Clone and Sync

Effective version

v10.0.179+ (standing instructions in instructions.md).

Clone creates a new copy based on an existing agent. It is useful for experiments, preparing variants for different projects, or customizing a marketplace agent into your own version.

When to Clone

Scenario	Description
Experimental overhaul	You want to make major changes to an agent's persona or skills but are unsure of the result — clone a "sandbox" first
Project variants	The same base agent needs to adapt to different projects (e.g., different client review standards)
Marketplace localization	You installed an agent from the marketplace and want deep customization without upstream interference
Team collaboration template	Create a standardized team agent template; members clone it and customize individually

Clone Steps

1. Open Explorer → Agent List
2. Right-click the target agent (or click the ⋯ menu) and select Clone
3. In the dialog, configure:
   • New Name: give the clone an easily distinguishable name
   • Remote Relation (only when the source agent has a remote origin):
     • Keep Remote: continue receiving upstream updates
     • Fork: create an independent branch, decoupled from the original remote
     • Local Only: completely disconnect from the remote
   • Private Data Options (see below)
4. Click Confirm Clone — the system creates a new agent ID and completes the copy

caution

The core DesireCore agent (the system scheduler) cannot be cloned, to avoid breaking the main control entry. If the clone option is greyed out in the menu, the agent is protected.

Standing Instructions Travel with the Agent Body

Optional instructions.md is cloned, imported, exported, and versioned with definition files such as persona and principles. It is not a private-data option. Keep only the agent's own stable responsibilities and delivery requirements in it. User, team, and project content should stay in the relevant scope to avoid sharing it with the agent body.

Review the standing-instructions diff before updating, and decide how to merge local and upstream requirements. Meet the content package's minimum client version before using it. See File Format Reference for format and ownership.

Private Data Options

When cloning, you can choose whether to copy private data between the current user and that agent:

Data Type	Description	Recommendation
Memory (memory/)	Facts, preferences, and experience the agent learned during conversations	Keep for personal clones; uncheck when sharing with others
Preferences (preferences/)	User personalization settings	Depends on situation
Relationship contract (relationship.md)	Collaboration agreements between you and the agent	Usually needs to be re-established; not recommended to copy
Local resource files	Files in the work directory	Not recommended for large projects to save space

Rule of thumb: creating a clone for yourself → keep memory and preferences; preparing a template for others or a team → do not copy private data.

Syncing Updates

If a cloned agent still retains its remote source (i.e., you chose "Keep Remote"), it can continue receiving upstream updates:

1. Open the agent details page and check the Source area for the remote repository URL
2. Click Check for Updates — the system fetches the available remote version and compares it with the local copy
3. If new content is available, a list of changed files and a diff summary are displayed
4. Click Merge Updates — the system performs a Git merge

Update Strategy

• Definition updates (persona, principles, standing instructions, skills): review the differences and decide which local adjustments to retain
• New skills/tools: check the added content and dependency requirements after merging
• Deletions or renames: require manual confirmation; the system will not silently delete files you already have locally

What to Do When Updates Are Paused

Marketplace-installed Agents whose content comes from a publisher's repository synchronize to the currently approved marketplace version. If checking updates reports Updates are paused, review the reason, restore catalog access or upgrade the client as prompted, and retry. A paused update does not mean no update exists.

Conflict Resolution

When both local and remote modify the same file, DesireCore prevents direct overwrite and opens a conflict resolver:

1. View conflict file list — highlighted files indicate both sides made changes
2. Open Diff view — side-by-side comparison of local and remote versions
3. Choose a resolution strategy:
   • Keep Local: discard remote changes, use your version
   • Use Remote: accept upstream update, overwrite local changes
   • Manual Edit: decide line by line in the editor which content to keep
   • Keep Both: append remote content as a new file (e.g., persona-remote.md)
4. After resolving all conflicts, click Finish Merge — the system commits automatically

Long-term Customization

If you plan to significantly modify a marketplace agent long-term, consider forking to your own remote repository. This way:

• Upstream updates are not pushed automatically; you choose when to sync
• Conflict scope is more controllable, since you know exactly what you changed
• Other team members can create their own versions based on your fork

FAQ

Problem	Solution
Cloned agent behaves differently from the original	Check if you missed private data (memory, preferences), or the new ID caused relationship data not to migrate
Sync shows "cannot merge"	Usually because local has uncommitted changes; manually commit or stash on the agent files page first
Want to restore pre-clone state	Cloning does not modify the original agent — it remains unaffected at all times
Can a clone join a team?	Yes. After cloning, it is an independent agent and can join teams like any other agent

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Next Steps

• Version Control: learn about the agent's Git version management
• Team Version Management: share and sync agent configurations within a team