btw command

Ask non-blocking clarifying questions during agent workflows. Use when agents need user input without halting execution. Handles deployment decisions, code review confirmations, data validation choices, and security checks with timeout defaults.

Local skill by Claw0x — runs entirely in your OpenClaw agent.

Runs locally. No external API calls, no API key required. Complete privacy.

What It Does

The btw Command skill allows AI agents to ask clarifying questions without halting their main workflow. Questions are queued, users are notified via multiple channels, and if no answer is received within the timeout period, a default answer is used automatically.

Think of it as "by the way, I need to know..." — the agent continues working while waiting for your input.

Quick Reference

When This Happens	Do This	What You Get
Need deployment confirmation	Ask "Deploy to staging or production?"	Non-blocking answer with default
Code review decision	Ask "Refactor this complex function?"	User choice without workflow halt
Data validation	Ask "Found duplicates, merge or keep?"	Timeout-safe decision
Security check	Ask "API key expiring, rotate now?"	Priority-based notification

5-Minute Quickstart

Step 1: Install (30 seconds)

bash

openclaw skill add btw

Step 2: Ask Your First Question (1 minute)

typescript

const result = await agent.run('btw', {
  question: 'Deploy to staging or production?',
  options: ['staging', 'production'],
  default: 'staging',
  timeout: 300,
  priority: 'urgent'
});

console.log(result.answer); // 'production' or 'staging' (default)

Step 3: Handle the Answer (instant)

typescript

if (result.timed_out) {
  console.log(`Used default: ${result.answer}`);
} else {
  console.log(`User chose: ${result.answer} in ${result.response_time_ms}ms`);
}

Real-World Use Cases

Scenario 1: Deployment Automation

Problem: Agent needs to deploy but unsure which environment Solution: Ask non-blocking question with timeout Example:

typescript

const { answer } = await btw({
  question: 'Tests passed! Deploy to which environment?',
  options: ['staging', 'production', 'skip'],
  default: 'staging',
  timeout: 600, // 10 minutes
  priority: 'urgent'
});

if (answer === 'production') {
  await deployToProduction();
} else if (answer === 'staging') {
  await deployToStaging();
}

Scenario 2: Code Review Decisions

Problem: Agent finds complex code, unsure if refactoring is needed Solution: Ask for human judgment without blocking Example:

typescript

const { answer } = await btw({
  question: 'Function `processData` has 150 lines. Refactor?',
  options: ['yes', 'no', 'later'],
  default: 'later',
  timeout: 300,
  priority: 'normal',
  context: {
    file: 'src/utils/data.ts',
    lines: 150,
    complexity: 'high'
  }
});

Scenario 3: Data Validation

Problem: Agent finds duplicate records, needs merge strategy Solution: Ask with context and smart default Example:

typescript

const { answer } = await btw({
  question: 'Found 5 duplicate users. How to handle?',
  options: ['merge', 'keep-all', 'keep-newest'],
  default: 'keep-newest',
  timeout: 180,
  priority: 'normal',
  context: {
    duplicates: 5,
    table: 'users',
    criteria: 'email'
  }
});

Scenario 4: Security Checks

Problem: API key expiring soon, needs rotation decision Solution: High-priority question with short timeout Example:

typescript

const { answer } = await btw({
  question: 'API key expires in 2 days. Rotate now?',
  options: ['yes', 'no', 'remind-tomorrow'],
  default: 'remind-tomorrow',
  timeout: 60,
  priority: 'urgent',
  context: {
    key_name: 'STRIPE_API_KEY',
    expires_at: '2026-03-29'
  }
});

Integration Recipes

OpenClaw Agent

typescript

agent.onTask(async (task) => {
  // Ask question without blocking
  const { answer } = await agent.run('btw', {
    question: 'Approve this change?',
    options: ['yes', 'no'],
    default: 'no',
    timeout: 300
  });
  
  if (answer === 'yes') {
    await task.execute();
  }
});

LangChain Agent

python

def ask_user(question, options, default, timeout=300):
    # Use btw skill locally
    result = agent.run('btw', {
        'question': question,
        'options': options,
        'default': default,
        'timeout': timeout
    })
    return result['answer']

# Use in agent
answer = ask_user(
    'Deploy to production?',
    ['yes', 'no'],
    'no',
    timeout=600
)

Custom Agent

javascript

// Local btw implementation
async function askBtw(question, options, defaultAnswer) {
  const result = await agent.run('btw', {
    question,
    options,
    default: defaultAnswer,
    timeout: 300
  });
  
  return result.answer;
}

Workflow Diagram

text

Agent Workflow
     │
     ├─ Main Task (continues)
     │
     └─ btw Question
          ├─ Queue Question
          ├─ Notify User (Web/Mobile/Slack)
          │
          ├─ User Answers → Return Answer
          │
          └─ Timeout → Return Default

Why Use Via Claw0x?

• Zero configuration: No API keys, no setup
• Complete privacy: Runs entirely locally
• Offline capable: Works without internet
• Unlimited usage: No rate limits or quotas
• Open source: Transparent implementation
• Agent-native: Built for autonomous workflows

Prerequisites

None. Just install and use.

Input Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Default	Description
question	string	Yes	-	The question to ask
options	string[]	No	-	Available answer options
default	string	No	First option	Default if timeout
timeout	number	No	300	Timeout in seconds
priority	string	No	"normal"	Priority: urgent/normal/low
context	object	No	{}	Additional context

Output Schema

Field	Type	Description
answer	string	User's answer or default
answered_at	string	ISO timestamp
timed_out	boolean	Whether timeout occurred
response_time_ms	number	Time to answer

Error Codes

Code	Meaning	Solution
400	Invalid input	Check question is non-empty
500	Internal error	Retry or check logs

Pricing

Free. No API key required, no usage limits.

• Runs entirely locally in your agent
• No external API calls
• Complete privacy
• Unlimited questions

Rate Limits

None. Unlimited questions.

About Claw0x

Claw0x is the native skills layer for AI agents — providing unified API access, atomic billing, and quality control.

Explore more skills: claw0x.com/skills

GitHub: github.com/kennyzir/btw