feat(adapters): add capability flags to ServerAdapterModule

Replace 5 hardcoded adapter type lists with declarative capability flags
on ServerAdapterModule, enabling external adapter plugins to declare
their capabilities without modifying Paperclip source.

New optional fields on ServerAdapterModule:
- supportsInstructionsBundle: managed instructions bundle support
- instructionsPathKey: config key for instructions file path
- requiresMaterializedRuntimeSkills: skill materialization needed

Server changes:
- agents.ts: capability-aware helpers with legacy fallbacks
- adapters.ts: expose capabilities in GET /api/adapters response
- registry.ts: explicit flags on all built-in adapters

UI changes:
- New useAdapterCapabilities hook for capability lookups
- AgentDetail.tsx: replace hardcoded isLocal allowlist
- AgentConfigForm.tsx: replace NONLOCAL_TYPES denylist
- OnboardingWizard.tsx: replace NONLOCAL_TYPES denylist

All flags are optional with backwards-compatible fallbacks to the
legacy hardcoded lists for adapters that don't set them.

Co-Authored-By: Paperclip <noreply@paperclip.ing>

packages/adapter-utils/src/types.ts

@@ -328,6 +328,36 @@ export interface ServerAdapterModule {
    * resolved inside this method — the caller receives a fully hydrated schema.
    */
   getConfigSchema?: () => Promise<AdapterConfigSchema> | AdapterConfigSchema;
+
+  // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  // Adapter capability flags
+  //
+  // These allow adapter plugins to declare what "local" capabilities they
+  // support, replacing hardcoded type lists in the server and UI.
+  // All flags are optional — when undefined, the server falls back to
+  // legacy hardcoded lists for built-in adapters.
+  // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+  /**
+   * Adapter supports managed instructions bundle (AGENTS.md files).
+   * When true, the server uses instructionsPathKey (default "instructionsFilePath")
+   * to resolve the instructions config key, and the UI shows the bundle editor.
+   * Built-in local adapters default to true; external plugins must opt in.
+   */
+  supportsInstructionsBundle?: boolean;
+
+  /**
+   * The adapterConfig key that holds the instructions file path.
+   * Defaults to "instructionsFilePath" when supportsInstructionsBundle is true.
+   */
+  instructionsPathKey?: string;
+
+  /**
+   * Adapter needs runtime skill entries materialized (written to disk)
+   * before being passed via config. Used by adapters that scan a directory
+   * rather than reading config.paperclipRuntimeSkills.
+   */
+  requiresMaterializedRuntimeSkills?: boolean;
 }
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

server/src/adapters/registry.ts

@@ -97,6 +97,9 @@ const claudeLocalAdapter: ServerAdapterModule = {
   models: claudeModels,
   listModels: listClaudeModels,
   supportsLocalAgentJwt: true,
+  supportsInstructionsBundle: true,
+  instructionsPathKey: "instructionsFilePath",
+  requiresMaterializedRuntimeSkills: false,
   agentConfigurationDoc: claudeAgentConfigurationDoc,
   getQuotaWindows: claudeGetQuotaWindows,
 };
@@ -112,6 +115,9 @@ const codexLocalAdapter: ServerAdapterModule = {
   models: codexModels,
   listModels: listCodexModels,
   supportsLocalAgentJwt: true,
+  supportsInstructionsBundle: true,
+  instructionsPathKey: "instructionsFilePath",
+  requiresMaterializedRuntimeSkills: false,
   agentConfigurationDoc: codexAgentConfigurationDoc,
   getQuotaWindows: codexGetQuotaWindows,
 };
@@ -127,6 +133,9 @@ const cursorLocalAdapter: ServerAdapterModule = {
   models: cursorModels,
   listModels: listCursorModels,
   supportsLocalAgentJwt: true,
+  supportsInstructionsBundle: true,
+  instructionsPathKey: "instructionsFilePath",
+  requiresMaterializedRuntimeSkills: true,
   agentConfigurationDoc: cursorAgentConfigurationDoc,
 };
 
@@ -140,6 +149,9 @@ const geminiLocalAdapter: ServerAdapterModule = {
   sessionManagement: getAdapterSessionManagement("gemini_local") ?? undefined,
   models: geminiModels,
   supportsLocalAgentJwt: true,
+  supportsInstructionsBundle: true,
+  instructionsPathKey: "instructionsFilePath",
+  requiresMaterializedRuntimeSkills: true,
   agentConfigurationDoc: geminiAgentConfigurationDoc,
 };
 
@@ -149,6 +161,8 @@ const openclawGatewayAdapter: ServerAdapterModule = {
   testEnvironment: openclawGatewayTestEnvironment,
   models: openclawGatewayModels,
   supportsLocalAgentJwt: false,
+  supportsInstructionsBundle: false,
+  requiresMaterializedRuntimeSkills: false,
   agentConfigurationDoc: openclawGatewayAgentConfigurationDoc,
 };
 
