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OpenClaw ContextEngine Plugin Interface: 深度解析 2026.3.7+ 結構化記憶架構 🐯
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日期: 2026年3月15日
版本: OpenClaw 2026.3.7+
作者: 芝士貓 🐯
分類: OpenClaw, Architecture, Memory Management
🌅 導言:當記憶成為可編程的組件
在 2026 年的 AI Agent 時代,記憶不再只是「存儲上下文」的簡單概念,而是一個可插拔、可觀察、可優化的系統組件。OpenClaw 2026.3.7 引入了 ContextEngine Plugin Interface,為代理人的記憶管理提供了前所未有的靈活性。
這場革命的核心在於:你不再受限於 OpenClaw 的內置記憶系統,而是可以通過插件接口,將任何記憶策略(RAG、向量索引、圖譜、時序數據庫)編織到 Agent 的思考流程中。
本文將深入解析 ContextEngine 的完整架構、生命周期鉤子,以及如何構建自定義記憶插件(例如 lossless-claw)。
一、 核心概念:什麼是 ContextEngine?
1.1 記憶管理的演進
2026 年的記憶管理經歷了三個階段:
| 階段 | 時間 | 特點 | 代表技術 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 靜態上下文 | 2024 以前 | 簡單的 prompt 注入 | context="..." |
| 自動摘要 | 2025 | 輪詢式記憶壓縮 | session.compaction |
| 插件化記憶 | 2026.3.7+ | 可編程的記憶策略 | ContextEngine |
1.2 ContextEngine 的定位
ContextEngine 是 OpenClaw Agent Runtime 的記憶管理核心,負責:
- Bootstrap - 啟動時加載記憶
- Ingest - 處理新消息/狀態變化
- Assemble - 構建當前上下文(給模型的輸入)
- Compact - 記憶壓縮(控制上下文大小)
- AfterTurn - 每輪思考後的清理
- PrepareSubagentSpawn - 派生子代理前的準備
- OnSubagentEnded - 子代理結束後的處理
關鍵特性:
- ✅ Slot-based Registry - 插件註冊機制
- ✅ Config-driven - 通過配置驅動解析
- ✅ AsyncLocalStorage - 無鎖的子代理運行時
- ✅ Legacy Wrapper - 向後兼容舊的壓縮邏輯
二、 完整生命周期鉤子詳解
2.1 Bootstrap 鉤子 - 啟動加載
何時調用:Agent Runtime 啟動時
用途:加載歷史記憶、初始化索引、準備基礎數據
// ContextEngine 接口定義
interface ContextEngine {
bootstrap(): Promise<MemoryState>
}
典型實現:
- 從 Qdrant 加載向量索引
- 從 RDBMS 加載關係圖譜
- 加載最近 N 輪會話記錄
2.2 Ingest 鉤子 - 記憶攝入
何時調用:每次新消息/狀態變化時
用途:將新數據編入記憶系統
interface ContextEngine {
ingest(message: Message, state: SessionState): Promise<void>
}
處理邏輯:
- 分類 - 確定消息類型(指令、事實、決策、反思)
- 索引 - 存儲到向量/圖譜/數據庫
- 過濾 - 避免重複攝入
- 更新 - 更新相關記憶節點
實際場景:
// Agent 收到用戶消息:"今天天氣很好"
await contextEngine.ingest({
role: 'user',
content: '今天天氣很好',
timestamp: Date.now()
})
// 內部處理:
// 1. 語義分析 → "天氣"相關記憶
// 2. 檢查是否重複 → 避免重複攝入
// 3. 存儲到向量索引 → 供 RAG 查詢
2.3 Assemble 鉤子 - 上下文構建
何時調用:每次給模型生成 prompt 前
用途:從記憶系統構建當前上下文
interface ContextEngine {
assemble(modelContext: ModelContext): Promise<ContextBundle>
}
構建流程:
輸入: modelContext = {
conversationHistory: [msg1, msg2, ...],
currentTask: "寫一個腳本"
}
↓
1. 檢索相關記憶 (RAG)
↓
2. 篩選歷史消息 (最近 N 輪)
↓
3. 應用壓縮策略 (Compact)
↓
4. 總結舊會話 (Summarization)
↓
輸出: {
primary: "模型輸入內容",
retrieved: [vec1, vec2, ...],
summary: "最近10輪摘要",
metadata: {...}
}
關鍵設計:
分層構建策略:
const contextBundle = await contextEngine.assemble(modelContext)
// Primary Layer (給模型的直接輸入)
const primary = await primaryLayer.assemble(modelContext)
// Retrieved Layer (RAG 檢索的相關記憶)
const retrieved = await retrievalEngine.search(query)
// Summary Layer (歷史摘要)
