feat(messages): add whatsapp messagePrefix and responsePrefix auto

docs/concepts/messages.md

@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ Details: [Thinking + reasoning directives](/tools/thinking) and [Token use](/tok
 ## Prefixes, threading, and replies
 
 Outbound message formatting is centralized in `messages`:
-- `messages.responsePrefix` and `messages.messagePrefix`
+- `messages.responsePrefix` (outbound prefix) and `whatsapp.messagePrefix` (WhatsApp inbound prefix)
 - Reply threading via `replyToMode` and per-provider defaults
 
 Details: [Configuration](/gateway/configuration#messages) and provider docs.

docs/gateway/configuration.md

@@ -926,8 +926,7 @@ See [Messages](/concepts/messages) for queueing, sessions, and streaming context
 ```json5
 {
   messages: {
-    messagePrefix: "[clawdbot]",
-    responsePrefix: "🦞",
+    responsePrefix: "🦞", // or "auto"
     ackReaction: "👀",
     ackReactionScope: "group-mentions"
   }
@@ -938,11 +937,13 @@ See [Messages](/concepts/messages) for queueing, sessions, and streaming context
 streaming, final replies) across providers unless already present.
 
 If `messages.responsePrefix` is unset, no prefix is applied by default.
+Set it to `"auto"` to derive `[{identity.name}]` for the routed agent (when set).
 
-If `messages.messagePrefix` is unset, the default stays **unchanged**:
-`"[clawdbot]"` when `whatsapp.allowFrom` is empty, otherwise `""` (no prefix).
-When using `"[clawdbot]"`, Clawdbot will instead use `[{identity.name}]` when
-the routed agent has `identity.name` set.
+WhatsApp inbound prefix is configured via `whatsapp.messagePrefix` (deprecated:
+`messages.messagePrefix`). Default stays **unchanged**: `"[clawdbot]"` when
+`whatsapp.allowFrom` is empty, otherwise `""` (no prefix). When using
+`"[clawdbot]"`, Clawdbot will instead use `[{identity.name}]` when the routed
+agent has `identity.name` set.
 
 `ackReaction` sends a best-effort emoji reaction to acknowledge inbound messages
 on providers that support reactions (Slack/Discord/Telegram). Defaults to the

docs/providers/whatsapp.md

@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ Behavior:
 - `whatsapp.actions.reactions` (gate WhatsApp tool reactions).
 - `agents.list[].groupChat.mentionPatterns` (or `messages.groupChat.mentionPatterns`)
 - `messages.groupChat.historyLimit`
-- `messages.messagePrefix` (inbound prefix)
+- `whatsapp.messagePrefix` (inbound prefix; per-account: `whatsapp.accounts.<accountId>.messagePrefix`; deprecated: `messages.messagePrefix`)
 - `messages.responsePrefix` (outbound prefix)
 - `agents.defaults.mediaMaxMb`
 - `agents.defaults.heartbeat.every`

src/agents/identity.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import type { ClawdbotConfig } from "../config/config.js";
+import { resolveMessagePrefix, resolveResponsePrefix } from "./identity.js";
+
+describe("message prefix resolution", () => {
+  it("returns configured messagePrefix override", () => {
+    const cfg: ClawdbotConfig = {};
+    expect(
+      resolveMessagePrefix(cfg, "main", {
+        configured: "[x]",
+        hasAllowFrom: true,
+      }),
+    ).toBe("[x]");
+    expect(
+      resolveMessagePrefix(cfg, "main", {
+        configured: "",
+        hasAllowFrom: false,
+      }),
+    ).toBe("");
+  });
+
+  it("defaults messagePrefix based on allowFrom + identity", () => {
+    const cfg: ClawdbotConfig = {
+      agents: { list: [{ id: "main", identity: { name: "Richbot" } }] },
+    };
+    expect(resolveMessagePrefix(cfg, "main", { hasAllowFrom: true })).toBe("");
