add prependSystemContext and appendSystemContext to before_prompt_build (fixes #35131) (#35177)

Merged via squash.

Prepared head SHA: d9a2869ad69db9449336a2e2846bd9de0e647ac6
Co-authored-by: maweibin <18023423+maweibin@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: gumadeiras <5599352+gumadeiras@users.noreply.github.com>
Reviewed-by: @gumadeiras

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
 - Slack/DM typing feedback: add `channels.slack.typingReaction` so Socket Mode DMs can show reaction-based processing status even when Slack native assistant typing is unavailable. (#19816) Thanks @dalefrieswthat.
 - Cron/job snapshot persistence: skip backup during normalization persistence in `ensureLoaded` so `jobs.json.bak` keeps the pre-edit snapshot for recovery, while preserving backup creation on explicit user-driven writes. (#35234) Thanks @0xsline.
 - TTS/OpenAI-compatible endpoints: add `messages.tts.openai.baseUrl` config support with config-over-env precedence, endpoint-aware directive validation, and OpenAI TTS request routing to the resolved base URL. (#34321) thanks @RealKai42.
+- Plugins/before_prompt_build system-context fields: add `prependSystemContext` and `appendSystemContext` so static plugin guidance can be placed in system prompt space for provider caching and lower repeated prompt token cost. (#35177) thanks @maweibin.
 
 ### Fixes
 

docs/concepts/agent-loop.md

@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ See [Hooks](/automation/hooks) for setup and examples.
 These run inside the agent loop or gateway pipeline:
 
 - **`before_model_resolve`**: runs pre-session (no `messages`) to deterministically override provider/model before model resolution.
-- **`before_prompt_build`**: runs after session load (with `messages`) to inject `prependContext`/`systemPrompt` before prompt submission.
+- **`before_prompt_build`**: runs after session load (with `messages`) to inject `prependContext`, `systemPrompt`, `prependSystemContext`, or `appendSystemContext` before prompt submission. Use `prependContext` for per-turn dynamic text and system-context fields for stable guidance that should sit in system prompt space.
 - **`before_agent_start`**: legacy compatibility hook that may run in either phase; prefer the explicit hooks above.
 - **`agent_end`**: inspect the final message list and run metadata after completion.
 - **`before_compaction` / `after_compaction`**: observe or annotate compaction cycles.

docs/tools/plugin.md

@@ -431,6 +431,54 @@ Notes:
 - Plugin-managed hooks show up in `openclaw hooks list` with `plugin:<id>`.
 - You cannot enable/disable plugin-managed hooks via `openclaw hooks`; enable/disable the plugin instead.
 
+### Agent lifecycle hooks (`api.on`)
+
+For typed runtime lifecycle hooks, use `api.on(...)`:
+
+```ts
+export default function register(api) {
+  api.on(
+    "before_prompt_build",
+    (event, ctx) => {
+      return {
+        prependSystemContext: "Follow company style guide.",
+      };
+    },
+    { priority: 10 },
+  );
+}
+```
+
+Important hooks for prompt construction:
+
+- `before_model_resolve`: runs before session load (`messages` are not available). Use this to deterministically override `modelOverride` or `providerOverride`.
+- `before_prompt_build`: runs after session load (`messages` are available). Use this to shape prompt input.
+- `before_agent_start`: legacy compatibility hook. Prefer the two explicit hooks above.
+
+`before_prompt_build` result fields:
+
+- `prependContext`: prepends text to the user prompt for this run. Best for turn-specific or dynamic content.
+- `systemPrompt`: full system prompt override.
+- `prependSystemContext`: prepends text to the current system prompt.
+- `appendSystemContext`: appends text to the current system prompt.
+
+Prompt build order in embedded runtime:
+
+1. Apply `prependContext` to the user prompt.
+2. Apply `systemPrompt` override when provided.
+3. Apply `prependSystemContext + current system prompt + appendSystemContext`.
+
+Merge and precedence notes:
+
+- Hook handlers run by priority (higher first).
+- For merged context fields, values are concatenated in execution order.
+- `before_prompt_build` values are applied before legacy `before_agent_start` fallback values.
+
+Migration guidance:
+
+- Move static guidance from `prependContext` to `prependSystemContext` (or `appendSystemContext`) so providers can cache stable system-prefix content.
+- Keep `prependContext` for per-turn dynamic context that should stay tied to the user message.
+
 ## Provider plugins (model auth)
 
