### /wt mce

| Argument | Required | Description |
|----------|----------|-------------|
| file | Yes | File to analyze |
| --threshold | No | Line threshold (default: 200) |
| --suggest | No | Generate split suggestions |

### /wt subworkflow

| Argument | Required | Description |
|----------|----------|-------------|
| task | Yes | Task description |
| --skill | No | Specific ClawHub skill to use |
| --background | No | Run in background |

## Configuration

Configuration is loaded from (in order of precedence):
1. `.openclaw/workflow-tools.yaml` (OpenClaw standard)
2. `.claude/workflow-tools.yaml` (Claude Code compatibility)
3. Defaults (built-in)

default_factors: 5 # Number of factors to evaluate

-defaultfactors-5--number-of-factors-to-evaluate.txt
## Core Logic

### Open Loop Detection

Scans for unclosed work items:

| Pattern | Type | Example |
|---------|------|---------|
| `DEFERRED:` | Postponed work | `// DEFERRED: handle edge case` |
| `PLACEHOLDER:` | Temporary code | `// PLACEHOLDER: implement auth` |
| `TODO:` | Task marker | `// TODO: add error handling` |
| `FIXME:` | Bug marker | `// FIXME: race condition` |
| `HACK:` | Technical debt | `// HACK: workaround for bug` |
| `XXX:` | Attention needed | `// XXX: review this logic` |

### Parallel vs Serial Decision Framework

Five factors determine parallel suitability:

| Factor | Question | Parallel If | Serial If |
|--------|----------|-------------|-----------|
| **Team** | Can different people work on parts? | Independent parts | Shared expertise needed |
| **Coupling** | How connected are the tasks? | Loose coupling | Tight coupling |
| **Interface** | Are boundaries clear? | Well-defined | Fluid/evolving |
| **Pattern** | Is approach consistent? | Divergent exploration | Convergent refinement |
| **Integration** | How complex is merging? | Simple merge | Complex coordination |

Decision matrix:

| Factors favoring parallel | Recommendation |
|---------------------------|----------------|
| 5/5 | Strongly parallel |
| 4/5 | Parallel with coordination checkpoints |
| 3/5 | Consider case-by-case |
| 2/5 | Serial with parallel sub-tasks |
| 0-1/5 | Serial |

### MCE (Minimal Context Engineering)

File size thresholds for context efficiency:

| Lines | Status | Action |
|-------|--------|--------|
| ≤200 | ✓ MCE compliant | No action needed |
| 201-300 | ⚠ Approaching limit | Consider refactoring |
| >300 | ✗ Exceeds MCE | Split recommended |

Split suggestions based on:
- Function/method boundaries
- Logical groupings
- Import dependencies
- Test coverage boundaries

### Subworkflow Spawning

Delegate tasks to specialized ClawHub skills:

Task → Skill Selection → Spawn → Monitor → Collect Results

task--skill-selection--spawn--monitor--collect-results.txt
Available skill categories:
- `research-*`: Investigation and analysis
- `generate-*`: Content generation
- `validate-*`: Verification and testing
- `transform-*`: Data transformation

### Example: Deployment Workflow Analysis

Action: Address HARDCODED and FIXME before next release.

action-address-hardcoded-and-fixme-before-next-release.txt
## Output

### /wt loops output

Results will be written to: output/subworkflows/SW-20260215-001/

results-will-be-written-to-outputsubworkflowssw-20260215-001.txt
## Integration

- **Layer**: Extensions
- **Depends on**: failure-memory (for loop context), constraint-engine (for enforcement context)
- **Used by**: governance (for loop detection), review-orchestrator (for parallel decisions)

## Failure Modes

| Condition | Behavior |
|-----------|----------|
| Invalid sub-command | List available sub-commands |
| File not found | Error: "File not found: {path}" |
| No patterns found | Info: "No open loops detected" |
| Skill not available | Error: "Skill not found: {skill}" |

## Next Steps

After invoking this skill:

| Condition | Action |
|-----------|--------|
| Loops found | Prioritize and address high-priority loops |
| Parallel recommended | Create parallel work streams |
| MCE exceeded | Apply split suggestions |
| Subworkflow complete | Review and integrate results |

## Workspace Files

This skill reads/writes:
example.sh
# Install with dependencies
openclaw install leegitw/context-verifier
openclaw install leegitw/failure-memory
openclaw install leegitw/constraint-engine
openclaw install leegitw/workflow-tools
example.yml
# .openclaw/workflow-tools.yaml
loops:
  patterns:                  # Patterns to detect as open loops
    - "TODO:"
    - "FIXME:"
    - "HACK:"
    - "XXX:"
    - "DEFERRED:"
    - "PLACEHOLDER:"
  exclude:                   # Paths to exclude from scanning
    - "vendor/"
    - "node_modules/"
mce:
  threshold: 200             # Line threshold for MCE compliance
  warning_threshold: 300     # Line threshold for warning
parallel:
  default_factors: 5         # Number of factors to evaluate
example.txt
/wt parallel "Deploy new payment service to production"
[PARALLEL VS SERIAL ANALYSIS]
Task: "Deploy new payment service to production"

Factor Analysis:
1. Team: ✗ Serial - Single SRE team handles deploys
2. Coupling: ✗ Serial - Payment depends on auth service
3. Interface: ✓ Parallel - Clear API contracts defined
4. Pattern: ✗ Serial - Requires sequential rollout (canary → staging → prod)
5. Integration: ✗ Serial - Payment gateway integration must be verified

Score: 1/5 factors favor parallel
Recommendation: SERIAL deployment
Rationale: High-risk service requiring careful sequential verification.

Tags

#productivity_and-tasks #tools #workflow

Quick Info

Category Development
Model Claude 3.5
Complexity Advanced
Author leegitw
Last Updated 3/10/2026
🚀
Optimized for
Claude 3.5
🧠

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openclaw install workflow-tools