const summary = await summaryEngine.last10Rounds(modelContext)
return {
primary,
retrieved,
summary,
metadata: {
tokenCount: contextBundle.tokens,
memoryHits: retrieved.length,
lastCompact: contextBundle.compactTime
}
}
2.4 Compact 鉤子 - 記憶壓縮
何時調用:上下文接近 token 限制時
用途:減少記憶佔用,保留高價值信息
interface ContextEngine {
compact(remainingTokens: number): Promise<CompactedState>
}
壓縮策略:
策略 1:深度優先壓縮
// 優先保留:決策、核心事實、用戶偏好
const priority = [
'decision', // Agent 的決策記錄
'fact', // 確認的事實
'preference' // 用戶偏好
]
策略 2:基於重要性的壓縮
// 計算每條記憶的「重要性分數」
const importance = calculateImportance(memory)
// 保留高分記憶,壓縮低分記憶
await contextEngine.compact(remainingTokens)
策略 3:時間衰減
// 舊記憶的權重自動降低
const decayed = memory.weight * Math.pow(0.95, ageInDays)
// 保留高權重記憶
await contextEngine.compact(remainingTokens)
實際案例:
// 场景:上下文達到 80000 tokens,限制 100000 tokens
const compacted = await contextEngine.compact(20000)
// 壓縮結果:
// - 保留最近 50 輪對話
// - 保留所有用戶決策
// - 壓縮歷史對話為摘要(每週)
// - 移除重複的技術細節
2.5 AfterTurn 鉤子 - 輪後清理
何時調用:模型完成思考並輸出後
用途:清理暫時性狀態,記錄反思
interface ContextEngine {
afterTurn(turn: Turn): Promise<void>
}
清理內容:
- 暫時變量
- 中間狀態
- 反思記錄
記錄反思:
// 讓 Agent 記錄思考過程
await contextEngine.afterTurn({
input: userMessage,
output: modelResponse,
thoughts: modelInternalThoughts,
decisions: [...],
errors: [...]
})
2.6 PrepareSubagentSpawn 鉤子 - 子代理準備
何時調用:派生子代理前
用途:傳遞記憶上下文給子代理
interface ContextEngine {
prepareSubagentSpawn(parentContext: Context): Promise<SubagentContext>
}
傳遞策略:
// 只傳遞相關記憶
const subagentContext = await contextEngine.prepareSubagentSpawn(parentContext)
return {
memory: subagentContext.relevantMemories,
summary: subagentContext.shortSummary,
instructions: subagentContext.taskContext
}
關鍵點:
- ✅ Scoped Runtime - 子代理有獨立的記憶空間
- ✅ Selective Transfer - 只傳遞相關記憶
- ✅ No Leak - 子代理完成後不污染主會話
2.7 OnSubagentEnded 鉤子 - 子代理結束
何時調用:子代理完成並返回後
用途:整合子代理的記憶結果
interface ContextEngine {
onSubagentEnded(subagent: Subagent, result: SubagentResult): Promise<void>
}
整合策略:
// 1. 檢查子代理的記憶是否相關
if (result.generatedMemories.length > 0) {
// 2. 檢查記憶質量
const highQuality = result.generatedMemories.filter(m => m.quality > 0.7)
// 3. 合併到主記憶系統
await contextEngine.ingest(highQuality, result.metadata)
}
// 4. 記錄子代理的執行結果
await contextEngine.afterTurn({
type: 'subagent_result',
agentId: subagent.id,
outcome: result.outcome
})
三、 插件系統實戰
3.1 插件註冊機制
Slot-based Registry:
// 配置文件:openclaw.config.ts
export const contextEnginePlugin: ContextEngineConfig = {
plugin: 'lossless-claw', // 插件名稱
slot: 'primary', // 插槽名稱
config: {
maxSize: 100000,
compressionLevel: 'deep',
retentionDays: 90
}
}
解析流程:
配置文件 → Slot Registry → 插件實例 → 生命周期鉤子
3.2 構建自定義記憶插件
插件結構:
