Chapter 18: Best Practices and Optimization Tips

> 💡 This chapter provides best practices and optimization recommendations for using MiniClaw.

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18.1 Daily Usage Recommendations

18.1.1 Starting a Conversation

Recommended practices:

1. Clarify the project context

• "I'm developing a React project using TypeScript"
2. State the current task
• "I need to implement user authentication"
3. Provide relevant files
• "Please look at the files under src/auth/"

Practices to avoid:

• Overly brief prompts
• Providing no context
• Asking multiple unrelated questions at once

18.1.2 Memory Management

Recommended practices:

1. Proactively record important information

• "Please remember that I use pnpm instead of npm"
2. Review MEMORY.md regularly
• Check that stored memories are accurate
• Delete outdated information
3. Use miniclaw_note to record key decisions
• "Record: decided to use Zod for parameter validation"

Practices to avoid:

• Storing sensitive information (passwords, keys, etc.)
• Storing temporary or irrelevant information
• Never cleaning up outdated memories

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18.2 DNA File Optimization

18.2.1 AGENTS.md Optimization

Recommended practices:

1. Customize per project type

• Web projects: add frontend framework rules
• Node projects: add server-side rules
• Python projects: add Python conventions
2. Keep it concise
• 5–10 core rules
• Avoid lengthy descriptions
3. Update regularly
• Adjust as the project evolves
• Remove rules that no longer apply

Example:

• ❌ "Don't use var, because var has hoisting issues which may cause..."
• ✅ "Use const/let, never var"

18.2.2 SOUL.md Optimization

Recommended practices:

1. Define a clear tone

• Professional and rigorous
• Friendly and relaxed
• Concise and direct
2. Set boundaries
• What it can do
• What it cannot do
• How to handle edge cases
3. Include examples
• Examples of good responses
• Examples of responses to avoid

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18.3 Skill Development Recommendations

18.3.1 Skill Design Principles

1. Single responsibility

• Each skill solves one class of problems
• Avoid overly complex functionality
2. Clear naming
• Use descriptive names
• Avoid abbreviations
3. Complete documentation
• Detailed SKILL.md
• Include usage examples
• State prerequisites
4. Version management
• Use semantic versioning
• Keep a changelog

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Chapter Summary

• 💬 Daily usage: provide clear context; proactively record important information; periodically clean up outdated memories
• 📝 DNA file optimization: AGENTS.md for customized project rules; SOUL.md for tone and boundaries; USER.md for personal preferences
• 🔧 Skill development: single responsibility principle; clear naming conventions; complete documentation
• ⚡ Performance optimization: set reasonable token budgets; periodically archive old logs; optimize skill caching

*This document is Chapter 18 of the MiniClaw In-Depth Guide series. The next chapter covers common problems and solutions.*