Mova Spec Guide

Answer questions about the MOVA specification language — schemas (ds.*), envelopes (env.*), verbs, episodes, global catalogs, instruction profiles, and the o...

Security Scan

The skill's declared purpose (answering MOVA spec questions and validating artifacts) aligns with its instructions and footprint; it is an instruction-only skill that reads local spec files and (optionally) GitHub for canonical references.

Purpose & Capability

The name/description match the SKILL.md instructions: reading local spec docs, explaining concepts, and validating JSON against local schemas. Minor mismatch: the SKILL.md header says "Requires the `openclaw-mova` plugin," but the registry metadata does not declare any dependency — this is an informational inconsistency (not obviously malicious) that could affect runtime if the agent expects that plugin.

Instruction Scope

Instructions direct the agent to read files under a specific workspace path (/home/mova/.openclaw/workspace/mova-spec/) and to read user-supplied JSON for validation; they also allow referencing the public GitHub repo when needed. Reading those local files and user JSON is necessary for the stated purpose, but it means the skill will access any content in that workspace and any JSON the user provides.

Install Mechanism

No install spec and no code files — instruction-only. Nothing is downloaded or written to disk by the skill itself (lowest install risk).

Credentials

The skill declares no required environment variables, credentials, or config paths. The SKILL.md's behavior (reading local workspace and optionally contacting GitHub) is proportionate to its purpose.

Persistence & Privilege

No elevated persistence requested (always: false). The skill does not request to modify other skills or system-wide settings in its instructions.

Scan Findings in Context

[no_findings] expected: The static scanner found nothing because this is an instruction-only skill with no code files to analyze. That absence of findings is expected but not evidence of safety — the SKILL.md is the primary surface to review.

Assessment

This skill appears coherent for answering MOVA-spec questions and validating drafts. Before installing: (1) confirm you want the agent to read files at /home/mova/.openclaw/workspace/mova-spec/ (ensure that workspace contains only the spec docs you intend to share); (2) be aware the skill will read any JSON you provide when asked to validate it (do not submit secrets); (3) confirm whether the environment provides the optional "openclaw-mova" plugin the SKILL.md mentions — its absence may change runtime behavior. If you need stricter limits, only invoke the skill when you intend to share spec files or validation inputs.

Ecosystem Skill — Supports building and managing the MOVA ecosystem. Requires the openclaw-mova plugin.

Answer any question about the MOVA language — from basic concepts to schema-level validation — by reading the canonical spec documents in the workspace and referencing the public repository.

What this skill does

1. Explains MOVA concepts — schemas (ds.*), envelopes (env.*), verbs, episodes, global catalogs, instruction profiles, runtime bindings, connectors, security layer, text/UI layer
2. Reads authoritative source docs — uses the local spec clone for immediate access; references the public GitHub repo for the canonical latest state
3. Shows examples — points to examples/ files and explains them in context
4. Validates artifacts — given a JSON draft, checks it against the relevant MOVA schema and explains violations
5. Maps concepts to practice — explains how a concept applies to a real use case the user brings

Source hierarchy

Priority	Source	Use for
1 (primary)	Local workspace: /home/mova/.openclaw/workspace/mova-spec/	All reads — fast and always available
2 (canonical reference)	GitHub: https://github.com/mova-compact/mova-spec	Latest version check, stable URLs to share

Always read from the local workspace first. Only reference the GitHub repo if the user needs a link to share or asks about the latest uncommitted changes.

Workspace layout

mova-spec/
  docs/
    mova_core.md                      ← core specification (start here for concept questions)
    mova_global_and_verbs.md          ← verbs, global catalogs, action_signature
    mova_operator_frame.md            ← operator frame: 13-axis audit lens
    mova_episodes_and_genetic_layer.md← episode structure and pattern memory
    mova_layers_and_namespaces.md     ← red-core / skills / infra layering
    mova_runtime_and_connectors.md    ← runtime bindings and connector contracts
    mova_security_layer.md            ← instruction profiles and security events
    mova_text_and_ui_layer.md         ← text channel separation
    MOVA_6.0.0_RELEASE_NOTES.md       ← latest changes: verb/tool/action_signature
  schemas/
    ds.mova_schema_core_v1.schema.json
    ds.mova_episode_core_v1.schema.json
    ds.instruction_profile_core_v1.schema.json
    ds.connector_core_v1.schema.json
    ds.runtime_binding_core_v1.schema.json
    ds.ui_text_bundle_core_v1.schema.json
    ds.mova4_core_catalog_v1.schema.json
    ds.security_event_episode_core_v1.schema.json
    env.*.schema.json (envelopes)
  examples/
    mova4_core_catalog.example.json
    action_signature.example.json
    env.*.example.json
  global.episode_type_catalog_v1.json
  global.security_catalog_v1.json
  global.layers_and_namespaces_v1.json
  global.text_channel_catalog_v1.json
  README-mova-spec.md

Core MOVA concepts (quick map)

Concept	What it is	Where defined
ds.* schema	JSON Schema describing what data looks like	schemas/ds.*.schema.json
env.* envelope	Typed speech-act: a request, command, or event over ds.* data	schemas/env.*.schema.json
Verb	Abstract operation type: create, update, route, record, publish, analyze, ...	docs/mova_global_and_verbs.md
Tool	Execution channel (tool_id); 0 = tool-less	docs/mova_global_and_verbs.md §4.5
Action signature	Atomic unit for policy: (verb_id, tool_id, target_kind?)	MOVA_6.0.0_RELEASE_NOTES.md
Episode	Structured record of one meaningful work step	ds.mova_episode_core_v1
Instruction profile	Declarative policy and guardrail set for an executor	ds.instruction_profile_core_v1
Global catalog	Shared vocabulary for all layers	global.*.json
Operator frame	13-axis audit lens (what/how/where/when/why/...)	docs/mova_operator_frame.md
Genetic layer	Pattern memory built from episodes over time	docs/mova_episodes_and_genetic_layer.md

How to handle different question types

Concept question

Read the relevant docs/ file. Summarize the answer. Quote the exact definition. Show a minimal example if one exists in examples/.

Schema question

Read the relevant schemas/*.schema.json. Explain each field: type, required/optional, allowed values. Show how the field relates to the concept.

Validation question

Read the user's JSON. Read the target schema. Check required fields, field types, allowed enum values. Report each violation with the relevant schema field and rule.

How to write question

Read the most relevant docs/ file. Walk through a minimal valid instance step by step. Reference the examples/ file if it exists.

Catalog lookup

Read the relevant global.*.json. Quote the exact entry. Explain the purpose in one sentence.

MOVA version

Current version in the workspace: MOVA 6.0.0

Key additions in 6.0.0 (see MOVA_6.0.0_RELEASE_NOTES.md):

• Normative definition of verb, tool, action_signature
• tool_id = 0 is canonical for tool-less actions
• Policy matching priority: action_signature > verb_id > tool_id
• action_labels in domain dictionaries (readability, no normative weight)

Rules

• NEVER invent schema field names, verb IDs, or catalog values — always read from workspace files
• NEVER reference schema URLs without first reading the local file to confirm the content
• If the user asks about a concept not yet defined in the spec — say so explicitly, do not improvise
• Always cite which document and section the answer comes from
• If the user provides a JSON artifact to validate — read the correct schema file first, then compare field by field
• MOVA does not execute — never describe MOVA artifacts as having runtime behavior