OpenClaw Test Performance

Use evidence first. The goal is real

pnpm test

, plugin-suite, and plugin-inspector speed/RSS improvement with coverage intact, not runner tuning by guesswork.

Workflow

Read the relevant local
```
AGENTS.md
```
files before editing:
- ```
src/agents/AGENTS.md
```
  for agent/import hotspots.
- ```
src/channels/AGENTS.md
```
  and
```
src/plugins/AGENTS.md
```
  for plugin/channel laziness.
- ```
src/gateway/AGENTS.md
```
  for server lifecycle tests.
- ```
test/helpers/AGENTS.md
```
  and
```
test/helpers/channels/AGENTS.md
```
  for shared contract helpers.
- ```
src/infra/outbound/AGENTS.md
```
  for outbound/media/action tests.

Establish a baseline before changing code:

Prefer

pnpm test:perf:groups --full-suite --allow-failures --output <file>

for full-suite ranking.

For bundled plugin breadth, run the smallest relevant
```
pnpm test:extensions:batch <plugin[,plugin...]>
```
or plugin-inspector command before jumping to the full extension sweep.

For a scoped hotspot use:

/usr/bin/time -l pnpm test <file-or-files> --maxWorkers=1 --reporter=verbose

For import-heavy suspicion add:

OPENCLAW_VITEST_IMPORT_DURATIONS=1 OPENCLAW_VITEST_PRINT_IMPORT_BREAKDOWN=1

Separate wall/runner noise from real file cost:
- Compare Vitest duration, test body timing, import breakdown, wall time, and max RSS.
- Re-run single files when grouped/full-suite numbers look stale or noisy.
- If a full-suite grouped run reports a lane failure but JSON says tests passed, capture that as harness/noise and verify the suspect file directly.
Pick the next attack by return and risk:
- High return: one file/test dominates seconds or RSS and has a clear root.
- High leverage: one plugin or SDK barrel causes every plugin-inspector or extension-batch run to load broad runtime.
- Lower risk: static descriptors, target parsing, routing, auth bypass, setup hints, registry fixtures, or test server lifecycle.
- Higher risk: real memory/runtime behavior, live providers, protocol contracts, or broad production refactors.
Fix the root cause, not the symptom:
- Move static metadata/parsing into narrow helpers or lightweight artifacts reused by full runtime and fast paths.
- Prefer dependency injection, loaded-plugin-only lookup, explicit fixtures, and pure helpers over broad mocks.
- Reuse suite-level servers/clients when a fresh handshake is irrelevant.
- Keep schedulers/background loops off unless the test proves scheduling.
- In plugin paths, move static metadata into manifest/lightweight artifacts and keep runtime plugin loads behind explicit execution boundaries.
Preserve coverage shape:
- Do not delete a slow integration proof unless the exact production composition is extracted into a named helper and tested.
- Keep one cheap integration smoke when cross-component wiring matters.
- State explicitly what incidental coverage was removed, if any.
Re-benchmark the same command after the change and compute seconds plus percent gain.
Update the running report when requested or when this thread is tracking one. Include before/after commands, artifacts, coverage notes, verification, and next attack order.
Commit with
```
scripts/committer "<message>" <paths...>
```
and push when the user asked for commits/pushes. Stage only files touched for this attack.

Plugin-Suite Workflow

Use this section when perf work involves bundled plugins, plugin-inspector, SDK barrels, package-boundary tests, or extension suites.

Map the suite shape first:

source tests:

pnpm test extensions/<id>

pnpm test:extensions:batch <id>

package boundaries:

pnpm run test:extensions:package-boundary:canary

and

pnpm run test:extensions:package-boundary:compile

all bundled source tests:
```
pnpm test:extensions
```

plugin import memory:

pnpm test:extensions:memory -- --json .artifacts/test-perf/extensions-memory.json

plugin-inspector/report work: keep report primitives in
```
plugin-inspector
```
; keep wrappers thin and collect peak RSS when the command supports it.

Start narrow, then widen:
- one plugin changed: run that plugin's tests and plugin-inspector slice.
- SDK/public barrel changed: add representative provider, channel, memory, and feature plugins.
- loader/runtime mirror changed: add package-boundary checks and build/package proof as needed.
- unknown shared plugin behavior: run
```
test:extensions:batch
```
  groups before
```
pnpm test:extensions
```
  .
Treat plugin-inspector failures as product signals:
- JSON must parse.
- warnings/errors must be classified, not hidden.
- runtime capture should be quiet and config-tolerant.
- command output should include wall time, exit code, and peak RSS when available.

For broad or package-heavy plugin proof, use Blacksmith Testbox by default on maintainer machines. Warm once and reuse the same box:

blacksmith testbox warmup ci-check-testbox.yml --ref main --idle-timeout 90

blacksmith testbox run --id <ID> "OPENCLAW_TESTBOX=1 pnpm test:extensions:batch <ids>"

stop the box when done.

If plugin performance is package-artifact sensitive, switch to
```
openclaw-pre-release-plugin-testing
```
and Package Acceptance rather than trusting source-only timing.

Metric Collection

Collect at least one stable metric before and after. Prefer the same machine and same command. For Testbox comparisons, use the same

tbx_...

id when possible.