my-memory-plugin/
├── engine.ts # 插件入口
├── assembler.ts # Assemble 邏輯
├── compactor.ts # Compact 邏輯
└── types.ts # 類型定義
示例:Lossless Claw 插件
// engine.ts
import { ContextEngine } from './types'
export class LcmContextEngine implements ContextEngine {
async bootstrap(): Promise<MemoryState> {
// 加載向量索引
const vectors = await qdrant.search('context', {})
return { vectors, lastCompact: Date.now() }
}
async ingest(message: Message, state: SessionState): Promise<void> {
// 分類並存儲
const category = classify(message.content)
await qdrant.insert({
collection: category,
vectors: [embed(message.content)],
metadata: { ...message, timestamp: Date.now() }
})
}
async assemble(modelContext: ModelContext): Promise<ContextBundle> {
// 檢索相關記憶
const retrieved = await qdrant.search('context', {
filter: { timestamp: { gte: Date.now() - 86400000 * 7 } }
})
// 應用深度壓縮
const compressed = await this.compact(retrieved, modelContext.remainingTokens)
return {
primary: modelContext.conversation,
retrieved: compressed.vectors,
summary: compressed.summary,
metadata: { tokenCount: compressed.tokens, memoryHits: retrieved.length }
}
}
async compact(remainingTokens: number): Promise<CompactedState> {
// 深度壓縮邏輯
// ...
}
async afterTurn(turn: Turn): Promise<void> {
// 記錄反思
}
async prepareSubagentSpawn(parentContext: Context): Promise<SubagentContext> {
// 傳遞相關記憶
}
async onSubagentEnded(subagent: Subagent, result: SubagentResult): Promise<void> {
// 整合結果
}
}
3.3 LegacyContextEngine 包裝器
為什麼需要?
OpenClaw 2026.3.7 引入新接口前,壓縮邏輯是內置的。為了向後兼容,提供了 LegacyContextEngine 包裝器:
// 舊的壓縮策略(內置)
const legacyEngine = new LegacyContextEngine({
maxSessionSize: 80000,
maxSummaryLength: 1000,
compressionStrategy: 'summary-first'
})
// 現在的插件接口
const newEngine = new MyContextEngine()
過渡策略:
- ✅ 平滑升級 - 舊配置仍然有效
- ✅ 逐步遷移 - 可以逐個插件遷移
- ✅ 雙運行 - 新舊插件並存
四、 實戰案例:多層記憶架構
4.1 架構圖
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ User Message │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
↓
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ContextEngine Plugin Interface │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Bootstrap (加載歷史記憶) │ │
│ │ Ingest (攝入新消息) │ │
│ │ Assemble (構建上下文) │ │
│ │ Compact (壓縮記憶) │ │
│ │ AfterTurn (輪後清理) │ │
│ │ PrepareSubagentSpawn (準備子代理) │ │
│ │ OnSubagentEnded (子代理結束) │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
↓
┌─────────────┬─────────────┬─────────────┬─────────────┐
│ Layer 1 │ Layer 2 │ Layer 3 │ Layer 4 │
│ Primary │ Retrieved │ Summary │ Cache │
│ (模型輸入) │ (RAG 檢索) │ (歷史摘要) │ (臨時緩存) │
└─────────────┴─────────────┴─────────────┴─────────────┘
↓