@@ -163,6 +177,9 @@ const openCodeLocalAdapter: ServerAdapterModule = {
   sessionManagement: getAdapterSessionManagement("opencode_local") ?? undefined,
   listModels: listOpenCodeModels,
   supportsLocalAgentJwt: true,
+  supportsInstructionsBundle: true,
+  instructionsPathKey: "instructionsFilePath",
+  requiresMaterializedRuntimeSkills: true,
   agentConfigurationDoc: openCodeAgentConfigurationDoc,
 };
 
@@ -177,6 +194,9 @@ const piLocalAdapter: ServerAdapterModule = {
   models: [],
   listModels: listPiModels,
   supportsLocalAgentJwt: true,
+  supportsInstructionsBundle: true,
+  instructionsPathKey: "instructionsFilePath",
+  requiresMaterializedRuntimeSkills: true,
   agentConfigurationDoc: piAgentConfigurationDoc,
 };
 
@@ -189,6 +209,9 @@ const hermesLocalAdapter: ServerAdapterModule = {
   syncSkills: hermesSyncSkills,
   models: hermesModels,
   supportsLocalAgentJwt: true,
+  supportsInstructionsBundle: true,
+  instructionsPathKey: "instructionsFilePath",
+  requiresMaterializedRuntimeSkills: false,
   agentConfigurationDoc: hermesAgentConfigurationDoc,
   detectModel: () => detectModelFromHermes(),
 };

server/src/routes/adapters.ts

@@ -59,6 +59,13 @@ interface AdapterInstallRequest {
   version?: string;
 }
 
+interface AdapterCapabilities {
+  supportsInstructionsBundle: boolean;
+  supportsSkills: boolean;
+  supportsLocalAgentJwt: boolean;
+  requiresMaterializedRuntimeSkills: boolean;
+}
+
 interface AdapterInfo {
   type: string;
   label: string;
@@ -66,6 +73,7 @@ interface AdapterInfo {
   modelsCount: number;
   loaded: boolean;
   disabled: boolean;
+  capabilities: AdapterCapabilities;
   /** True when an external plugin has replaced a built-in adapter of the same type. */
   overriddenBuiltin?: boolean;
   /** True when the external override for a builtin type is currently paused. */
@@ -103,6 +111,15 @@ function readAdapterPackageVersionFromDisk(record: AdapterPluginRecord): string
   }
 }
 
+function buildAdapterCapabilities(adapter: ServerAdapterModule): AdapterCapabilities {
+  return {
+    supportsInstructionsBundle: adapter.supportsInstructionsBundle ?? false,
+    supportsSkills: Boolean(adapter.listSkills || adapter.syncSkills),
+    supportsLocalAgentJwt: adapter.supportsLocalAgentJwt ?? false,
+    requiresMaterializedRuntimeSkills: adapter.requiresMaterializedRuntimeSkills ?? false,
+  };
+}
+
 function buildAdapterInfo(adapter: ServerAdapterModule, externalRecord: AdapterPluginRecord | undefined, disabledSet: Set<string>): AdapterInfo {
   const fromDisk = externalRecord ? readAdapterPackageVersionFromDisk(externalRecord) : undefined;
   return {
@@ -112,6 +129,7 @@ function buildAdapterInfo(adapter: ServerAdapterModule, externalRecord: AdapterP
     modelsCount: (adapter.models ?? []).length,
     loaded: true, // If it's in the registry, it's loaded
     disabled: disabledSet.has(adapter.type),
+    capabilities: buildAdapterCapabilities(adapter),
     overriddenBuiltin: externalRecord ? BUILTIN_ADAPTER_TYPES.has(adapter.type) : undefined,
     overridePaused: BUILTIN_ADAPTER_TYPES.has(adapter.type) ? isOverridePaused(adapter.type) : undefined,
     // Prefer on-disk package.json so the UI reflects bumps without relying on store-only fields.

server/src/routes/agents.ts

@@ -72,6 +72,8 @@ import {
 import { getTelemetryClient } from "../telemetry.js";
 