Metric	Use for	Preferred source
wall time	user-visible suite cost	`/usr/bin/time -l` , test wrapper duration, Testbox run time
Vitest duration	test body/import cost	Vitest output per file/shard
import duration	broad barrel/runtime loads	`OPENCLAW_VITEST_IMPORT_DURATIONS=1`
max RSS	memory pressure and OOM risk	`/usr/bin/time -l` , `pnpm test:extensions:memory` , wrapper memory summaries
CPU/user/sys	CPU-bound vs wait-bound split	`/usr/bin/time -l` locally, Testbox job timing when local CPU is noisy
heap snapshots	real leak vs retained module graph	`openclaw-test-heap-leaks` workflow

Local scoped command with CPU/RSS:

bash

timeout 240 /usr/bin/time -l pnpm test <file> --maxWorkers=1 --reporter=verbose

Plugin import memory profile:

bash

pnpm build
pnpm test:extensions:memory -- --top 20 --json .artifacts/test-perf/extensions-memory.json

Targeted plugin import memory:

bash

pnpm test:extensions:memory -- --extension discord --extension telegram --skip-combined

Heap/RSS escalation:

bash

OPENCLAW_TEST_MEMORY_TRACE=1 \
OPENCLAW_TEST_HEAPSNAPSHOT_INTERVAL_MS=60000 \
OPENCLAW_TEST_HEAPSNAPSHOT_DIR=.tmp/heapsnap \
OPENCLAW_TEST_WORKERS=2 \
OPENCLAW_TEST_MAX_OLD_SPACE_SIZE_MB=6144 \
pnpm test

Use

openclaw-test-heap-leaks

when RSS keeps growing across intervals, workers OOM, or the suspect command has app-object retention. Do not call RSS growth a leak until snapshots or retainers support it.

Common Root Causes

Full bundled channel/plugin runtime loaded for static data.
```
getChannelPlugin()
```
fallback used when an already-loaded fixture or pure parser would suffice.
Broad
```
api.ts
```
,
```
runtime-api.ts
```
,
```
test-api.ts
```
, or plugin-sdk barrels pulled into hot tests.
SDK root aliases or package barrels pulling focused subpaths back into a broad plugin graph.
Plugin-inspector loading runtime code just to render metadata, reports, or CI policy scores.
Bundled plugin capture reusing real config/home state instead of synthetic, redacted, isolated state.
Partial-real mocks using
```
importActual()
```
around broad modules.
```
vi.resetModules()
```
plus fresh imports in per-test loops.
Test plugin registry seeded in
```
beforeAll
```
while runtime state resets in
```
afterEach
```
.
Per-test gateway/server/client startup when state reset would suffice.
Runtime/default model/auth selection paid by idle snapshots or fixtures.
Plugin-owned media/action discovery triggered before checking whether args contain plugin-owned fields.
Timings missing from
```
test/fixtures/test-timings.unit.json
```
, causing hotspot files to stay in shared workers.

Parallel Vitest runs sharing

node_modules/.experimental-vitest-cache

without distinct

OPENCLAW_VITEST_FS_MODULE_CACHE_PATH

values.

Benchmark Commands

Scoped file:

bash

timeout 240 /usr/bin/time -l pnpm test <file> --maxWorkers=1 --reporter=verbose

Scoped file with import breakdown:

bash

timeout 240 /usr/bin/time -l env \
  OPENCLAW_VITEST_IMPORT_DURATIONS=1 \
  OPENCLAW_VITEST_PRINT_IMPORT_BREAKDOWN=1 \
  pnpm test <file> --maxWorkers=1 --reporter=verbose

Grouped suite:

bash

pnpm test:perf:groups --full-suite --allow-failures \
  --output .artifacts/test-perf/<name>.json

Extension batch:

bash

pnpm test:extensions:batch <plugin[,plugin...]> -- --reporter=verbose

All extension tests:

bash

pnpm test:extensions

Package-boundary plugin checks:

bash

pnpm run test:extensions:package-boundary:canary
pnpm run test:extensions:package-boundary:compile

Reuse an existing Vitest JSON report:

bash

pnpm test:perf:groups --report <vitest-json> \
  --output .artifacts/test-perf/<name>.json

Verification

Always run the targeted test surface that proves the change.
For source changes, run
```
pnpm check:changed
```
before push; in maintainer Testbox mode run it in the warmed Testbox.
For test-only changes, run
```
pnpm test:changed
```
or the exact edited tests.
Run
```
pnpm build
```
when touching lazy-loading, bundled artifacts, package boundaries, dynamic imports, build output, or public surfaces.
For plugin SDK/barrel/runtime changes, add
```
pnpm plugin-sdk:api:check
```
or
```
pnpm plugin-sdk:api:gen
```
when the API surface may drift.
For plugin-suite perf fixes, verify at least one representative plugin batch plus the changed gate; use Package Acceptance if the bug only exists in a packed artifact.
If deps are missing/stale, run
```
pnpm install
```
and retry the exact failed command once.
Use the report format:

markdown

| Metric         | Before |  After |          Gain |
| -------------- | -----: | -----: | ------------: |
| File wall time |   `Xs` |   `Ys` |  `-Zs` (`P%`) |
| Max RSS        |  `XMB` |  `YMB` | `-ZMB` (`P%`) |
| CPU user/sys   | `X/Ys` | `A/Bs` |       explain |

Handoff

Keep the final concise:

Root cause.
Suite/plugin scope.
Files changed.
Before/after wall, Vitest/import, CPU, and RSS numbers where available.
Leak classification if memory was involved: real leak, retained module graph, or inconclusive.
Coverage retained.
Verification commands.
Testbox ID or workflow URL for remote proof.
Commit hash and push status.

openclaw-test-performance

NPX Install

Tags

SKILL.md Content

OpenClaw Test Performance

Workflow

Plugin-Suite Workflow

Metric Collection

Common Root Causes

Benchmark Commands

Verification

Handoff