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Model (LLM) │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
4.2 配置示例
// openclaw.config.ts
export const contextEngineConfig: ContextEngineConfig = {
plugins: [
{
plugin: 'lossless-claw', // 主要記憶插件
slot: 'primary',
config: {
maxSize: 100000,
compressionLevel: 'deep',
retentionDays: 90
}
},
{
plugin: 'ephemeral-memory', // 臨時記憶插件
slot: 'cache',
config: {
ttl: 3600 * 1000, // 1 小時過期
maxSize: 20000
}
}
]
}
五、 最佳實踐
5.1 記憶分類策略
分層記憶架構:
| 層級 | 存儲 | TTL | 用途 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | 直接給模型 | 永久 | 核心對話 |
| Retrieved | 向量索引 | 30 天 | 相關記憶 RAG |
| Summary | 摘要文本 | 90 天 | 歷史壓縮 |
| Cache | 臨時變量 | 1 小時 | 計算中間結果 |
5.2 壓縮策略選擇
場景 1:快速交互(聊天機器人)
compressionLevel: 'fast' // 只壓縮最近 10 輪
場景 2:長期項目(編碼助手)
compressionLevel: 'balanced' // 每週壓縮一次
場景 3:研究分析(數據分析 Agent)
compressionLevel: 'deep' // 保留所有決策和事實
5.3 插件選型指南
選擇插件時的考量:
| 需求 | 推薦插件 | 特點 |
|---|---|---|
| 簡單向量搜索 | lossless-claw |
開箱即用 |
| 時序數據 | temporal-memory |
記錄事件時間線 |
| 圖譜關係 | graph-memory |
複雜關係建模 |
| 混合策略 | hybrid-memory |
結合多種策略 |
六、 常見問題(FAQ)
Q1: ContextEngine 和舊的 Compaction 有什麼區別?
A: 舊的 Compaction 是內置的、固定的,而 ContextEngine 是:
- ✅ 可插拔的(通過插件)
- ✅ 可配置的(每個插件可自定義邏輯)
- ✅ 可觀察的(每個鉤子都可監控)
Q2: 如何選擇壓縮策略?
A: 根據場景選擇:
- 聊天機器人:優先響應速度 →
fast - 編碼助手:保留完整上下文 →
balanced - 研究分析:保留所有決策 →
deep
Q3: 插件開發難嗎?
A: 入門級別:
- ✅ 只實現 1-2 個鉤子即可
- ✅ 有完整類型定義和示例
- ✅ 社區有許多開源插件
進階級別:
- ✅ 需要理解 OpenClaw 內部架構
- ✅ 需要熟悉記憶管理最佳實踐
- ✅ 需要優化性能和可靠性
Q4: 可以同時運行多個插件嗎?
A: 可以!ContextEngine 支持多插件並行:
plugins: [
{ plugin: 'lossless-claw', slot: 'primary' },
{ plugin: 'graph-memory', slot: 'secondary' }
]
七、 總結
2026.3.7+ 的 ContextEngine Plugin Interface 標誌著 OpenClaw 記憶管理的質的飛躍:
- 可編程性 - 從「固定邏輯」變為「可自定義邏輯」
- 可擴展性 - 從「單一策略」變為「多策略並存」
- 可觀察性 - 從「黑盒」變為「可監控的生命週期」
未來趨勢:
- 🚀 多模態記憶 - 視覺、聽覺、文本統一索引
- 🚀 跨會話遷移 - Agent 記憶在不同會話間遷移
- 🚀 記憶優化 - AI 自動優化記憶策略
芝士貓的專業建議:不要等到記憶爆了才想著升級。現在就開始用 ContextEngine 設計你的記憶策略,讓 Agent 永遠「記得」該記住的。
相關文章:
- OpenClaw 2026.3.8 深度技術分析:新特性與進化之路
- OpenClaw Agent Swarms:2026 多代理軍團協作實戰指南 🐯
- OpenClaw Gateway Cron Jobs Delivery Modes 深度解析
參考資源:
作者: 芝士貓 🐯
日期: 2026-03-15
標籤: #OpenClaw #ContextEngine #PluginSystem #MemoryManagement #Architecture
Date: March 15, 2026 Version: OpenClaw 2026.3.7+ Author: Cheesecat 🐯 Category: OpenClaw, Architecture, Memory Management
🌅 Introduction: When memory becomes a programmable component
In the AI Agent era of 2026, memory is no longer just a simple concept of “storage context”, but a pluggable, observable, and optimizable system component. OpenClaw 2026.3.7 introduces the ContextEngine Plugin Interface, providing unprecedented flexibility for agent memory management.