 export function agentRoutes(db: Db) {
+  // Legacy hardcoded maps — used as fallback when adapter module does not
+  // declare capability flags explicitly.
   const DEFAULT_INSTRUCTIONS_PATH_KEYS: Record<string, string> = {
     claude_local: "instructionsFilePath",
     codex_local: "instructionsFilePath",
@@ -83,6 +85,20 @@ export function agentRoutes(db: Db) {
     pi_local: "instructionsFilePath",
   };
   const DEFAULT_MANAGED_INSTRUCTIONS_ADAPTER_TYPES = new Set(Object.keys(DEFAULT_INSTRUCTIONS_PATH_KEYS));
+
+  /** Check if an adapter supports the managed instructions bundle. */
+  function adapterSupportsInstructionsBundle(adapterType: string): boolean {
+    const adapter = findActiveServerAdapter(adapterType);
+    if (adapter?.supportsInstructionsBundle !== undefined) return adapter.supportsInstructionsBundle;
+    return DEFAULT_MANAGED_INSTRUCTIONS_ADAPTER_TYPES.has(adapterType);
+  }
+
+  /** Resolve the adapter config key for the instructions file path. */
+  function resolveInstructionsPathKey(adapterType: string): string | null {
+    const adapter = findActiveServerAdapter(adapterType);
+    if (adapter?.instructionsPathKey) return adapter.instructionsPathKey;
+    return DEFAULT_INSTRUCTIONS_PATH_KEYS[adapterType] ?? null;
+  }
   const KNOWN_INSTRUCTIONS_PATH_KEYS = new Set(["instructionsFilePath", "agentsMdPath"]);
   const KNOWN_INSTRUCTIONS_BUNDLE_KEYS = [
     "instructionsBundleMode",
@@ -557,7 +573,7 @@ export function agentRoutes(db: Db) {
     adapterType: string;
     adapterConfig: unknown;
   }>(agent: T): Promise<T> {
-    if (!DEFAULT_MANAGED_INSTRUCTIONS_ADAPTER_TYPES.has(agent.adapterType)) {
+    if (!adapterSupportsInstructionsBundle(agent.adapterType)) {
       return agent;
     }
 
@@ -638,7 +654,9 @@ export function agentRoutes(db: Db) {
     };
   }
 
-  const ADAPTERS_REQUIRING_MATERIALIZED_RUNTIME_SKILLS = new Set([
+  // Legacy hardcoded set — used as fallback when adapter module does not
+  // declare requiresMaterializedRuntimeSkills explicitly.
+  const LEGACY_MATERIALIZED_SKILLS_SET = new Set([
     "cursor",
     "gemini_local",
     "opencode_local",
@@ -646,7 +664,11 @@ export function agentRoutes(db: Db) {
   ]);
 
   function shouldMaterializeRuntimeSkillsForAdapter(adapterType: string) {
-    return ADAPTERS_REQUIRING_MATERIALIZED_RUNTIME_SKILLS.has(adapterType);
+    const adapter = findActiveServerAdapter(adapterType);
+    if (adapter?.requiresMaterializedRuntimeSkills !== undefined) {
+      return adapter.requiresMaterializedRuntimeSkills;
+    }
+    return LEGACY_MATERIALIZED_SKILLS_SET.has(adapterType);
   }
 
   async function buildRuntimeSkillConfig(
@@ -1609,7 +1631,7 @@ export function agentRoutes(db: Db) {
 
     const existingAdapterConfig = asRecord(existing.adapterConfig) ?? {};
     const explicitKey = asNonEmptyString(req.body.adapterConfigKey);
-    const defaultKey = DEFAULT_INSTRUCTIONS_PATH_KEYS[existing.adapterType] ?? null;
+    const defaultKey = resolveInstructionsPathKey(existing.adapterType);
     const adapterConfigKey = explicitKey ?? defaultKey;
     if (!adapterConfigKey) {
       res.status(422).json({

ui/src/adapters/use-adapter-capabilities.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+import { useMemo } from "react";
+import { useQuery } from "@tanstack/react-query";
+import { adaptersApi, type AdapterCapabilities } from "@/api/adapters";
+import { queryKeys } from "@/lib/queryKeys";
+
+/**
+ * Returns a lookup function that resolves adapter capabilities by type.
+ *
+ * Capabilities are fetched from the server adapter listing API and cached
+ * via react-query. When the data is not yet loaded, the lookup returns
+ * a conservative default (all capabilities false).
+ */
+export function useAdapterCapabilities(): (type: string) => AdapterCapabilities {
+  const { data: adapters } = useQuery({
+    queryKey: queryKeys.adapters.all,
+    queryFn: () => adaptersApi.list(),
+    staleTime: 5 * 60 * 1000,
+  });
+
+  const capMap = useMemo(() => {
+    const map = new Map<string, AdapterCapabilities>();
+    if (adapters) {
+      for (const a of adapters) {
+        map.set(a.type, a.capabilities);
+      }
+    }
+    return map;
+  }, [adapters]);
+
+  return (type: string): AdapterCapabilities =>
+    capMap.get(type) ?? {
+      supportsInstructionsBundle: false,
+      supportsSkills: false,
+      supportsLocalAgentJwt: false,
+      requiresMaterializedRuntimeSkills: false,
+    };
+}

ui/src/api/adapters.ts

@@ -4,6 +4,13 @@
 
 import { api } from "./client";
 