 Plugins can register **model provider auth** flows so users can run OAuth or

src/agents/pi-embedded-runner/run/attempt.test.ts

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../../../config/config.js";
 import {
+  composeSystemPromptWithHookContext,
   isOllamaCompatProvider,
   resolveAttemptFsWorkspaceOnly,
   resolveOllamaBaseUrlForRun,
@@ -54,6 +55,8 @@ describe("resolvePromptBuildHookResult", () => {
     expect(result).toEqual({
       prependContext: "from-cache",
       systemPrompt: "legacy-system",
+      prependSystemContext: undefined,
+      appendSystemContext: undefined,
     });
   });
 
@@ -71,6 +74,58 @@ describe("resolvePromptBuildHookResult", () => {
     expect(hookRunner.runBeforeAgentStart).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ prompt: "hello", messages }, {});
     expect(result.prependContext).toBe("from-hook");
   });
+
+  it("merges prompt-build and legacy context fields in deterministic order", async () => {
+    const hookRunner = {
+      hasHooks: vi.fn(() => true),
+      runBeforePromptBuild: vi.fn(async () => ({
+        prependContext: "prompt context",
+        prependSystemContext: "prompt prepend",
+        appendSystemContext: "prompt append",
+      })),
+      runBeforeAgentStart: vi.fn(async () => ({
+        prependContext: "legacy context",
+        prependSystemContext: "legacy prepend",
+        appendSystemContext: "legacy append",
+      })),
+    };
+
+    const result = await resolvePromptBuildHookResult({
+      prompt: "hello",
+      messages: [],
+      hookCtx: {},
+      hookRunner,
+    });
+
+    expect(result.prependContext).toBe("prompt context\n\nlegacy context");
+    expect(result.prependSystemContext).toBe("prompt prepend\n\nlegacy prepend");
+    expect(result.appendSystemContext).toBe("prompt append\n\nlegacy append");
+  });
+});
+
+describe("composeSystemPromptWithHookContext", () => {
+  it("returns undefined when no hook system context is provided", () => {
+    expect(composeSystemPromptWithHookContext({ baseSystemPrompt: "base" })).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
+  it("builds prepend/base/append system prompt order", () => {
+    expect(
+      composeSystemPromptWithHookContext({
+        baseSystemPrompt: "  base system  ",
+        prependSystemContext: "  prepend  ",
+        appendSystemContext: "  append  ",
+      }),
+    ).toBe("prepend\n\nbase system\n\nappend");
+  });
+
+  it("avoids blank separators when base system prompt is empty", () => {
+    expect(
+      composeSystemPromptWithHookContext({
+        baseSystemPrompt: "   ",
+        appendSystemContext: "  append only  ",
+      }),
+    ).toBe("append only");
+  });
 });
 
 describe("resolvePromptModeForSession", () => {

src/agents/pi-embedded-runner/run/attempt.ts

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import type {
   PluginHookBeforePromptBuildResult,
 } from "../../../plugins/types.js";
 import { isSubagentSessionKey } from "../../../routing/session-key.js";
+import { joinPresentTextSegments } from "../../../shared/text/join-segments.js";
 import { resolveSignalReactionLevel } from "../../../signal/reaction-level.js";
 import { resolveTelegramInlineButtonsScope } from "../../../telegram/inline-buttons.js";
 import { resolveTelegramReactionLevel } from "../../../telegram/reaction-level.js";
@@ -567,12 +568,37 @@ export async function resolvePromptBuildHookResult(params: {
       : undefined);
   return {
     systemPrompt: promptBuildResult?.systemPrompt ?? legacyResult?.systemPrompt,
-    prependContext: [promptBuildResult?.prependContext, legacyResult?.prependContext]
-      .filter((value): value is string => Boolean(value))
-      .join("\n\n"),
+    prependContext: joinPresentTextSegments([
+      promptBuildResult?.prependContext,
+      legacyResult?.prependContext,
+    ]),
+    prependSystemContext: joinPresentTextSegments([
+      promptBuildResult?.prependSystemContext,
+      legacyResult?.prependSystemContext,
+    ]),
+    appendSystemContext: joinPresentTextSegments([
+      promptBuildResult?.appendSystemContext,
+      legacyResult?.appendSystemContext,
+    ]),
   };
 }
 