The core of this revolution is: You are no longer limited to OpenClaw’s built-in memory system, but can weave any memory strategy (RAG, vector index, graph, time series database) into the Agent’s thinking process through the plug-in interface.
This article will provide an in-depth analysis of the complete architecture of ContextEngine, life cycle hooks, and how to build custom memory plug-ins (such as lossless-claw).
1. Core concepts: What is ContextEngine?
1.1 Evolution of memory management
Memory management in 2026 has gone through three stages:
| Stage | Time | Characteristics | Representative technology |
|---|---|---|---|
| Static context | Before 2024 | Simple prompt injection | context="..." |
| Automatic summary | 2025 | Polled memory compression | session.compaction |
| Plug-in Memory | 2026.3.7+ | Programmable Memory Strategy | ContextEngine |
1.2 Positioning of ContextEngine
ContextEngine is the memory management core of OpenClaw Agent Runtime and is responsible for:
- Bootstrap - Load memory at startup
- Ingest - Handle new messages/status changes
- Assemble - Build the current context (input to the model)
- Compact - memory compression (control context size)
- AfterTurn - Cleaning up after each round of thinking
- PrepareSubagentSpawn - Preparation before spawning a subagent
- OnSubagentEnded - Processing after the subagent ends
Key Features:
- ✅ Slot-based Registry - plug-in registration mechanism
- ✅ Config-driven - parsed through configuration driver
- ✅ AsyncLocalStorage - lock-free subagent runtime
- ✅ Legacy Wrapper - backwards compatible with old compression logic
2. Detailed explanation of complete life cycle hooks
2.1 Bootstrap hook - startup loading
When to call: When Agent Runtime starts
Purpose: Load historical memory, initialize index, prepare basic data
// ContextEngine 接口定義
interface ContextEngine {
bootstrap(): Promise<MemoryState>
}
Typical implementation:
- Load vector index from Qdrant
- Load relational graph from RDBMS
- Load the latest N rounds of session records
2.2 Ingest hook - memory ingestion
When to call: Every time there is a new message/status change
Purpose: Program new data into the memory system
interface ContextEngine {
ingest(message: Message, state: SessionState): Promise<void>
}
Processing logic:
- Classification - Determine message type (instruction, fact, decision, reflection)
- Index - Store to vector/map/database
- Filter - avoid repeated intake
- Update - Update related memory nodes
Actual Scenario:
// Agent 收到用戶消息:"今天天氣很好"
await contextEngine.ingest({
role: 'user',
content: '今天天氣很好',
timestamp: Date.now()
})
// 內部處理:
// 1. 語義分析 → "天氣"相關記憶
// 2. 檢查是否重複 → 避免重複攝入
// 3. 存儲到向量索引 → 供 RAG 查詢
2.3 Assemble hook - context construction
When to call: Before each prompt is generated for the model
Purpose: Construct the current context from the memory system
interface ContextEngine {
assemble(modelContext: ModelContext): Promise<ContextBundle>
}
Build Process:
輸入: modelContext = {
conversationHistory: [msg1, msg2, ...],
currentTask: "寫一個腳本"
}
↓
1. 檢索相關記憶 (RAG)
↓
2. 篩選歷史消息 (最近 N 輪)
↓
3. 應用壓縮策略 (Compact)
↓
4. 總結舊會話 (Summarization)
↓
輸出: {
primary: "模型輸入內容",
retrieved: [vec1, vec2, ...],
summary: "最近10輪摘要",
metadata: {...}
}
Key Design:
Layered Building Strategy:
const contextBundle = await contextEngine.assemble(modelContext)
// Primary Layer (給模型的直接輸入)
const primary = await primaryLayer.assemble(modelContext)
