Mastering OpenClaw: How to Write Perfect Commands for AI Assistants

Why the AI sometimes "doesn't understand"

The OpenClaw AI (nicknamed "龙虾") lacks human common sense, so a request like "help me organize" is ambiguous: it doesn't know what to organize, how to format it, or where to send the result, similar to a new employee receiving an unclear instruction.

The four elements of a good command

Remember this formula:

Good command = What to do + What material to use + Desired output format + Destination

What to do : the specific task (e.g., sort emails, fetch weather, generate a report).

What material to use : the source data or files (e.g., desktop files, inbox, a URL).

Desired output format : list, table, paragraph, Word document, etc.

Destination : where the result should be sent (e.g., QQ, Feishu, desktop folder).

Three common command types

Type 1: Immediate execution

Use for one‑off, ad‑hoc tasks. The AI executes the command right away and returns the result.

"Help me check today's Beijing weather"

"Send the file 'contract.pdf' to my email"

"Search for 'Python tutorial' and give me the top 5 links"

Type 2: Scheduled execution

Set a time and let the AI run the task automatically at that moment, ideal for repetitive routines.

"Every morning at 8 am, send me today's weather and three tech news items"

"Every Monday at 9 am, remind me of this week's important meetings"

"Every evening at 6 pm, back up today's work files to the 'Backup' folder"

Type 3: Conditional trigger

The AI monitors a condition and acts when the condition is met, useful for alerts.

"If I receive an email from [email protected], notify me immediately"

"When a new PDF appears on the desktop, move it to the 'Documents' folder"

"If someone @me in a Feishu group, forward the message to my private chat"

Step‑by‑step: Write your first good command

Example scenario: "Let the AI send me a daily briefing every morning." Answer the four questions:

What to do : send a daily briefing.

What material : today's weather, top three tech news, and my calendar.

Output format : short paragraphs with headings, under 200 words.

Destination : send to my QQ or Feishu.

Combine them into a single command:

Every morning at 8:00, help me fetch the following and format a briefing:
1. Beijing weather (temperature, condition, dressing advice)
2. Top 3 tech news (title + one‑sentence summary)

Format:
- Each section has a heading (Weather / News)
- Keep content concise, max 200 words
- End with a short motivational quote

Send this to OpenClaw; it will confirm the schedule and start delivering the briefing the next day.

Five tips to make commands more precise

1. Ask for the result, not the process

❌ "Open the browser, search weather, screenshot and send" – you are describing steps. ✅ "Tell me today's Beijing weather" – you request the final answer.

2. Specify concrete ranges

❌ "Organize recent files" – unclear time window. ✅ "Organize files modified in the last 7 days, grouped by type".

3. State what NOT to do

"Help me sort emails, do not delete any , just label them." "Search news, only Chinese sources , exclude English sites."

4. Break complex tasks into steps

Step 1: Convert "meeting_recording.mp3" on the desktop to text.
(Wait for completion)
Step 2: Extract all action items from the transcript and list them.
(Wait for completion)
Step 3: Save the list to a Feishu document titled "Meeting Action Items".

5. Provide an example of the desired format

When you need a special layout, paste a sample: <code>【Important Email】 - Sender: Zhang San | Subject: Project update | Summary: On track, delivery next week 【Regular Email】 - Sender: Li Si | Subject: Meeting notice | Summary: Friday 3 pm meeting</code> Command templates (copy‑paste ready) Template 1: Daily briefing <code>Every morning at 8:00, help me organize and send today's briefing, including: 1. [Weather] City weather (temp range, condition) 2. [News] Top 3 tech/finance headlines (title + one‑sentence summary) 3. [Schedule] My Feishu/Google Calendar events for today 4. [Motivation] One encouraging quote Format: concise, max 300 words, send to my Feishu private chat.</code> Template 2: File auto‑organizer <code>Help me sort desktop files with these rules: - Images (.jpg/.png/.gif) → move to "Images" folder - Documents (.doc/.docx/.pdf) → move to "Documents" folder - Archives (.zip/.rar) → move to "Archives" folder - Others → leave untouched Do not delete any files; just move them. After finishing, tell me how many files were moved.</code> Template 3: Meeting minutes generator <code>Process the meeting recording at [path]: 1. Transcribe to text. 2. Extract: - Main discussion points (3‑5 items) - Decisions (list) - Action items with owners 3. Format as minutes: - Time: [auto or today] - Attendees: [extracted] - Content, Decisions, Action items 4. Save as a Word document named "[date] Meeting Minutes" on the desktop.</code> Template 4: Email auto‑reply assistant <code>Monitor my inbox with these rules: - If an email comes from [important address], instantly notify me on Feishu with a short summary. - If the subject contains "urgent" or "important", also notify immediately. - For all other emails, send a daily summary at 6 pm. Note: Only notify, do not auto‑reply.</code> Troubleshooting when a command fails Check the error message : If the AI says "file not found", verify the file path. Confirm the AI understood the request : Restate the command using the four‑element formula. Show an example of the expected output : Paste a sample format to guide the AI. Resend the corrected command . If still incorrect, split the task : Break it into smaller sub‑commands and execute sequentially. Remember, iteration is normal; refine until the result matches your expectation. Task priority rules First priority : Direct spoken commands – the AI responds immediately. Second priority : Conditional auto‑tasks (e.g., "notify me when boss emails"). Third priority : Scheduled tasks (e.g., daily briefing at 8 am). Last : Non‑time‑critical tasks – processed when the AI is idle. Building your "common command library" Create a text file named "My OpenClaw Commands" on your desktop. Save useful commands under categories such as: Daily briefing commands File organization commands Meeting minutes commands When needed, copy‑paste the appropriate command into the AI chat. This saves time and ensures consistency. Summary Command formula : What + Material + Output format + Destination. Three command types : Immediate, scheduled, and conditional. Iterative improvement : Start with a rough command, observe the AI's reply, then refine using concrete examples and the five tips. Next article will cover installing "Skills" packages to extend OpenClaw’s capabilities.