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System Watchdog
by
BrennerSpear
· GitHub ↗
· v2.0.0
· MIT-0
665
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0
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6
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2
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Install in OpenClaw
/install system-watchdog
Description
System resource monitoring. Detects actionable anomalies (memory pressure, runaway processes, disk pressure) and reports only when something needs attention....
Usage Guidance
This skill appears to be a local system-monitor intended to read system metrics and persist lightweight state to ~/.openclaw/workspace/state/system-watchdog-state.json. Before installing: 1) Inspect the full check.sh file (the provided bundle was truncated in the listing) to confirm there's no unexpected network calls or hidden behavior. 2) Ensure Python 3 and standard system utilities (ps, df, sysctl/vm_stat on macOS, nproc or equivalent on Linux) are available — the manifest currently doesn't list these. 3) Accept that the script will write a JSON state file to your home directory; if you prefer a different path, set SYSTEM_WATCHDOG_STATE. 4) Run the script locally once to review the JSON output and verify it behaves as documented. If you can provide the remainder of the script (the truncated portion), I can re-evaluate and raise confidence.
Capability Analysis
Type: OpenClaw Skill
Name: system-watchdog
Version: 2.0.0
The system-watchdog skill is a legitimate resource monitoring tool for Linux and macOS. It collects system metrics (CPU, RAM, swap, disk) and process information using standard system utilities like ps, df, and sysctl, then compares them against a local state file (system-watchdog-state.json) to detect anomalies. The code is transparent, lacks network exfiltration or obfuscation, and its instructions in SKILL.md are strictly aligned with its stated purpose of reporting system health issues.
Capability Assessment
Purpose & Capability
Name/description align with the included check.sh which inspects RAM, swap, load, disk and processes. However the registry metadata lists no required binaries while the script requires Python 3 and several system utilities (ps, df, sysctl, vm_stat, nproc or equivalent). That mismatch is unexpected and should be corrected/clarified.
Instruction Scope
SKILL.md contains narrow, explicit instructions: run the bundled check.sh, parse JSON output, and only report when suspicious is true. The script reads normal system files (/proc/meminfo, /proc/loadavg, runs ps, df, vm_stat/sysctl) and writes a lightweight state file to ~/.openclaw/workspace/state/... — behavior consistent with a local watchdog. No instructions direct data to external network endpoints.
Install Mechanism
No install spec (instruction-only skill) and the package includes the script. Nothing is downloaded from remote URLs and no archives are extracted. This is low-risk from an install mechanism perspective.
Credentials
The skill requests no credentials or env vars except an optional SYSTEM_WATCHDOG_STATE override. That is proportionate. However the manifest not declaring required binaries (python3, ps, df, sysctl/vm_stat, nproc) is inconsistent and could mislead users about runtime needs.
Persistence & Privilege
The script persists state under the user's home (~/.openclaw/workspace/state/system-watchdog-state.json) so it retains history between runs. It does not request elevated privileges, modify other skills or system-wide configs, and always:false. Persisting a state file in the user's home is reasonable for this purpose but the user should be aware of the file location and contents.
How to Use
- Make sure OpenClaw is installed (local or Docker)
- Run the install command in chat:
/install system-watchdog - After installation, invoke the skill by name or use
/system-watchdog - Provide required inputs per the skill's parameter spec and get structured output
Version History
v2.0.0
Complete redesign: anomaly-based detection instead of threshold census. Unified Linux + macOS script. Tracks state between runs for delta detection. Removes false positives (stale process age, Docker baseline, absolute disk usage).
v1.0.0
Initial publish
Metadata
Frequently Asked Questions
What is System Watchdog?
System resource monitoring. Detects actionable anomalies (memory pressure, runaway processes, disk pressure) and reports only when something needs attention.... It is an AI Agent Skill for Claude Code / OpenClaw, with 665 downloads so far.
How do I install System Watchdog?
Run "/install system-watchdog" in the OpenClaw or Claude Code chat to install it in one step — no extra setup required.
Is System Watchdog free?
Yes, System Watchdog is completely free, licensed under MIT-0. You can download, install and use it at no cost.
Which platforms does System Watchdog support?
System Watchdog is cross-platform and runs anywhere OpenClaw / Claude Code is available (cross-platform).
Who created System Watchdog?
It is built and maintained by BrennerSpear (@brennerspear); the current version is v2.0.0.
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