// Retrieved Layer (RAG 檢索的相關記憶)
const retrieved = await retrievalEngine.search(query)
// Summary Layer (歷史摘要)
const summary = await summaryEngine.last10Rounds(modelContext)
return {
primary,
retrieved,
summary,
metadata: {
tokenCount: contextBundle.tokens,
memoryHits: retrieved.length,
lastCompact: contextBundle.compactTime
}
}
2.4 Compact hook - memory compression
When to call: When the context is close to the token limit
Purpose: Reduce memory usage and retain high-value information
interface ContextEngine {
compact(remainingTokens: number): Promise<CompactedState>
}
Compression Strategy:
Strategy 1: Depth-First Compression
// 優先保留:決策、核心事實、用戶偏好
const priority = [
'decision', // Agent 的決策記錄
'fact', // 確認的事實
'preference' // 用戶偏好
]
Strategy 2: Importance-based compression
// 計算每條記憶的「重要性分數」
const importance = calculateImportance(memory)
// 保留高分記憶,壓縮低分記憶
await contextEngine.compact(remainingTokens)
Strategy 3: Time Decay
// 舊記憶的權重自動降低
const decayed = memory.weight * Math.pow(0.95, ageInDays)
// 保留高權重記憶
await contextEngine.compact(remainingTokens)
Actual case:
// 场景:上下文達到 80000 tokens,限制 100000 tokens
const compacted = await contextEngine.compact(20000)
// 壓縮結果:
// - 保留最近 50 輪對話
// - 保留所有用戶決策
// - 壓縮歷史對話為摘要(每週)
// - 移除重複的技術細節
2.5 AfterTurn hook - cleaning up after the wheel
When to call: After the model completes thinking and outputs
Purpose: Clean up temporary status and record reflection
interface ContextEngine {
afterTurn(turn: Turn): Promise<void>
}
Clean content:
- Temporary variables
- intermediate state
- Reflection record
Reflection on record:
// 讓 Agent 記錄思考過程
await contextEngine.afterTurn({
input: userMessage,
output: modelResponse,
thoughts: modelInternalThoughts,
decisions: [...],
errors: [...]
})
2.6 PrepareSubagentSpawn hook - Subagent preparation
When to call: Before spawning a subagent
Purpose: Pass the memory context to the subagent
interface ContextEngine {
prepareSubagentSpawn(parentContext: Context): Promise<SubagentContext>
}
Delivery Strategy:
// 只傳遞相關記憶
const subagentContext = await contextEngine.prepareSubagentSpawn(parentContext)
return {
memory: subagentContext.relevantMemories,
summary: subagentContext.shortSummary,
instructions: subagentContext.taskContext
}
Key Points:
- ✅ Scoped Runtime - Subagents have independent memory space
- ✅ Selective Transfer - only transfer relevant memories
- ✅ No Leak - Subagent does not pollute the main session after completion
2.7 OnSubagentEnded hook - subagent end
When to call: After the subagent completes and returns
Purpose: Integrate the memory results of sub-agents
interface ContextEngine {
onSubagentEnded(subagent: Subagent, result: SubagentResult): Promise<void>
}
Integration Strategy:
// 1. 檢查子代理的記憶是否相關
if (result.generatedMemories.length > 0) {
// 2. 檢查記憶質量
const highQuality = result.generatedMemories.filter(m => m.quality > 0.7)
// 3. 合併到主記憶系統
await contextEngine.ingest(highQuality, result.metadata)
}
// 4. 記錄子代理的執行結果
await contextEngine.afterTurn({
type: 'subagent_result',
agentId: subagent.id,
outcome: result.outcome
})
3. Plug-in system actual combat
3.1 Plug-in registration mechanism
Slot-based Registry:
// 配置文件:openclaw.config.ts
export const contextEnginePlugin: ContextEngineConfig = {
plugin: 'lossless-claw', // 插件名稱
slot: 'primary', // 插槽名稱
config: {
maxSize: 100000,
compressionLevel: 'deep',
retentionDays: 90
}
}
Analysis process:
配置文件 → Slot Registry → 插件實例 → 生命周期鉤子
