NAME
HEARTBEAT.md — instruction file for OpenClaw, ZeroClaw, IronClaw, NullClaw
SYNOPSIS
./HEARTBEAT.md
METADATA
DESCRIPTION
HEARTBEAT.md defines the agent's proactive scheduled routine in the OpenClaw ecosystem. When configured, the agent wakes up at a regular interval (default: every 30 minutes) and runs through the task checklist in this file. This enables autonomous monitoring, maintenance, and reminder workflows without requiring manual prompting.
The file uses standard Markdown task list syntax (- [ ] items). The agent processes each unchecked item, performs the action, and can optionally check it off or report results. The interval is configurable in the agent's runtime settings.
HEARTBEAT.md is optional. Without it, the agent operates in a purely reactive mode, only responding to direct commands and messages.
ANNOTATED EXAMPLE
1# Heartbeat — Every 30 Minutes
2
3## Checks
4
5- [ ] Review open PRs for stale reviews (> 24h without response)
6- [ ] Check CI pipeline status — flag any failures on main branch
7- [ ] Scan dependency alerts in GitHub Security tab
8- [ ] Verify staging environment health endpoint returns 200
9
10## Reminders
11
12- [ ] If Friday afternoon: remind team to update sprint board
13- [ ] If deploy happened in last hour: monitor error rate dashboard
14
15## Cleanup
16
17- [ ] Delete local branches that have been merged to main
18- [ ] Clear temp files older than 7 days from workspace
COMMON MISTAKES
Heartbeat tasks run on a recurring timer (default every 30 minutes). Heavy operations like full test suites or large builds will block the agent and degrade responsiveness. Use heartbeat for quick checks and delegate heavy work to explicit task triggers.
HEARTBEAT.md is the agent's proactive wake-up routine — things it should check on its own without being asked. For reactive task management, use the framework's task queue or direct commands.
Very short intervals create unnecessary API calls and token consumption. Most monitoring tasks do not need minute-level granularity. The default 30-minute interval balances responsiveness with efficiency.