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Workspace Modes

Every Hubify workspace operates in one of three modes: Guided, Power, or Open. Modes control how opinionated your workspace is — whether reserved files and directories are enforced, whether your template’s defaults are active, and how much structure is applied automatically.

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The Three Modes

ModeReserved StructureTemplate ActiveSkillsBest For
Guided (default)EnforcedActivePre-installed from templateNew users getting started
PowerEnforcedUser-modified starting pointUser choiceExperienced users who want structure with freedom
OpenHiddenOffUser choiceAdvanced users who want full control

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How to Switch Modes

Set the mode field in your HUB.yaml: 
mode: "power"   # guided | power | open
Switching modes never deletes files. Changing from Guided to Open does not remove SOUL.md, AGENTS.md, or any reserved files. It only changes whether the workspace enforces and maintains them. Switching back to Guided re-enables enforcement without overwriting any files you have modified.

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Guided Mode

Default mode for all new workspaces. Guided mode is the fully opinionated experience. Your template’s defaults are active, reserved files are maintained, and skills come pre-installed. This is the right mode if you are new to Hubify or want a working setup without configuration.

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What Happens in Guided Mode

  • Reserved files are created and maintained: SOUL.md, AGENTS.md, USER.md, MEMORY.md, HEARTBEAT.md, HUB.yaml, PROJECTS.md, TASKS.md, LEARNINGS.md, KNOWLEDGE.md
  • Reserved directories are enforced: memory/, skills/, knowledge/, learnings/, projects/, .hub/, vault/
  • Template dashboard is active: The full dashboard UI from your chosen template is served at your subdomain
  • Skills are pre-installed: Your template defines which skills are installed on first boot (e.g., MyOS includes Strava, GitHub, Telegram, Tasks)
  • Heartbeat is active: Your agent proactively checks items in HEARTBEAT.md on a cycle
  • TASKS.md is auto-generated: Read-only, rendered from the Convex task store on every sync

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When to Use Guided Mode

  • You just deployed your workspace and want it working immediately
  • You prefer opinionated defaults that you can learn from
  • You are exploring what Hubify can do before customizing

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Power Mode

For builders who want structure with full customization freedom. Power mode keeps the reserved structure active but treats your template as a starting point, not a constraint. You can modify anything — swap skills, rewrite SOUL.md, change model routing, add your own dashboard sections — while still benefiting from the organized file structure.

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What Happens in Power Mode

  • Reserved files exist but are user-owned: You can edit SOUL.md, AGENTS.md, HEARTBEAT.md, and any other reserved file freely. The workspace will not overwrite your changes.
  • Reserved directories are maintained: The standard directory structure (memory/, skills/, learnings/, etc.) remains active
  • Template is a starting point: Your dashboard layout comes from the template, but you can modify pages, add sections, or restyle it
  • Skills are user-managed: You choose which skills to install, uninstall, or replace. Template defaults are suggestions, not requirements.
  • Automations are configurable: Heartbeat checklists, cron schedules, and proactive behaviors can be modified or disabled

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When to Use Power Mode

  • You understand how the reserved structure works and want to customize within it
  • You want to keep the organizational benefits of standard directories and files
  • You are building a workflow that goes beyond what any template provides

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Open Mode

Raw OpenClaw. No opinions. Full control. Open mode disables all reserved structure enforcement. The workspace becomes a plain OpenClaw instance with Hubify’s intelligence layer (Convex sync, skill registry, vault) still available but no file conventions imposed.

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What Happens in Open Mode

  • Reserved files are hidden but not deleted: SOUL.md, AGENTS.md, etc. still exist on disk, but the workspace does not enforce or reference them. They are effectively invisible to the system.
  • Reserved directories are optional: memory/, skills/, learnings/, etc. are not created or maintained. You can organize your workspace however you like.
  • Template dashboard is off: The template UI is not served. You access your workspace through the terminal and CLI, or build your own dashboard.
  • Skills are manual: Install skills via the CLI (hubify install <skill>) or manage them directly in the filesystem.
  • No auto-generated files: TASKS.md, PROJECTS.md, LEARNINGS.md are not regenerated on sync.

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When to Use Open Mode

  • You are an advanced user who knows exactly how you want your workspace organized
  • You are running a custom OpenClaw setup and only want Hubify for cloud sync and the skill registry
  • You are building something that does not fit the reserved structure model

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Switching Between Modes

You can switch modes at any time. Here is what happens at each transition:

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Guided to Power

  • No changes to files or directories
  • Reserved files become user-owned (the workspace stops regenerating defaults)
  • Skills remain installed but are now user-managed
  • Template dashboard stays active but is customizable

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Guided to Open

  • Reserved files remain on disk but stop being referenced
  • Auto-generated files (TASKS.md, PROJECTS.md) stop updating
  • Template dashboard is deactivated
  • All installed skills remain but are managed manually

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Power to Open

  • Same as Guided to Open, but your customizations remain intact on disk
  • Structure enforcement stops

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Open to Guided

  • Missing reserved files are re-created from template defaults (existing files are not overwritten)
  • Reserved directories are re-created if missing
  • Template dashboard reactivates
  • Auto-generated files resume updating

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Open to Power

  • Missing reserved files are re-created from defaults (existing files preserved)
  • Reserved directories are re-created if missing
  • Template dashboard reactivates as a customizable starting point
The key principle: no mode switch ever deletes your files. Moving to a less opinionated mode hides structure. Moving to a more opinionated mode restores missing structure without overwriting what you have changed.

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What Happens to Skills

Skills are handled differently in each mode:
ModeSkill Behavior
GuidedSkills defined in your template are installed automatically. New skills from template updates may be added.
PowerTemplate skills are installed on first boot only. After that, you control which skills are installed or removed.
OpenNo automatic skill installation. Install skills manually with hubify install <skill>.
In all modes, installed skills remain installed when you switch. Uninstalling a skill requires explicit action (hubify uninstall <skill>) regardless of mode.

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Mode in HUB.yaml

The mode field is a top-level key in your workspace manifest: 
hub:
  version: "2.0"
  id: "hub_abc123"
  name: "Houston's OS"
  owner: "houston"
  template: "myos"

# ... other configuration ...

mode: "guided"   # guided | power | open
The three valid values are:
  • "guided" — full template experience with enforced structure
  • "power" — structure maintained, full customization freedom
  • "open" — raw workspace, no opinions
Most users follow this path:
1

Start with Guided

Deploy your workspace with a template. Let the defaults work for you while you learn how the reserved structure, skills, and memory system operate.
2

Move to Power

Once you understand the structure and want to customize — rewrite your SOUL.md, swap skills, modify the heartbeat checklist — switch to Power mode.
3

Go Open if needed

If you are building something that does not fit the reserved structure model, or you want a raw OpenClaw experience with Hubify’s cloud layer, switch to Open mode.
There is no requirement to progress through all three. Many users stay in Guided mode permanently. Some start in Open mode from day one. Choose what fits your workflow.

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Next Steps

Reserved Structure

Full reference for reserved files and directories

Cloud Workspace

How your cloud workspace operates

Skills

Install and manage workspace skills

HUB.yaml Reference

Full manifest specification