Self-Customize (Agent Self-Extension)
Lets an agent safely modify its own environment — installing packages, adding MCP servers, or delegating code changes to a builder agent.
What it does
Gives a NanoClaw agent a decision tree for handling requests like "add this feature" or "install that tool":
- Memory / standing instructions → edit
memory/orinstructions.prepend.mddirectly - System (apt) or global npm packages →
install_packages(admin approval, image rebuild) - MCP servers →
add_mcp_server(approval, container restart) - Source code or Dockerfile → never edit directly; delegate via
create_agentto a builder agent
It ships a ready-to-use builder-agent prompt and enforces hard diff limits — 200 new / 150 modified lines per task — so changes stay small enough for a human to actually review.
Who it's for
- Operators running NanoClaw container agents who want self-extension enabled
- Teams granting self-modification rights but wanting guardrails against runaway diffs
- Anyone studying a main-agent + builder-agent delegation pattern
Examples
- Add RSS reading: check mcp.so for an existing server; if none, have a builder agent write a
read_rssMCP tool. - Enable audio transcription: run
which ffmpeg, theninstall_packages({ apt: ["ffmpeg"], npm: ["@xenova/transformers"] }), await approval, test after restart. - A 500-line feature: split into four sequential builder tasks of ~125 lines each.
· · · Install guide · · ·
Try it now, no install
Paste this into Claude to use the skill without installing anything.
Read the instructions in this file and follow them to help me: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nanocoai/nanoclaw/HEAD/container/skills/self-customize/SKILL.md What I want: (describe your task here)
If Claude can't open the link, open it yourself and paste the contents instead.
↓ If it works for you, download the ZIP below and install it. Then it runs on its own — no pasting each time.
Install in the Claude app (no terminal)
- Download the ZIP with the button below.
- In Claude, open Settings → Capabilities and turn on 'Code execution and file creation'. (one time)
- Go to Customize → Skills → + → 'Upload a skill' and upload the ZIP.
Install in Claude Code
Let Claude do it — paste this into Claude Code
Install the skill I found on Claude Skill Mart. Copy the container/skills/self-customize folder from the GitHub repo nanocoai/nanoclaw into my ~/.claude/skills/self-customize/. When it's done, tell me in one line what this skill can do.
Install with a command instead
git clone https://github.com/nanocoai/nanoclaw.git /tmp/nanoclaw && mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills && cp -r /tmp/nanoclaw/container/skills/self-customize ~/.claude/skills/⚠ This is a third-party skill. Check the source repository before installing.
- Open a terminal.
- Clone the repo:
git clone https://github.com/nanocoai/nanoclaw.git - Create the skills folder:
mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills - Copy the skill:
cp -r nanoclaw/container/skills/self-customize ~/.claude/skills/ - Restart Claude Code and confirm the skill is listed.
- ⚠️ It only functions inside the NanoClaw runtime, which provides
create_agent,install_packages, andadd_mcp_server. Elsewhere, treat it as a workflow reference.