+export function composeSystemPromptWithHookContext(params: {
+  baseSystemPrompt?: string;
+  prependSystemContext?: string;
+  appendSystemContext?: string;
+}): string | undefined {
+  const prependSystem = params.prependSystemContext?.trim();
+  const appendSystem = params.appendSystemContext?.trim();
+  if (!prependSystem && !appendSystem) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+  return joinPresentTextSegments(
+    [params.prependSystemContext, params.baseSystemPrompt, params.appendSystemContext],
+    { trim: true },
+  );
+}
+
 export function resolvePromptModeForSession(sessionKey?: string): "minimal" | "full" {
   if (!sessionKey) {
     return "full";
@@ -1522,6 +1548,20 @@ export async function runEmbeddedAttempt(
             systemPromptText = legacySystemPrompt;
             log.debug(`hooks: applied systemPrompt override (${legacySystemPrompt.length} chars)`);
           }
+          const prependedOrAppendedSystemPrompt = composeSystemPromptWithHookContext({
+            baseSystemPrompt: systemPromptText,
+            prependSystemContext: hookResult?.prependSystemContext,
+            appendSystemContext: hookResult?.appendSystemContext,
+          });
+          if (prependedOrAppendedSystemPrompt) {
+            const prependSystemLen = hookResult?.prependSystemContext?.trim().length ?? 0;
+            const appendSystemLen = hookResult?.appendSystemContext?.trim().length ?? 0;
+            applySystemPromptOverrideToSession(activeSession, prependedOrAppendedSystemPrompt);
+            systemPromptText = prependedOrAppendedSystemPrompt;
+            log.debug(
+              `hooks: applied prependSystemContext/appendSystemContext (${prependSystemLen}+${appendSystemLen} chars)`,
+            );
+          }
         }
 
         log.debug(`embedded run prompt start: runId=${params.runId} sessionId=${params.sessionId}`);

src/plugins/hooks.model-override-wiring.test.ts

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
  * 3. before_agent_start remains a legacy compatibility fallback
  */
 import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { joinPresentTextSegments } from "../shared/text/join-segments.js";
 import { createHookRunner } from "./hooks.js";
 import { addTestHook, TEST_PLUGIN_AGENT_CTX } from "./hooks.test-helpers.js";
 import { createEmptyPluginRegistry, type PluginRegistry } from "./registry.js";
@@ -154,9 +155,10 @@ describe("model override pipeline wiring", () => {
         { prompt: "test", messages: [{ role: "user", content: "x" }] as unknown[] },
         stubCtx,
       );
-      const prependContext = [promptBuild?.prependContext, legacy?.prependContext]
-        .filter((value): value is string => Boolean(value))
-        .join("\n\n");
+      const prependContext = joinPresentTextSegments([
+        promptBuild?.prependContext,
+        legacy?.prependContext,
+      ]);
 
       expect(prependContext).toBe("new context\n\nlegacy context");
     });

src/plugins/hooks.phase-hooks.test.ts

@@ -72,4 +72,33 @@ describe("phase hooks merger", () => {
     expect(result?.prependContext).toBe("context A\n\ncontext B");
     expect(result?.systemPrompt).toBe("system A");
   });
+
+  it("before_prompt_build concatenates prependSystemContext and appendSystemContext", async () => {
+    addTypedHook(
+      registry,
+      "before_prompt_build",
+      "first",
+      () => ({
+        prependSystemContext: "prepend A",
+        appendSystemContext: "append A",
+      }),
+      10,
+    );
+    addTypedHook(
+      registry,
+      "before_prompt_build",
+      "second",
+      () => ({
+        prependSystemContext: "prepend B",
+        appendSystemContext: "append B",
+      }),
+      1,
+    );
+
+    const runner = createHookRunner(registry);
+    const result = await runner.runBeforePromptBuild({ prompt: "test", messages: [] }, {});
+
+    expect(result?.prependSystemContext).toBe("prepend A\n\nprepend B");
+    expect(result?.appendSystemContext).toBe("append A\n\nappend B");
+  });
 });

src/plugins/hooks.ts

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
  * error handling, priority ordering, and async support.
  */
 
