fix(agent): invalidate system prompt cache for global/builtin skills (#845)

* fix(agent): invalidate system prompt cache for global/builtin skills

* test(agent): avoid os.Chdir in builtin skill cache test

* fix(agent): harden skill cache invalidation checks

README.md

@@ -721,6 +721,20 @@ PicoClaw stores data in your configured workspace (default: `~/.picoclaw/workspa
 └── USER.md           # User preferences
 ```
 
+### Skill Sources
+
+By default, skills are loaded from:
+
+1. `~/.picoclaw/workspace/skills` (workspace)
+2. `~/.picoclaw/skills` (global)
+3. `<current-working-directory>/skills` (builtin)
+
+For advanced/test setups, you can override the builtin skills root with:
+
+```bash
+export PICOCLAW_BUILTIN_SKILLS=/path/to/skills
+```
+
 ### 🔒 Security Sandbox
 
 PicoClaw runs in a sandboxed environment by default. The agent can only access files and execute commands within the configured workspace.

README.zh.md

@@ -362,6 +362,20 @@ PicoClaw 将数据存储在您配置的工作区中（默认：`~/.picoclaw/work
 
 ```
 
+### 技能来源 (Skill Sources)
+
+默认情况下，技能会按以下顺序加载：
+
+1. `~/.picoclaw/workspace/skills`（工作区）
+2. `~/.picoclaw/skills`（全局）
+3. `<current-working-directory>/skills`（内置）
+
+在高级/测试场景下，可通过以下环境变量覆盖内置技能目录：
+
+```bash
+export PICOCLAW_BUILTIN_SKILLS=/path/to/skills
+```
+
 ### 心跳 / 周期性任务 (Heartbeat)
 
 PicoClaw 可以自动执行周期性任务。在工作区创建 `HEARTBEAT.md` 文件：

pkg/agent/context.go

@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@ type ContextBuilder struct {
 	// created (didn't exist at cache time, now exist) or deleted (existed at
 	// cache time, now gone) — both of which should trigger a cache rebuild.
 	existedAtCache map[string]bool
+
+	// skillFilesAtCache snapshots the skill tree file set and mtimes at cache
+	// build time. This catches nested file creations/deletions/mtime changes
+	// that may not update the top-level skill root directory mtime.
+	skillFilesAtCache map[string]time.Time
 }
 
 func getGlobalConfigDir() string {
@@ -47,8 +52,11 @@ func getGlobalConfigDir() string {
 func NewContextBuilder(workspace string) *ContextBuilder {
 	// builtin skills: skills directory in current project
 	// Use the skills/ directory under the current working directory
-	wd, _ := os.Getwd()
+	builtinSkillsDir := strings.TrimSpace(os.Getenv("PICOCLAW_BUILTIN_SKILLS"))
-	builtinSkillsDir := filepath.Join(wd, "skills")
+	if builtinSkillsDir == "" {
+		wd, _ := os.Getwd()
+		builtinSkillsDir = filepath.Join(wd, "skills")
+	}
 	globalSkillsDir := filepath.Join(getGlobalConfigDir(), "skills")
 
 	return &ContextBuilder{
@@ -148,6 +156,7 @@ func (cb *ContextBuilder) BuildSystemPromptWithCache() string {
 	cb.cachedSystemPrompt = prompt
 	cb.cachedAt = baseline.maxMtime
 	cb.existedAtCache = baseline.existed
+	cb.skillFilesAtCache = baseline.skillFiles
 
 	logger.DebugCF("agent", "System prompt cached",
 		map[string]any{
@@ -167,14 +176,14 @@ func (cb *ContextBuilder) InvalidateCache() {
 	cb.cachedSystemPrompt = ""
 	cb.cachedAt = time.Time{}
 	cb.existedAtCache = nil
+	cb.skillFilesAtCache = nil
 
