Adaptive Reasoning
/install alvis-adaptive-reasoning
Adaptive Reasoning
Self-assess complexity before responding. Adjust reasoning level dynamically.
Quick Assessment (run mentally on every request)
Score the request 0-10 on these dimensions:
| Signal | Weight | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-step logic | +3 | Planning, proofs, debugging chains |
| Ambiguity | +2 | Nuanced questions, trade-offs, "it depends" |
| Code architecture | +2 | System design, refactoring, security review |
| Math/formal reasoning | +2 | Calculations, algorithms, logic puzzles |
| Novel problem | +1 | No clear pattern, requires creativity |
| High stakes | +1 | Production changes, irreversible actions |
Subtract:
- Routine/repetitive task: -2
- Clear single answer: -2
- Simple lookup/fetch: -3
Decision Thresholds
| Score | Action |
|---|---|
| �? | Stay fast. No reasoning needed. |
| 3-5 | Standard response. Light internal deliberation. |
| 6-7 | Consider /reasoning on or pause to think explicitly. |
| �? | Activate extended thinking. Complex problem warrants it. |
Activation (Automatic)
Do not ask. Just activate.
| Score | Action |
|---|---|
| �? | Respond normally. No change. |
| 6-7 | Enable reasoning silently. Add 🧠 at end of response. |
| �? | Enable reasoning. Add 🧠🔥 at end of response. |
Visual Indicator
Always append the reasoning icon at the very end of your response:
- Score 6-7:
🧠(thinking mode active) - Score �?:
🧠🔥(deep thinking mode) - Score �?: No icon (fast mode)
How to Activate
Use session_status tool or /reasoning on command internally before responding:
/reasoning on
Or via tool:
{"action": "session_status", "reasoning": "on"}
After completing a complex task, optionally disable to save tokens on follow-ups:
/reasoning off
Examples
Low complexity (score: 1)
"What time is it in Tokyo?" �?Simple lookup. Answer immediately. No icon.
Medium complexity (score: 4)
"Refactor this function to be more readable" �?Standard response with brief explanation. No icon.
High complexity (score: 7)
"Design a caching strategy for this API with these constraints..." �?Enable reasoning. Thoughtful response ends with: 🧠
Very high complexity (score: 9)
"Debug why this distributed system has race conditions under load" �?Enable extended thinking. Deep analysis ends with: 🧠🔥
Integration
This skill runs as mental preprocessing. No external tools needed.
For explicit control:
/reasoning on�?Enable extended thinking/reasoning off�?Disable (faster responses)/status�?Check current reasoning state
When NOT to Escalate
- User explicitly wants quick answer ("just tell me", "quick", "tldr")
- Time-sensitive requests where speed matters more than depth
- Conversational/social messages (banter, greetings)
- Already in reasoning mode for this session
- User previously disabled reasoning in this conversation
Auto-Downgrade
After completing a complex task (score �?), if the next message is simple (score �?):
- Silently disable reasoning to save tokens
- Resume normal fast responses \r
- Make sure OpenClaw is installed (local or Docker)
- Run the install command in chat:
/install alvis-adaptive-reasoning - After installation, invoke the skill by name or use
/alvis-adaptive-reasoning - Provide required inputs per the skill's parameter spec and get structured output
What is Adaptive Reasoning?
Automatically assess task complexity and adjust reasoning level. Triggers on every user message to evaluate whether extended thinking (reasoning mode) would... It is an AI Agent Skill for Claude Code / OpenClaw, with 125 downloads so far.
How do I install Adaptive Reasoning?
Run "/install alvis-adaptive-reasoning" in the OpenClaw or Claude Code chat to install it in one step — no extra setup required.
Is Adaptive Reasoning free?
Yes, Adaptive Reasoning is completely free, licensed under MIT-0. You can download, install and use it at no cost.
Which platforms does Adaptive Reasoning support?
Adaptive Reasoning is cross-platform and runs anywhere OpenClaw / Claude Code is available (cross-platform).
Who created Adaptive Reasoning?
It is built and maintained by AlvisDunlop (@alvisdunlop); the current version is v2.0.0.