---
phase: 02-integration-layer
plan: 03
subsystem: prompts
tags: [markdown, templates, string-replacement, context-recovery]

# Dependency graph
requires:
  - phase: 01-core-infrastructure
    provides: Project structure and test patterns
provides:
  - Prompt templates for context recovery, command mapping, and error handling
  - PromptLoader class for loading and rendering templates
affects: [orchestrator, response-formatter]

# Tech tracking
tech-stack:
  added: []
  patterns:
    - "{{variable}} syntax for template placeholders"
    - "Simple string.replace() for safe substitution"
    - "Template caching for performance"

key-files:
  created:
    - src/gsd_openclaw/prompts/__init__.py
    - src/gsd_openclaw/prompts/context_recovery.md
    - src/gsd_openclaw/prompts/command_mapping.md
    - src/gsd_openclaw/prompts/error_recovery.md
    - src/gsd_openclaw/prompt_loader.py
    - tests/test_prompt_templates.py
  modified: []

key-decisions:
  - "Use {{variable}} syntax instead of string.Template's $variable syntax"
  - "Use simple string.replace() for substitution (no Jinja2 dependency)"
  - "Leave missing variables as literal {{var}} (safe substitution)"

patterns-established:
  - "PromptLoader caches templates after first load"
  - "Templates stored as markdown files in prompts/ directory"
  - "render() method uses **kwargs for variable substitution"

requirements-completed: [OCLW-02]

# Metrics
duration: 5min
completed: 2026-03-11
---

# Phase 2 Plan 3: Prompt Templates Summary

**Markdown prompt templates with {{variable}} substitution and PromptLoader class for context recovery, command mapping, and error handling**

## Performance

- **Duration:** 5 min
- **Started:** 2026-03-11T05:00:02Z
- **Completed:** 2026-03-11T05:05:00Z
- **Tasks:** 3
- **Files modified:** 6

## Accomplishments
- Created three prompt templates for GSD-OpenClaw skill orchestration
- Implemented PromptLoader class with template caching and safe variable substitution
- All 10 tests pass for template loading and rendering

## Task Commits

Each task was committed atomically:

1. **Task 1: Create test scaffold for prompt templates** - `7e33a4a` (test)
2. **Task 2: Create prompt template files** - `8bd5104` (feat)
3. **Task 3: Implement PromptLoader class** - `8895add` (feat)

## Files Created/Modified
- `src/gsd_openclaw/prompts/__init__.py` - Package marker for prompts directory
- `src/gsd_openclaw/prompts/context_recovery.md` - Session context recovery template
- `src/gsd_openclaw/prompts/command_mapping.md` - User input to GSD command mapping template
- `src/gsd_openclaw/prompts/error_recovery.md` - Error message generation template
- `src/gsd_openclaw/prompt_loader.py` - Template loader with caching and substitution
- `tests/test_prompt_templates.py` - Tests for template existence and PromptLoader

## Decisions Made
- Used {{variable}} syntax for placeholders (user decision from CONTEXT.md)
- Used simple string.replace() instead of string.Template or Jinja2 - keeps zero dependencies
- Safe substitution: missing variables left as literal {{variable}} strings

## Deviations from Plan

None - plan executed exactly as written.

## Issues Encountered
None - all tests pass, implementation straightforward.

## User Setup Required

None - no external service configuration required.

## Next Phase Readiness
- Prompt templates ready for Phase 3 orchestrator to use
- PromptLoader can be imported and used directly
- Template caching provides performance benefit for repeated renders

---
*Phase: 02-integration-layer*
*Completed: 2026-03-11*

## Self-Check: PASSED
- All 6 created files verified
- All 3 task commits verified (7e33a4a, 8bd5104, 8895add)
- All 10 tests passing