+import { concatOptionalTextSegments } from "../shared/text/join-segments.js";
 import type { PluginRegistry } from "./registry.js";
 import type {
   PluginHookAfterCompactionEvent,
@@ -140,10 +141,18 @@ export function createHookRunner(registry: PluginRegistry, options: HookRunnerOp
     next: PluginHookBeforePromptBuildResult,
   ): PluginHookBeforePromptBuildResult => ({
     systemPrompt: next.systemPrompt ?? acc?.systemPrompt,
-    prependContext:
-      acc?.prependContext && next.prependContext
-        ? `${acc.prependContext}\n\n${next.prependContext}`
-        : (next.prependContext ?? acc?.prependContext),
+    prependContext: concatOptionalTextSegments({
+      left: acc?.prependContext,
+      right: next.prependContext,
+    }),
+    prependSystemContext: concatOptionalTextSegments({
+      left: acc?.prependSystemContext,
+      right: next.prependSystemContext,
+    }),
+    appendSystemContext: concatOptionalTextSegments({
+      left: acc?.appendSystemContext,
+      right: next.appendSystemContext,
+    }),
   });
 
   const mergeSubagentSpawningResult = (

src/plugins/types.ts

@@ -369,6 +369,16 @@ export type PluginHookBeforePromptBuildEvent = {
 export type PluginHookBeforePromptBuildResult = {
   systemPrompt?: string;
   prependContext?: string;
+  /**
+   * Prepended to the agent system prompt so providers can cache it (e.g. prompt caching).
+   * Use for static plugin guidance instead of prependContext to avoid per-turn token cost.
+   */
+  prependSystemContext?: string;
+  /**
+   * Appended to the agent system prompt so providers can cache it (e.g. prompt caching).
+   * Use for static plugin guidance instead of prependContext to avoid per-turn token cost.
+   */
+  appendSystemContext?: string;
 };
 
 // before_agent_start hook (legacy compatibility: combines both phases)

src/shared/text/join-segments.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { concatOptionalTextSegments, joinPresentTextSegments } from "./join-segments.js";
+
+describe("concatOptionalTextSegments", () => {
+  it("concatenates left and right with default separator", () => {
+    expect(concatOptionalTextSegments({ left: "A", right: "B" })).toBe("A\n\nB");
+  });
+
+  it("keeps explicit empty-string right value", () => {
+    expect(concatOptionalTextSegments({ left: "A", right: "" })).toBe("");
+  });
+});
+
+describe("joinPresentTextSegments", () => {
+  it("joins non-empty segments", () => {
+    expect(joinPresentTextSegments(["A", undefined, "B"])).toBe("A\n\nB");
+  });
+
+  it("returns undefined when all segments are empty", () => {
+    expect(joinPresentTextSegments(["", undefined, null])).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
+  it("trims segments when requested", () => {
+    expect(joinPresentTextSegments(["  A  ", "  B  "], { trim: true })).toBe("A\n\nB");
+  });
+});

src/shared/text/join-segments.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+export function concatOptionalTextSegments(params: {
+  left?: string;
+  right?: string;
+  separator?: string;
+}): string | undefined {
+  const separator = params.separator ?? "\n\n";
+  if (params.left && params.right) {
+    return `${params.left}${separator}${params.right}`;
+  }
+  return params.right ?? params.left;
+}
+
+export function joinPresentTextSegments(
+  segments: ReadonlyArray<string | null | undefined>,
+  options?: {
+    separator?: string;
+    trim?: boolean;
+  },
+): string | undefined {
+  const separator = options?.separator ?? "\n\n";
+  const trim = options?.trim ?? false;
+  const values: string[] = [];
+  for (const segment of segments) {
+    if (typeof segment !== "string") {
+      continue;
+    }
+    const normalized = trim ? segment.trim() : segment;
+    if (!normalized) {
+      continue;
+    }
+    values.push(normalized);
+  }
+  return values.length > 0 ? values.join(separator) : undefined;
+}