 	logger.DebugCF("agent", "System prompt cache invalidated", nil)
 }
 
-// sourcePaths returns the workspace source file paths tracked for cache
+// sourcePaths returns non-skill workspace source files tracked for cache
-// invalidation (bootstrap files + memory). The skills directory is handled
+// invalidation (bootstrap files + memory). Skill roots are handled separately
-// separately in sourceFilesChangedLocked because it requires both directory-
+// because they require both directory-level and recursive file-level checks.
-// level and recursive file-level mtime checks.
 func (cb *ContextBuilder) sourcePaths() []string {
 	return []string{
 		filepath.Join(cb.workspace, "AGENTS.md"),
@@ -185,23 +194,39 @@ func (cb *ContextBuilder) sourcePaths() []string {
 	}
 }
 
+// skillRoots returns all skill root directories that can affect
+// BuildSkillsSummary output (workspace/global/builtin).
+func (cb *ContextBuilder) skillRoots() []string {
+	if cb.skillsLoader == nil {
+		return []string{filepath.Join(cb.workspace, "skills")}
+	}
+
+	roots := cb.skillsLoader.SkillRoots()
+	if len(roots) == 0 {
+		return []string{filepath.Join(cb.workspace, "skills")}
+	}
+	return roots
+}
+
 // cacheBaseline holds the file existence snapshot and the latest observed
 // mtime across all tracked paths. Used as the cache reference point.
 type cacheBaseline struct {
-	existed  map[string]bool
+	existed    map[string]bool
-	maxMtime time.Time
+	skillFiles map[string]time.Time
+	maxMtime   time.Time
 }
 
 // buildCacheBaseline records which tracked paths currently exist and computes
 // the latest mtime across all tracked files + skills directory contents.
 // Called under write lock when the cache is built.
 func (cb *ContextBuilder) buildCacheBaseline() cacheBaseline {
-	skillsDir := filepath.Join(cb.workspace, "skills")
+	skillRoots := cb.skillRoots()
 
-	// All paths whose existence we track: source files + skills dir.
+	// All paths whose existence we track: source files + all skill roots.
-	allPaths := append(cb.sourcePaths(), skillsDir)
+	allPaths := append(cb.sourcePaths(), skillRoots...)
 
 	existed := make(map[string]bool, len(allPaths))
+	skillFiles := make(map[string]time.Time)
 	var maxMtime time.Time
 
 	for _, p := range allPaths {
@@ -212,17 +237,21 @@ func (cb *ContextBuilder) buildCacheBaseline() cacheBaseline {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Walk skills files to capture their mtimes too.
+	// Walk all skill roots recursively to snapshot skill files and mtimes.
-	// Use os.Stat (not d.Info) to match the stat method used in
+	// Use os.Stat (not d.Info) for consistency with sourceFilesChanged checks.
-	// fileChangedSince / skillFilesModifiedSince for consistency.
+	for _, root := range skillRoots {
-	_ = filepath.WalkDir(skillsDir, func(path string, d fs.DirEntry, walkErr error) error {
+		_ = filepath.WalkDir(root, func(path string, d fs.DirEntry, walkErr error) error {
-		if walkErr == nil && !d.IsDir() {
+			if walkErr == nil && !d.IsDir() {
-			if info, err := os.Stat(path); err == nil && info.ModTime().After(maxMtime) {
+				if info, err := os.Stat(path); err == nil {
-				maxMtime = info.ModTime()
+					skillFiles[path] = info.ModTime()
+					if info.ModTime().After(maxMtime) {
+						maxMtime = info.ModTime()
+					}
+				}
 			}
-		}
+			return nil
-		return nil
+		})
-	})
+	}
 
 	// If no tracked files exist yet (empty workspace), maxMtime is zero.
 	// Use a very old non-zero time so that:
@@ -234,7 +263,7 @@ func (cb *ContextBuilder) buildCacheBaseline() cacheBaseline {
 		maxMtime = time.Unix(1, 0)
 	}
 
-	return cacheBaseline{existed: existed, maxMtime: maxMtime}
+	return cacheBaseline{existed: existed, skillFiles: skillFiles, maxMtime: maxMtime}
 }
 