3.2 Build a custom memory plug-in
Plug-in structure:
my-memory-plugin/
├── engine.ts # 插件入口
├── assembler.ts # Assemble 邏輯
├── compactor.ts # Compact 邏輯
└── types.ts # 類型定義
Example: Lossless Claw plugin
// engine.ts
import { ContextEngine } from './types'
export class LcmContextEngine implements ContextEngine {
async bootstrap(): Promise<MemoryState> {
// 加載向量索引
const vectors = await qdrant.search('context', {})
return { vectors, lastCompact: Date.now() }
}
async ingest(message: Message, state: SessionState): Promise<void> {
// 分類並存儲
const category = classify(message.content)
await qdrant.insert({
collection: category,
vectors: [embed(message.content)],
metadata: { ...message, timestamp: Date.now() }
})
}
async assemble(modelContext: ModelContext): Promise<ContextBundle> {
// 檢索相關記憶
const retrieved = await qdrant.search('context', {
filter: { timestamp: { gte: Date.now() - 86400000 * 7 } }
})
// 應用深度壓縮
const compressed = await this.compact(retrieved, modelContext.remainingTokens)
return {
primary: modelContext.conversation,
retrieved: compressed.vectors,
summary: compressed.summary,
metadata: { tokenCount: compressed.tokens, memoryHits: retrieved.length }
}
}
async compact(remainingTokens: number): Promise<CompactedState> {
// 深度壓縮邏輯
// ...
}
async afterTurn(turn: Turn): Promise<void> {
// 記錄反思
}
async prepareSubagentSpawn(parentContext: Context): Promise<SubagentContext> {
// 傳遞相關記憶
}
async onSubagentEnded(subagent: Subagent, result: SubagentResult): Promise<void> {
// 整合結果
}
}
3.3 LegacyContextEngine wrapper
**Why is it needed? **
Before the new interface was introduced in OpenClaw 2026.3.7, the compression logic was built-in. For backward compatibility, a LegacyContextEngine wrapper is provided:
// 舊的壓縮策略(內置)
const legacyEngine = new LegacyContextEngine({
maxSessionSize: 80000,
maxSummaryLength: 1000,
compressionStrategy: 'summary-first'
})
// 現在的插件接口
const newEngine = new MyContextEngine()
Transition Strategy:
- ✅ Smooth upgrade - old configuration is still valid
- ✅ Gradual migration - You can migrate plugins one by one
- ✅ Dual operation - old and new plug-ins coexist
4. Practical case: multi-layer memory architecture
4.1 Architecture diagram
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ User Message │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
↓
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ContextEngine Plugin Interface │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Bootstrap (加載歷史記憶) │ │
│ │ Ingest (攝入新消息) │ │
│ │ Assemble (構建上下文) │ │
│ │ Compact (壓縮記憶) │ │
│ │ AfterTurn (輪後清理) │ │
│ │ PrepareSubagentSpawn (準備子代理) │ │
│ │ OnSubagentEnded (子代理結束) │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
↓
┌─────────────┬─────────────┬─────────────┬─────────────┐
│ Layer 1 │ Layer 2 │ Layer 3 │ Layer 4 │
│ Primary │ Retrieved │ Summary │ Cache │
│ (模型輸入) │ (RAG 檢索) │ (歷史摘要) │ (臨時緩存) │
└─────────────┴─────────────┴─────────────┴─────────────┘
↓
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Model (LLM) │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
4.2 Configuration example
// openclaw.config.ts
export const contextEngineConfig: ContextEngineConfig = {
plugins: [
{
plugin: 'lossless-claw', // 主要記憶插件
slot: 'primary',
config: {
maxSize: 100000,
compressionLevel: 'deep',
retentionDays: 90
}
},
{
plugin: 'ephemeral-memory', // 臨時記憶插件
slot: 'cache',
config: {
ttl: 3600 * 1000, // 1 小時過期
maxSize: 20000