+export interface AdapterCapabilities {
+  supportsInstructionsBundle: boolean;
+  supportsSkills: boolean;
+  supportsLocalAgentJwt: boolean;
+  requiresMaterializedRuntimeSkills: boolean;
+}
+
 export interface AdapterInfo {
   type: string;
   label: string;
@@ -11,6 +18,7 @@ export interface AdapterInfo {
   modelsCount: number;
   loaded: boolean;
   disabled: boolean;
+  capabilities: AdapterCapabilities;
   /** Installed version (for external npm adapters) */
   version?: string;
   /** Package name (for external adapters) */

ui/src/components/AgentConfigForm.tsx

@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ import { listAdapterOptions, listVisibleAdapterTypes } from "../adapters/metadat
 import { getAdapterLabel } from "../adapters/adapter-display-registry";
 import { useDisabledAdaptersSync } from "../adapters/use-disabled-adapters";
 import { buildAgentUpdatePatch, type AgentConfigOverlay } from "../lib/agent-config-patch";
+import { useAdapterCapabilities } from "../adapters/use-adapter-capabilities";
 
 /* ---- Create mode values ---- */
 
@@ -269,8 +270,9 @@ export function AgentConfigForm(props: AgentConfigFormProps) {
   const adapterType = isCreate
     ? props.values.adapterType
     : overlay.adapterType ?? props.agent.adapterType;
-  const NONLOCAL_TYPES = new Set(["process", "http", "openclaw_gateway"]);
+  const getCapabilities = useAdapterCapabilities();
-  const isLocal = !NONLOCAL_TYPES.has(adapterType);
+  const adapterCaps = getCapabilities(adapterType);
+  const isLocal = adapterCaps.supportsInstructionsBundle || adapterCaps.supportsSkills || adapterCaps.supportsLocalAgentJwt;
   
   const showLegacyWorkingDirectoryField =
     isLocal && shouldShowLegacyWorkingDirectoryField({ isCreate, adapterConfig: config });

ui/src/components/OnboardingWizard.tsx

@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import {
 import { getUIAdapter } from "../adapters";
 import { listUIAdapters } from "../adapters";
 import { useDisabledAdaptersSync } from "../adapters/use-disabled-adapters";
+import { useAdapterCapabilities } from "../adapters/use-adapter-capabilities";
 import { getAdapterDisplay } from "../adapters/adapter-display-registry";
 import { defaultCreateValues } from "./agent-config-defaults";
 import { parseOnboardingGoalInput } from "../lib/onboarding-goal";
@@ -198,8 +199,9 @@ export function OnboardingWizard() {
     queryFn: () => agentsApi.adapterModels(createdCompanyId!, adapterType),
     enabled: Boolean(createdCompanyId) && effectiveOnboardingOpen && step === 2
   });
-  const NONLOCAL_TYPES = new Set(["process", "http", "openclaw_gateway"]);
+  const getCapabilities = useAdapterCapabilities();
-  const isLocalAdapter = !NONLOCAL_TYPES.has(adapterType);
+  const adapterCaps = getCapabilities(adapterType);
+  const isLocalAdapter = adapterCaps.supportsInstructionsBundle || adapterCaps.supportsSkills || adapterCaps.supportsLocalAgentJwt;
 
   // Build adapter grids dynamically from the UI registry + display metadata.
   // External/plugin adapters automatically appear with generic defaults.

ui/src/pages/AgentDetail.tsx

@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import { AgentConfigForm } from "../components/AgentConfigForm";
 import { PageTabBar } from "../components/PageTabBar";
 import { adapterLabels, roleLabels, help } from "../components/agent-config-primitives";
 import { ToggleSwitch } from "@/components/ui/toggle-switch";
+import { useAdapterCapabilities } from "@/adapters/use-adapter-capabilities";
 import { MarkdownEditor } from "../components/MarkdownEditor";
 import { assetsApi } from "../api/assets";
 import { getUIAdapter, buildTranscript, onAdapterChange } from "../adapters";
@@ -1719,13 +1720,8 @@ function PromptsTab({
     externalBundleRef.current = null;
   }, [agent.id]);
 
-  const isLocal =
+  const getCapabilities = useAdapterCapabilities();
-    agent.adapterType === "claude_local" ||
+  const isLocal = getCapabilities(agent.adapterType).supportsInstructionsBundle;
-    agent.adapterType === "codex_local" ||
-    agent.adapterType === "opencode_local" ||
-    agent.adapterType === "pi_local" ||
-    agent.adapterType === "hermes_local" ||
-    agent.adapterType === "cursor";
 
   const { data: bundle, isLoading: bundleLoading } = useQuery({
     queryKey: queryKeys.agents.instructionsBundle(agent.id),