 // sourceFilesChangedLocked checks whether any workspace source file has been
@@ -254,21 +283,17 @@ func (cb *ContextBuilder) sourceFilesChangedLocked() bool {
 		return true
 	}
 
-	// --- Skills directory (handled separately from sourcePaths) ---
+	// --- Skill roots (workspace/global/builtin) ---
 	//
-	// 1. Creation/deletion: tracked via existedAtCache, same as bootstrap files.
+	// For each root:
-	skillsDir := filepath.Join(cb.workspace, "skills")
+	// 1. Creation/deletion and root directory mtime changes are tracked by fileChangedSince.
-	if cb.fileChangedSince(skillsDir) {
+	// 2. Nested file create/delete/mtime changes are tracked by the skill file snapshot.
-		return true
+	for _, root := range cb.skillRoots() {
+		if cb.fileChangedSince(root) {
+			return true
+		}
 	}
-
+	if skillFilesChangedSince(cb.skillRoots(), cb.skillFilesAtCache) {
-	// 2. Structural changes (add/remove entries inside the dir) are reflected
-	//    in the directory's own mtime, which fileChangedSince already checks.
-	//
-	// 3. Content-only edits to files inside skills/ do NOT update the parent
-	//    directory mtime on most filesystems, so we recursively walk to check
-	//    individual file mtimes at any nesting depth.
-	if skillFilesModifiedSince(skillsDir, cb.cachedAt) {
 		return true
 	}
 
@@ -309,28 +334,64 @@ func (cb *ContextBuilder) fileChangedSince(path string) bool {
 // if the callback returned nil when its err parameter is non-nil.
 var errWalkStop = errors.New("walk stop")
 
-// skillFilesModifiedSince recursively walks the skills directory and checks
+// skillFilesChangedSince compares the current recursive skill file tree
-// whether any file was modified after t. This catches content-only edits at
+// against the cache-time snapshot. Any create/delete/mtime drift invalidates
-// any nesting depth (e.g. skills/name/docs/extra.md) that don't update
+// the cache.
-// parent directory mtimes.
+func skillFilesChangedSince(skillRoots []string, filesAtCache map[string]time.Time) bool {
-func skillFilesModifiedSince(skillsDir string, t time.Time) bool {
+	// Defensive: if the snapshot was never initialized, force rebuild.
-	changed := false
+	if filesAtCache == nil {
-	err := filepath.WalkDir(skillsDir, func(path string, d fs.DirEntry, walkErr error) error {
+		return true
-		if walkErr == nil && !d.IsDir() {
-			if info, statErr := os.Stat(path); statErr == nil && info.ModTime().After(t) {
-				changed = true
-				return errWalkStop // stop walking
-			}
-		}
-		return nil
-	})
-	// errWalkStop is expected (early exit on first changed file).
-	// os.IsNotExist means the skills dir doesn't exist yet — not an error.
-	// Any other error is unexpected and worth logging.
-	if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, errWalkStop) && !os.IsNotExist(err) {
-		logger.DebugCF("agent", "skills walk error", map[string]any{"error": err.Error()})
 	}
-	return changed
+
+	// Check cached files still exist and keep the same mtime.
+	for path, cachedMtime := range filesAtCache {
+		info, err := os.Stat(path)
+		if err != nil {
+			// A previously tracked file disappeared (or became inaccessible):
+			// either way, cached skill summary may now be stale.
+			return true
+		}
+		if !info.ModTime().Equal(cachedMtime) {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Check no new files appeared under any skill root.
+	changed := false
+	for _, root := range skillRoots {
+		if strings.TrimSpace(root) == "" {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		err := filepath.WalkDir(root, func(path string, d fs.DirEntry, walkErr error) error {
+			if walkErr != nil {
+				// Treat unexpected walk errors as changed to avoid stale cache.
+				if !os.IsNotExist(walkErr) {
+					changed = true
+					return errWalkStop
+				}
+				return nil
+			}
+			if d.IsDir() {
+				return nil
+			}
+			if _, ok := filesAtCache[path]; !ok {
+				changed = true
+				return errWalkStop
+			}
+			return nil
+		})
+
+		if changed {
+			return true
+		}
+		if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, errWalkStop) && !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			logger.DebugCF("agent", "skills walk error", map[string]any{"error": err.Error()})
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+
+	return false
 }
 