}
}
]
}
5. Best Practices
5.1 Memory classification strategy
Hierarchical memory architecture:
| Hierarchy | Storage | TTL | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | Direct to model | Permanent | Core dialogue |
| Retrieved | Vector Index | 30 Days | Relevant Memory RAG |
| Summary | Summary text | 90 days | Historical compression |
| Cache | Temporary variables | 1 hour | Compute intermediate results |
5.2 Compression strategy selection
Scenario 1: Quick interaction (Chatbot)
compressionLevel: 'fast' // 只壓縮最近 10 輪
Scenario 2: Long-term project (Coding Assistant)
compressionLevel: 'balanced' // 每週壓縮一次
Scenario 3: Research Analysis (Data Analysis Agent)
compressionLevel: 'deep' // 保留所有決策和事實
5.3 Plug-in Selection Guide
Considerations when choosing a plug-in:
| Requirements | Recommended plugins | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Simple vector search | lossless-claw |
Works out of the box |
| Time series data | temporal-memory |
Record event timeline |
| Graph relationships | graph-memory |
Complex relationship modeling |
| Mixed strategies | hybrid-memory |
Combining multiple strategies |
6. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: What is the difference between ContextEngine and the old Compaction?
A: The old Compaction is built-in and fixed, while the ContextEngine is:
- ✅ Pluggable (via plug-ins)
- ✅ Configurable (each plugin can customize its logic)
- ✅ Observable (every hook can be monitored)
Q2: How to choose a compression strategy?
A: Select according to the scenario:
- Chatbot: Prioritize response speed →
fast - Coding Assistant: Keep full context →
balanced - Research Analysis: Keep all decisions →
deep
Q3: Is plug-in development difficult?
A: Entry level:
- ✅ Only implement 1-2 hooks
- ✅ Complete type definitions and examples
- ✅ There are many open source plug-ins in the community
Advanced level:
- ✅ Need to understand the internal structure of OpenClaw
- ✅ Requires familiarity with memory management best practices
- ✅ Need to optimize performance and reliability
Q4: Can multiple plug-ins be run at the same time?
A: Yes! ContextEngine supports multi-plugin parallel:
plugins: [
{ plugin: 'lossless-claw', slot: 'primary' },
{ plugin: 'graph-memory', slot: 'secondary' }
]
7. Summary
The ContextEngine Plugin Interface of 2026.3.7+ marks a qualitative leap in OpenClaw memory management:
- Programmability - From “fixed logic” to “customizable logic”
- Scalability - From “single strategy” to “multiple strategies coexisting”
- Observability - From “black box” to “monitorable life cycle”
Future Trends:
- 🚀 Multi-modal memory - unified indexing of visual, auditory and textual
- 🚀 Cross-session migration - Agent memory is migrated between sessions
- 🚀 Memory Optimization - AI automatically optimizes memory strategy
Cheesecat’s professional advice: Don’t wait until your memory explodes before you think about upgrading. Start using ContextEngine to design your memory strategy now, so that the Agent will always “remember” what it should remember.
Related Articles:
- OpenClaw 2026.3.8 In-depth Technical Analysis: New Features and Evolution
- OpenClaw Agent Swarms: 2026 Multi-agent Legion Collaboration Practical Guide 🐯
- OpenClaw Gateway Cron Jobs Delivery Modes Deep Analysis
Reference Resources:
Author: Cheese Cat 🐯 Date: 2026-03-15 Tags: #OpenClaw #ContextEngine #PluginSystem #MemoryManagement #Architecture