+    expect(resolveMessagePrefix(cfg, "main", { hasAllowFrom: false })).toBe(
+      "[Richbot]",
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("falls back to [clawdbot] when identity is missing", () => {
+    const cfg: ClawdbotConfig = {};
+    expect(resolveMessagePrefix(cfg, "main", { hasAllowFrom: false })).toBe(
+      "[clawdbot]",
+    );
+  });
+});
+
+describe("response prefix resolution", () => {
+  it("does not apply any default when unset", () => {
+    const cfg: ClawdbotConfig = {
+      agents: { list: [{ id: "main", identity: { name: "Richbot" } }] },
+    };
+    expect(resolveResponsePrefix(cfg, "main")).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
+  it("returns explicit responsePrefix when set", () => {
+    const cfg: ClawdbotConfig = { messages: { responsePrefix: "PFX" } };
+    expect(resolveResponsePrefix(cfg, "main")).toBe("PFX");
+  });
+
+  it("supports responsePrefix: auto (identity-derived opt-in)", () => {
+    const withIdentity: ClawdbotConfig = {
+      agents: { list: [{ id: "main", identity: { name: "Richbot" } }] },
+      messages: { responsePrefix: "auto" },
+    };
+    expect(resolveResponsePrefix(withIdentity, "main")).toBe("[Richbot]");
+
+    const withoutIdentity: ClawdbotConfig = {
+      messages: { responsePrefix: "auto" },
+    };
+    expect(resolveResponsePrefix(withoutIdentity, "main")).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+});

src/agents/identity.ts

@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@ export function resolveIdentityNamePrefix(
 export function resolveMessagePrefix(
   cfg: ClawdbotConfig,
   agentId: string,
-  opts?: { hasAllowFrom?: boolean; fallback?: string },
+  opts?: { configured?: string; hasAllowFrom?: boolean; fallback?: string },
 ): string {
-  const configured = cfg.messages?.messagePrefix;
+  const configured = opts?.configured ?? cfg.messages?.messagePrefix;
   if (configured !== undefined) return configured;
 
   const hasAllowFrom = opts?.hasAllowFrom === true;
@@ -47,10 +47,15 @@ export function resolveMessagePrefix(
 
 export function resolveResponsePrefix(
   cfg: ClawdbotConfig,
-  _agentId: string,
+  agentId: string,
 ): string | undefined {
   const configured = cfg.messages?.responsePrefix;
-  if (configured !== undefined) return configured;
+  if (configured !== undefined) {
+    if (configured === "auto") {
+      return resolveIdentityNamePrefix(cfg, agentId);
+    }
+    return configured;
+  }
   return undefined;
 }
 

src/auto-reply/reply/route-reply.ts

@@ -69,7 +69,9 @@ export async function routeReply(
         cfg,
         resolveAgentIdFromSessionKey(params.sessionKey),
       ).responsePrefix
-    : cfg.messages?.responsePrefix;
+    : cfg.messages?.responsePrefix === "auto"
+      ? undefined
+      : cfg.messages?.responsePrefix;
   const normalized = normalizeReplyPayload(payload, {
     responsePrefix,
   });

src/config/types.ts

@@ -111,6 +111,11 @@ export type WhatsAppActionConfig = {
 export type WhatsAppConfig = {
   /** Optional per-account WhatsApp configuration (multi-account). */
   accounts?: Record<string, WhatsAppAccountConfig>;
+  /**
+   * Inbound message prefix (WhatsApp only).
+   * Default: `[{agents.list[].identity.name}]` (or `[clawdbot]`) when allowFrom is empty, else `""`.
+   */
+  messagePrefix?: string;
   /** Direct message access policy (default: pairing). */
   dmPolicy?: DmPolicy;
   /**
@@ -152,6 +157,8 @@ export type WhatsAppAccountConfig = {
   name?: string;
   /** If false, do not start this WhatsApp account provider. Default: true. */