 func (cb *ContextBuilder) LoadBootstrapFiles() string {

pkg/agent/context_cache_test.go

@@ -383,6 +383,162 @@ Updated content.`
 	}
 }
 
+// TestGlobalSkillFileContentChange verifies that modifying a global skill
+// (~/.picoclaw/skills) invalidates the cached system prompt.
+func TestGlobalSkillFileContentChange(t *testing.T) {
+	tmpHome := t.TempDir()
+	t.Setenv("HOME", tmpHome)
+
+	tmpDir := setupWorkspace(t, nil)
+	defer os.RemoveAll(tmpDir)
+
+	globalSkillPath := filepath.Join(tmpHome, ".picoclaw", "skills", "global-skill", "SKILL.md")
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(globalSkillPath), 0o755); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	v1 := `---
+name: global-skill
+description: global-v1
+---
+# Global Skill v1`
+	if err := os.WriteFile(globalSkillPath, []byte(v1), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	cb := NewContextBuilder(tmpDir)
+	sp1 := cb.BuildSystemPromptWithCache()
+	if !strings.Contains(sp1, "global-v1") {
+		t.Fatal("expected initial prompt to contain global skill description")
+	}
+
+	v2 := `---
+name: global-skill
+description: global-v2
+---
+# Global Skill v2`
+	if err := os.WriteFile(globalSkillPath, []byte(v2), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	future := time.Now().Add(2 * time.Second)
+	if err := os.Chtimes(globalSkillPath, future, future); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to update mtime for %s: %v", globalSkillPath, err)
+	}
+
+	cb.systemPromptMutex.RLock()
+	changed := cb.sourceFilesChangedLocked()
+	cb.systemPromptMutex.RUnlock()
+	if !changed {
+		t.Fatal("sourceFilesChangedLocked() should detect global skill file content change")
+	}
+
+	sp2 := cb.BuildSystemPromptWithCache()
+	if !strings.Contains(sp2, "global-v2") {
+		t.Error("rebuilt prompt should contain updated global skill description")
+	}
+	if sp1 == sp2 {
+		t.Error("cache should be invalidated when global skill file content changes")
+	}
+}
+
+// TestBuiltinSkillFileContentChange verifies that modifying a builtin skill
+// invalidates the cached system prompt.
+func TestBuiltinSkillFileContentChange(t *testing.T) {
+	tmpHome := t.TempDir()
+	t.Setenv("HOME", tmpHome)
+
+	tmpDir := setupWorkspace(t, nil)
+	defer os.RemoveAll(tmpDir)
+
+	builtinRoot := t.TempDir()
+	t.Setenv("PICOCLAW_BUILTIN_SKILLS", builtinRoot)
+
+	builtinSkillPath := filepath.Join(builtinRoot, "builtin-skill", "SKILL.md")
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(builtinSkillPath), 0o755); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	v1 := `---
+name: builtin-skill
+description: builtin-v1
+---
+# Builtin Skill v1`
+	if err := os.WriteFile(builtinSkillPath, []byte(v1), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	cb := NewContextBuilder(tmpDir)
+	sp1 := cb.BuildSystemPromptWithCache()
+	if !strings.Contains(sp1, "builtin-v1") {
+		t.Fatal("expected initial prompt to contain builtin skill description")
+	}
+
+	v2 := `---
+name: builtin-skill
+description: builtin-v2
+---
+# Builtin Skill v2`
+	if err := os.WriteFile(builtinSkillPath, []byte(v2), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	future := time.Now().Add(2 * time.Second)
+	if err := os.Chtimes(builtinSkillPath, future, future); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to update mtime for %s: %v", builtinSkillPath, err)
+	}
+
+	cb.systemPromptMutex.RLock()
+	changed := cb.sourceFilesChangedLocked()
+	cb.systemPromptMutex.RUnlock()
+	if !changed {
+		t.Fatal("sourceFilesChangedLocked() should detect builtin skill file content change")
+	}
+
+	sp2 := cb.BuildSystemPromptWithCache()
+	if !strings.Contains(sp2, "builtin-v2") {
+		t.Error("rebuilt prompt should contain updated builtin skill description")
+	}
+	if sp1 == sp2 {
+		t.Error("cache should be invalidated when builtin skill file content changes")
+	}
+}
+
+// TestSkillFileDeletionInvalidatesCache verifies that deleting a nested skill
+// file invalidates the cached system prompt.
+func TestSkillFileDeletionInvalidatesCache(t *testing.T) {
+	tmpDir := setupWorkspace(t, map[string]string{
+		"skills/delete-me/SKILL.md": `---
+name: delete-me
+description: delete-me-v1
+---
+# Delete Me`,
+	})
+	defer os.RemoveAll(tmpDir)
+
+	cb := NewContextBuilder(tmpDir)
+	sp1 := cb.BuildSystemPromptWithCache()
+	if !strings.Contains(sp1, "delete-me-v1") {
+		t.Fatal("expected initial prompt to contain skill description")
+	}
+
+	skillPath := filepath.Join(tmpDir, "skills", "delete-me", "SKILL.md")
+	if err := os.Remove(skillPath); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	cb.systemPromptMutex.RLock()
+	changed := cb.sourceFilesChangedLocked()
+	cb.systemPromptMutex.RUnlock()
+	if !changed {
+		t.Fatal("sourceFilesChangedLocked() should detect deleted skill file")
+	}
+
+	sp2 := cb.BuildSystemPromptWithCache()
+	if strings.Contains(sp2, "delete-me-v1") {
+		t.Error("rebuilt prompt should not contain deleted skill description")
+	}
+	if sp1 == sp2 {
+		t.Error("cache should be invalidated when skill file is deleted")
+	}
+}
+
 // TestConcurrentBuildSystemPromptWithCache verifies that multiple goroutines
 // can safely call BuildSystemPromptWithCache concurrently without producing
 // empty results, panics, or data races.

