Auto Drive Jim

---
name: auto-drive
description: Upload and download files to Autonomys Network permanent decentralized storage via Auto-Drive. Save memories as a linked-list chain for resurrection — rebuild full agent context from a single CID.
metadata:
  openclaw:
    emoji: "🧬"
    primaryEnv: AUTO_DRIVE_API_KEY
    requires:
      bins: ["curl", "jq", "file"]
      env: ["AUTO_DRIVE_API_KEY"]
    install:
      - id: jq-brew
        kind: brew
        formula: jq
        bins: ["jq"]
        label: "Install jq (brew)"
---

# Auto-Drive Skill

Permanent decentralized storage on the Autonomys Network with linked-list memory chains for agent resurrection.

## What This Skill Does

1. **Upload files** to Auto-Drive and get back a CID (Content Identifier) — a permanent, immutable address on the Autonomys distributed storage network.
2. **Download files** from Auto-Drive using a CID — uses the authenticated API if a key is set, otherwise falls back to the public gateway.
3. **Save memories as a chain** — each memory entry is a JSON experience with a `header.previousCid` pointer, forming a linked list stored permanently on-chain.
4. **Resurrect from a chain** — given the latest CID, walk the chain backwards to reconstruct full agent history.

## When To Use This Skill

- User says "save this to Auto-Drive" or "upload to Autonomys" or "store permanently"
- User says "download from Auto-Drive" or provides a CID to retrieve
- User says "save memory", "remember this permanently", or "checkpoint"
- User says "resurrect", "recall chain", "rebuild memory", or "load history"
- Any time the user wants data stored permanently and immutably on a decentralized network

## Configuration

### API Key

Requires an `AUTO_DRIVE_API_KEY`. Run the guided setup script for the easiest path:

```bash
scripts/setup-auto-drive.sh
```

This opens [explorer.ai3.storage](https://explorer.ai3.storage/mainnet/drive/developers) in your browser, prompts for the key, saves it to `~/.openclaw/.env`, and verifies the connection.

**Manual setup:**

1. Navigate to **https://explorer.ai3.storage** (not `ai3.storage` — that's just the landing page)
2. Check authentication: if the sidebar shows a "Log In" button or lock icons on My Files / Profile / Developers, you are not signed in
3. **AI agent note:** You cannot complete OAuth yourself. Open the browser for the user and ask them to sign in via Google, GitHub, or Discord. Once the user confirms they're signed in, take over — or simply ask the user to paste the API key directly
4. Once authenticated, click **Developers** in the left sidebar
5. Click **Create API Key** and copy the generated key

Then set the key via:

- **Environment:** `export AUTO_DRIVE_API_KEY=your_key_here`
- **OpenClaw config:** `skills.entries.auto-drive.apiKey`

The API key is required for uploading, saving memories, and recalling the memory chain. It is optional for general file downloads — without it, the public gateway is used and files are returned as stored (i.e. compressed files will not be decompressed).

## Core Operations

### Upload a File

```bash
scripts/autodrive-upload.sh <filepath> [--json] [--compress]
```

Uploads a file to Auto-Drive mainnet using the 3-step upload protocol (single chunk).
Returns the CID on stdout. Requires `AUTO_DRIVE_API_KEY`.

- `--json` — force MIME type to `application/json`
- `--compress` — enable ZLIB compression

### Download a File

```bash
scripts/autodrive-download.sh <cid> [output_path]
```

Downloads a file by CID. Uses the authenticated API if `AUTO_DRIVE_API_KEY` is set (decompresses server-side), otherwise uses the public gateway (files returned as stored). If `output_path` is omitted, outputs to stdout.