   enabled?: boolean;
+  /** Inbound message prefix override for this account (WhatsApp only). */
+  messagePrefix?: string;
   /** Override auth directory (Baileys multi-file auth state). */
   authDir?: string;
   /** Direct message access policy (default: pairing). */
@@ -931,8 +938,15 @@ export type AudioConfig = {
 };
 
 export type MessagesConfig = {
-  messagePrefix?: string; // Prefix added to all inbound messages (default: "[{agents.list[].identity.name}]" or "[clawdbot]" if no allowFrom, else "")
-  responsePrefix?: string; // Prefix auto-added to all outbound replies (default: none)
+  /** @deprecated Use `whatsapp.messagePrefix` (WhatsApp-only inbound prefix). */
+  messagePrefix?: string;
+  /**
+   * Prefix auto-added to all outbound replies.
+   * - string: explicit prefix
+   * - special value: `"auto"` derives `[{agents.list[].identity.name}]` for the routed agent (when set)
+   * Default: none
+   */
+  responsePrefix?: string;
   groupChat?: GroupChatConfig;
   queue?: QueueConfig;
   /** Emoji reaction used to acknowledge inbound messages (empty disables). */

src/config/zod-schema.ts

@@ -1229,6 +1229,7 @@ export const ClawdbotSchema = z.object({
             .object({
               name: z.string().optional(),
               enabled: z.boolean().optional(),
+              messagePrefix: z.string().optional(),
               /** Override auth directory for this WhatsApp account (Baileys multi-file auth state). */
               authDir: z.string().optional(),
               dmPolicy: DmPolicySchema.optional().default("pairing"),
@@ -1268,6 +1269,7 @@ export const ClawdbotSchema = z.object({
         )
         .optional(),
       dmPolicy: DmPolicySchema.optional().default("pairing"),
+      messagePrefix: z.string().optional(),
       selfChatMode: z.boolean().optional(),
       allowFrom: z.array(z.string()).optional(),
       groupAllowFrom: z.array(z.string()).optional(),

src/web/accounts.ts

@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ export type ResolvedWhatsAppAccount = {
   accountId: string;
   name?: string;
   enabled: boolean;
+  messagePrefix?: string;
   authDir: string;
   isLegacyAuthDir: boolean;
   selfChatMode?: boolean;
@@ -111,6 +112,10 @@ export function resolveWhatsAppAccount(params: {
     accountId,
     name: accountCfg?.name?.trim() || undefined,
     enabled,
+    messagePrefix:
+      accountCfg?.messagePrefix ??
+      params.cfg.whatsapp?.messagePrefix ??
+      params.cfg.messages?.messagePrefix,
     authDir,
     isLegacyAuthDir: isLegacy,
     selfChatMode: accountCfg?.selfChatMode ?? params.cfg.whatsapp?.selfChatMode,

src/web/auto-reply.ts

@@ -784,6 +784,7 @@ export async function monitorWebProvider(
     ...baseCfg,
     whatsapp: {
       ...baseCfg.whatsapp,
+      messagePrefix: account.messagePrefix,
       allowFrom: account.allowFrom,
       groupAllowFrom: account.groupAllowFrom,
       groupPolicy: account.groupPolicy,
@@ -1039,8 +1040,9 @@ export async function monitorWebProvider(
     };
 
     const buildLine = (msg: WebInboundMsg, agentId: string) => {
-      // Build message prefix: explicit config > identity name > default based on allowFrom
+      // WhatsApp inbound prefix: whatsapp.messagePrefix > legacy messages.messagePrefix > identity/defaults
       const messagePrefix = resolveMessagePrefix(cfg, agentId, {
+        configured: cfg.whatsapp?.messagePrefix,
         hasAllowFrom: (cfg.whatsapp?.allowFrom?.length ?? 0) > 0,
       });
       const prefixStr = messagePrefix ? `${messagePrefix} ` : "";