DenchClaw File Tree: Browse Your Workspace Like a Pro

DenchClaw's workspace is a directory on your filesystem — ~/.openclaw-dench/workspace/. The file tree view in the DenchClaw sidebar lets you browse this directory structure directly from the app, open files, edit documents, explore your CRM structure, and manage your apps — without switching to Finder or a terminal.

What the File Tree Shows#

The file tree is a hierarchical browser of your workspace directory. It shows:

workspace/
├── workspace.duckdb           # Your entire CRM database
├── MEMORY.md                  # AI long-term memory
├── SOUL.md                    # Agent identity
├── AGENTS.md                  # Agent operational rules
├── USER.md                    # Your profile
├── crm/
│   ├── people/
│   │   ├── .object.yaml       # People object config
│   │   └── documents/         # Entry documents
│   ├── companies/
│   │   ├── .object.yaml
│   │   └── documents/
│   └── deals/
│       ├── .object.yaml
│       └── documents/
├── docs/                      # Workspace documentation
│   ├── session-handoffs/
│   └── strategy/
├── apps/
│   ├── pipeline-dashboard.dench.app/
│   │   ├── .dench.yaml
│   │   └── index.html
│   └── lead-enricher.dench.app/
├── skills/
│   ├── crm/
│   │   └── SKILL.md
│   └── app-builder/
│       └── SKILL.md
├── memory/
│   ├── 2026-03-25.md
│   └── 2026-03-26.md
└── marketing/
    ├── brand/
    └── seo/

Every file and folder in your workspace is accessible, navigable, and editable from the file tree.

Navigating the File Tree#

Open file tree: Click the folder icon in the DenchClaw sidebar, or press G then F.

Expand/collapse folders: Click the arrow icon next to any folder, or press →/← when a folder is selected.

Open a file: Click any file to open it in DenchClaw's built-in editor or the appropriate viewer.

File type handling:

• .md files → Open in markdown editor with preview
• .yaml files → Open in YAML editor with syntax highlighting
• .html, .js, .css → Open in code editor
• .duckdb → Open in DuchDB browser (query interface)
• .json → Open in JSON viewer with formatting
• Image files → Open in image preview

Keyboard navigation:

• ↑/↓ — move between files
• →/← — expand/collapse folder or navigate into/out of
• Enter — open file
• R — rename file (inline rename)
• D or Delete — delete file (with confirmation)
• N — new file in current directory
• Shift+N — new folder

Editing Object Configuration Files#

One of the most useful things the file tree enables: editing .object.yaml files directly.

When you navigate to crm/people/.object.yaml and open it, you can:

• Add or modify fields directly in YAML
• Reorder field definitions
• Update view configurations
• Change default view, icon, or label

Changes to .object.yaml files trigger an immediate hot-reload in DenchClaw. The CRM view updates within seconds to reflect your changes.

This YAML-direct editing is the power user path to configuring DenchClaw. While the AI can make these changes conversationally, experienced users often prefer editing YAML directly for complex changes.

Building and Editing Apps#

The apps/ directory is where all your Dench Apps live. From the file tree:

• Navigate into any .dench.app/ folder
• Open index.html to edit the app's main page
• Open .dench.yaml to update the manifest (name, icon, permissions)
• Add new files (CSS, JS, images) to your app folder

Changes to app files are reflected immediately in the running app (with hot reload for HTML/CSS).

Memory and Documentation#

The file tree makes your AI's memory files transparent and editable:

• MEMORY.md — open and read the AI's long-term memory, add or update entries manually
• memory/YYYY-MM-DD.md — daily session logs; review what the AI noted from yesterday
• docs/ — your workspace documentation; create strategy documents, reference material, and notes

These files are just markdown. Edit them in DenchClaw's file tree, or in VS Code, or in any text editor. They're your files.

Version Control Visibility#

If you've initialized git in your workspace directory, the file tree shows git status indicators:

• Green dot: New untracked file
• Yellow dot: Modified file
• Red dot: Deleted file
• Blue dot: Staged file

This lets you see at a glance which files have changed since your last commit without opening a terminal. Right-click any file for git actions: stage, unstage, diff, revert.

Search Within the File Tree#

Press Cmd+Shift+F with the file tree focused to open a file content search across your entire workspace. This searches the text content of all files — markdown notes, YAML configs, app code, memory files — and shows matching lines with file path and line number.

This is separate from the CRM's semantic search — it's a raw text grep across all workspace files.

Creating New Workspace Files#

From the file tree, create new files and folders:

1. Navigate to the parent directory
2. Press N for new file or Shift+N for new folder
3. Type the name and press Enter
4. If creating a .md file, DenchClaw opens the markdown editor immediately

Or ask DenchClaw: "Create a new document in docs/strategy/ called 'Q2 Growth Plan'" — the AI creates the file and opens it for editing.

The File Tree and AI Context#

The AI agent has direct read/write access to your workspace filesystem. When you ask the AI to create an app, write a document, or update an object configuration, it's creating and modifying files in the file tree.

You can watch what the AI is doing in real time: navigate to the relevant directory in the file tree while an AI task is running, and you'll see files appearing and being updated.

This transparency — seeing exactly what the AI is doing to your files — is a core part of DenchClaw's design philosophy. There are no hidden changes. The file tree is ground truth.

See also: DenchClaw Documents System for entry documents accessible from the file tree, and DenchClaw Memory System for understanding the memory files in your workspace.

Frequently Asked Questions#

Can I open workspace files in an external editor from the file tree?#

Yes. Right-click any file and select "Open in External Editor." DenchClaw uses your configured default application for that file type (set in macOS Finder preferences). Most text files will open in VS Code, Sublime, or Vim based on your setup.

What happens if I delete a .object.yaml file?#

Deleting an object's YAML file doesn't delete the data from DuckDB — it removes the UI configuration. The entries still exist in DuckDB but the object won't appear in the CRM sidebar. To fully delete an object, ask DenchClaw to do it properly (which handles both the YAML and the DuckDB cleanup).

Can I rename files and folders directly in the file tree?#

Yes. Press R with a file selected, or right-click → Rename. For CRM-critical files (like .object.yaml or entry document files), DenchClaw warns you before renaming if the rename would break references.

Is the file tree safe to browse while the agent is working?#

Yes. The file tree is read-only browsing unless you explicitly edit a file. Browsing the tree while the AI is working doesn't interrupt the AI's operations.

Can I drag and drop files in the file tree?#

Drag-and-drop file organization is on the feature roadmap. Currently, you move files by using the right-click context menu (Move to...) or by asking the AI.

Ready to try DenchClaw? Install in one command: npx denchclaw. Full setup guide →