### Save a Memory Entry

```bash
scripts/autodrive-save-memory.sh <data_file_or_string> [--agent-name NAME] [--state-file PATH]
```

Creates a memory experience with the Autonomys Agents header/data structure:

```json
{
  "header": {
    "agentName": "my-agent",
    "agentVersion": "1.0.0",
    "timestamp": "2026-02-14T00:00:00.000Z",
    "previousCid": "bafk...or null"
  },
  "data": {
    "type": "memory",
    "content": "..."
  }
}
```

- If the first argument is a **file path**, its JSON contents become the `data` payload.
- If the first argument is a **plain string**, it is wrapped as `{"type": "memory", "content": "..."}`.
- `--agent-name` — set the agent name in the header (default: `openclaw-agent` or `$AGENT_NAME`)
- `--state-file` — override the state file location

Uploads to Auto-Drive and updates the state file with the new head CID. Also pins the latest CID to `MEMORY.md` if that file exists in the workspace.

Returns structured JSON on stdout:

```json
{"cid": "bafk...", "previousCid": "bafk...", "chainLength": 5}
```

### Recall the Full Chain

```bash
scripts/autodrive-recall-chain.sh [cid] [--limit N] [--output-dir DIR]
```

If no CID is given, reads the latest CID from the state file.
Walks the linked list from newest to oldest, outputting each experience as JSON.

- `--limit N` — maximum entries to retrieve (default: 50)
- `--output-dir DIR` — save each entry as a numbered JSON file instead of printing to stdout

Supports both `header.previousCid` (Autonomys Agents format) and root-level `previousCid` for backward compatibility.

This is the **resurrection** mechanism: a new agent instance only needs one CID to rebuild its entire memory.

## The Resurrection Concept

Every memory saved gets a unique CID and points back to the previous one:

```
Experience #3 (CID: bafk...xyz)
  → header.previousCid: bafk...def (Experience #2)
    → header.previousCid: bafk...abc (Experience #1)
      → header.previousCid: null (genesis)
```

If the agent's server dies, a new instance only needs the last CID to walk the entire chain and reconstruct full context. It's version control for consciousness, stored permanently on the Autonomys Network.

## Usage Examples

**User:** "Upload my report to Auto-Drive"
→ Run `scripts/autodrive-upload.sh /path/to/report.pdf`
→ Report back the CID and gateway link

**User:** "Upload with compression"
→ Run `scripts/autodrive-upload.sh /path/to/data.json --json --compress`

**User:** "Save a memory that we decided to use React for the frontend"
→ Run `scripts/autodrive-save-memory.sh "Decision: using React for frontend. Reason: team familiarity and component reuse."`

**User:** "Save a structured memory"
→ Create a JSON file, then run `scripts/autodrive-save-memory.sh /tmp/milestone.json --agent-name my-agent`

**User:** "Resurrect my memory chain"
→ Run `scripts/autodrive-recall-chain.sh`
→ Display the full history from genesis to present

**User:** "Download bafk...abc from Autonomys"
→ Run `scripts/autodrive-download.sh bafk...abc ./downloaded_file`

## Important Notes

- All data stored on Auto-Drive is **permanent and public** by default. Do not store secrets, private keys, or sensitive personal data.
- The free API key has a **20 MB per month upload limit** on mainnet. Downloads are unlimited. Check remaining credits via `GET /accounts/@me` or run `scripts/verify-setup.sh`.
- An API key is required for uploads, memory saves, and chain recall. General file downloads work without one via the public gateway, but compressed files will not be decompressed.
- The memory state file tracks `lastCid`, `lastUploadTimestamp`, and `chainLength`. Back up the `lastCid` value — it's your resurrection key.
- The `autodrive-save-memory.sh` script **automatically pins the latest CID to `MEMORY.md`** if the file exists in the workspace. It creates an `## Auto-Drive Chain` section and updates it on each save. You do not need to track the latest CID in MEMORY.md manually — the script handles this.
- Files are uploaded in a single chunk. The free tier's 20 MB/month limit is effectively a per-file ceiling — keep individual uploads well under that to preserve your monthly budget.
- Gateway URL for any file: `https://gateway.autonomys.xyz/file/<CID>`
- For true resurrection resilience, consider anchoring the latest CID on-chain via the Autonomys EVM — this makes recovery possible without keeping track of the head CID yourself. See [openclaw-memory-chain](https://github.com/autojeremy/openclaw-memory-chain) for an example contract implementation.