MindMap

What This Skill Does

The MindMap skill for OpenClaw is a robust, terminal-based utility designed for efficient data management and brainstorming. Unlike complex visual mapping tools, MindMap focuses on high-speed, text-based capture of ideas, tasks, and observations. It operates using a log-based storage mechanism, ensuring that every entry is timestamped and preserved in a local data.log file. By providing a clean interface via the mindmap command, it allows users to add, search, list, and export their thoughts without ever leaving the terminal environment. The skill is designed for maximum portability and simplicity, relying only on standard Unix utilities like Bash, grep, and date, making it an ideal companion for developers and power users who prefer lightweight command-line workflows.

Installation

Installing the MindMap skill is straightforward through the OpenClaw ecosystem. You can add this utility to your environment by executing the following command in your terminal:

clawhub install openclaw/skills/skills/bytesagain1/mindmap

Once installed, ensure you run mindmap init to prepare your local data directory. This creates the necessary structure (defaulting to ~/.local/share/mindmap/) where your logs will reside. You can verify the installation by running mindmap info to check the version and directory path.

Use Cases

• Rapid Ideation: Quickly capture ephemeral thoughts during a brainstorming session without opening a browser or GUI application.
• Daily Journaling/Logging: Maintain a chronological record of daily tasks, project milestones, or personal observations that are easily retrievable.
• Scripting & Automation: Use the add and export functions to feed data into other CLI pipelines, perfect for monitoring or logging system status updates.
• Task Tracking: Utilize the simple text-based nature to track project progress, removing items as tasks are completed, and exporting lists for reporting.

Example Prompts

1. "OpenClaw, use the MindMap skill to add 'Review system architecture for project X' to my log."
2. "Search my mind map entries for anything related to 'database migration' and show me the results."
3. "Export all my mind map data and summarize the key action items I've logged this week."

Tips & Limitations

• Tips: Keep your entries concise to maximize the effectiveness of the search command. Since the data is stored in plain text, you can easily back up your entire ~/.local/share/mindmap/ folder using Git or cloud-sync tools. If you use multiple machines, consider setting the MINDMAP_DIR environment variable to a synced cloud directory (like Dropbox or iCloud Drive) to keep your logs consistent across devices.
• Limitations: This skill is fundamentally a text-based logger. It does not generate visual node-link diagrams or graphical mind maps. It is intended for linear, chronological storage rather than hierarchical, spatial visualization. It lacks advanced features like tagging, priority levels, or due dates; all such metadata should be included within the entry string itself.