pkg/skills/loader.go

@@ -64,6 +64,29 @@ type SkillsLoader struct {
 	builtinSkills   string // builtin skills
 }
 
+// SkillRoots returns all unique skill root directories used by this loader.
+// The order follows resolution priority: workspace > global > builtin.
+func (sl *SkillsLoader) SkillRoots() []string {
+	roots := []string{sl.workspaceSkills, sl.globalSkills, sl.builtinSkills}
+	seen := make(map[string]struct{}, len(roots))
+	out := make([]string, 0, len(roots))
+
+	for _, root := range roots {
+		trimmed := strings.TrimSpace(root)
+		if trimmed == "" {
+			continue
+		}
+		clean := filepath.Clean(trimmed)
+		if _, ok := seen[clean]; ok {
+			continue
+		}
+		seen[clean] = struct{}{}
+		out = append(out, clean)
+	}
+
+	return out
+}
+
 func NewSkillsLoader(workspace string, globalSkills string, builtinSkills string) *SkillsLoader {
 	return &SkillsLoader{
 		workspace:       workspace,

pkg/skills/loader_test.go

@@ -326,3 +326,19 @@ func TestStripFrontmatter(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func TestSkillRootsTrimsWhitespaceAndDedups(t *testing.T) {
+	tmp := t.TempDir()
+	workspace := filepath.Join(tmp, "workspace")
+	global := filepath.Join(tmp, "global")
+	builtin := filepath.Join(tmp, "builtin")
+
+	sl := NewSkillsLoader(workspace, "  "+global+"  ", "\t"+builtin+"\n")
+	roots := sl.SkillRoots()
+
+	assert.Equal(t, []string{
+		filepath.Join(workspace, "skills"),
+		global,
+		builtin,
+	}, roots)
+}