smart-sourcing
Select optimal information sources for tool calls and file reads, balancing accuracy with token efficiency
Install via CLI (Recommended)
clawhub install openclaw/skills/skills/athola/nm-conserve-smart-sourcingNight Market Skill — ported from claude-night-market/conserve. For the full experience with agents, hooks, and commands, install the Claude Code plugin.
Smart Sourcing
Intelligent sourcing that requires citations only when the cost is justified by the value of verification.
Philosophy
Full sourcing is prohibitively expensive (10-16x token increase). Smart sourcing targets high-value claims where verification materially improves accuracy.
When to Source
REQUIRE Sources
| Claim Type | Example | Why Source |
|---|---|---|
| Version numbers | "Python 3.12 added..." | Versions change, easy to verify |
| Performance claims | "30% faster than..." | Quantitative claims need evidence |
| Security recommendations | "Use bcrypt for..." | Security advice must be current |
| API specifications | "The function accepts..." | APIs change between versions |
| Release dates | "Released in Q4 2025" | Factual, verifiable |
| Pricing/limits | "Free tier allows 1000 requests" | Business terms change |
| Deprecated features | "X was removed in version Y" | Breaking changes need verification |
DO NOT Require Sources
| Claim Type | Example | Why No Source |
|---|---|---|
| General concepts | "Async improves concurrency" | Foundational knowledge |
| Code examples | Demonstrative snippets | Illustrative, not factual claims |
| Opinion/preference | "Consider using..." | Clearly framed as suggestion |
| Common knowledge | "Git tracks changes" | Universal understanding |
| Logical derivations | "Therefore, X implies Y" | Reasoning, not factual claim |
| Syntax | "Use def for functions" | Language documentation is stable |
Decision Framework
Is this a factual claim?
├── No → No source needed
└── Yes → Would being wrong cause harm?
├── No (minor inconvenience) → No source needed
└── Yes → Is verification cost-effective?
├── No (>5k tokens for low-value claim) → State uncertainty
└── Yes → Perform web search, cite source
Implementation
Inline Citations
When sourcing is warranted:
Python 3.12 introduced `type` statement for type aliases[1].
Sources:
1. [PEP 695](https://peps.python.org/pep-0695/)
Uncertainty Markers
When sourcing isn't cost-effective but uncertainty exists:
Python 3.12 introduced the `type` statement (verify in release notes for your version).
Confidence Levels
| Confidence | Action |
|---|---|
| High (stable facts) | State directly |
| Medium (may have changed) | Add verification note |
| Low (uncertain) | Source or acknowledge uncertainty |
Token Cost Analysis
Metadata
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Find the right skillPaste this into your clawhub.json to enable this plugin.
{
"plugins": {
"official-athola-nm-conserve-smart-sourcing": {
"enabled": true,
"auto_update": true
}
}
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