Two audits are combined here:

- **Release performance sweep:** GitHub Releases from `v2026.5.27` back through

- **Release performance sweep:** GitHub Releases from `v2026.5.28` back through

stable `v2026.4.23`, using the `OpenClaw Performance` workflow,

`profile=smoke`, `repeat=1`, mock-provider lane.

`profile=smoke`, mock-provider lane. Most tag rows are one sample; the

`v2026.5.27` and `v2026.5.28` rows use the latest repeat-3 release-branch

artifacts.

- **Earlier April context:** published `clawgrit-reports` mock-provider

baselines from `v2026.4.1` through `v2026.5.2`, used only to avoid treating

the broken late-April releases as the public performance baseline.

file count.

<Warning>

The main performance sweep uses one smoke sample per tag. Earlier April context

uses published repeat-3 medians from `clawgrit-reports`. Treat the numbers as

trend evidence and regression-hunting signal, not as release-gate statistics.

The main performance sweep uses one smoke sample per tag, except the

`v2026.5.27` and `v2026.5.28` rows, which use the latest repeat-3

release-branch artifacts. Earlier April context uses published repeat-3

medians from `clawgrit-reports`. Treat the numbers as trend evidence and

regression-hunting signal, not as release-gate statistics.

</Warning>

## Snapshot

Performance coverage: **76 requested releases**, **73 artifact-backed points**,

and **3 unavailable CI runs**. Latest stable measured point: `v2026.5.27`.

Performance coverage: **77 requested releases**, **74 artifact-backed points**,

and **3 unavailable CI runs**. Latest stable measured point: `v2026.5.28`.

<CardGroup cols={2}>

<Card title="Stable agent turn" icon="gauge">

**2.9x faster cold turn**

**5.1x faster cold turn**

- `v2026.4.14`: 9.8s

- `v2026.5.27`: 3.4s

- `v2026.5.28`: 1.9s

</Card>

<Card title="Published package" icon="package">

**17.8MB tarball**

**17.9MB tarball**

Latest stable package, down from the 43.3MB March package-size peak.

</Card>

<Card title="Latest stable install" icon="hard-drive">

**786.9MB fresh install**

**361.7MiB fresh install**

`v2026.5.27` still contains the nested OpenClaw dependency tree. The

next-release state on `main` is 407.4MB.

`v2026.5.28` cuts the nested OpenClaw dependency tree sharply, but a

smaller 259.7MiB nested tree still remains in the local install audit.

</Card>

<Card title="Dependency graph" icon="boxes">

**371 installed packages**

**300 installed packages**

Latest stable release. Current `main` is down to 314 after the follow-up

dependency cleanup.

Latest stable release, measured as unique package name/version roots in a

fresh install with scripts disabled.

</Card>

</CardGroup>

</Card>

<Card title="Latest stable" icon="tag">

**786.9MB install**

**361.7MiB install**

`2026.5.27` reduced the peak but still installed a 675.9MB nested

OpenClaw tree.

`2026.5.28` cuts fresh install size by 52.8% from `2026.5.27`, but still

installs a 259.7MiB nested OpenClaw tree.

</Card>

<Card title="Next-release state" icon="scissors">

**407.4MB install**

<Card title="Dependency graph" icon="scissors">

**300 package roots**

Current `main` keeps shrinkwrap, removes the nested tree, and installs

314 packages.

`2026.5.28` installs 71 fewer unique package name/version roots than

`2026.5.27`.

</Card>

</CardGroup>

<Tip>

Shrinkwrap was not the problem by itself. The bad package shape was. Current

`main` still ships shrinkwrap, but npm no longer materializes a second

OpenClaw dependency tree during install.

Shrinkwrap was not the problem by itself. The bad package shape was.

`v2026.5.28` still ships shrinkwrap, but the nested dependency tree is much

smaller and the all-platform canvas fanout is gone in the local audit.

</Tip>

## What Changed After 5.27

## What Changed In 5.28

The cleanup between `v2026.5.27` and current `main` removed the duplicate

default-install graph instead of removing the capabilities themselves.

The cleanup between `v2026.5.27` and `v2026.5.28` reduced the default-install

graph instead of removing the capabilities themselves.

<CardGroup cols={2}>

<Card title="Root default graph" icon="git-branch">

Root shrinkwrap package paths fell from **372** to **331**. Unique package

names fell from **357** to **318**.

Unique package name/version roots fell from **371** to **300**. Package

instances fell from **372** to **301**.

</Card>

<Card title="Direct root dependencies" icon="unplug">

`@earendil-works/pi-agent-core`, `@earendil-works/pi-ai`,

`@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent`, and `pdfjs-dist` left the default root

dependency path.

<Card title="Nested tree" icon="unplug">

Nested `openclaw/node_modules` fell from **656.1MiB** to **259.7MiB** in

the same local install audit.

</Card>

<Card title="Native optional cones" icon="cpu">

The all-platform `@napi-rs/canvas` and `@mariozechner/clipboard` native

package cones stopped landing in the default install.

The all-platform `@napi-rs/canvas` native package cone stopped landing in

the default install.

</Card>

<Card title="Supply-chain surface" icon="shield">

Fewer default packages means fewer tarballs, maintainers, native binaries,

For the blog narrative, use the earlier April published baseline as scale:

| Metric | Earlier April baseline | `v2026.5.27` | Delta |

| Metric | Earlier April baseline | `v2026.5.28` | Delta |

| --------------- | ---------------------: | -----------: | -----------------------: |

| Cold agent turn | 9,819ms | 3,378ms | 65.6% lower, 2.9x faster |

| Warm agent turn | 7,458ms | 2,973ms | 60.1% lower, 2.5x faster |

| Agent peak RSS | 686.2MB | 635.5MB | 7.4% lower |

| Cold agent turn | 9,819ms | 1,908ms | 80.6% lower, 5.1x faster |

| Warm agent turn | 7,458ms | 1,870ms | 74.9% lower, 4.0x faster |

| Agent peak RSS | 686.2MB | 581.0MB | 15.3% lower |

The earlier April baseline is `v2026.4.14` from the published

`clawgrit-reports` mock-provider run. That run used repeat 3 and failed only

because the diagnostic timeline was not emitted; the cold, warm, and RSS

medians are still useful as rough scale. Treat this as narrative context, not a

release-gate statistic.

Within the single-sample stable May sweep, the line moved more modestly:

Within the May sweep, the latest release-branch row moved materially from

`v2026.5.2`:

| Metric | `v2026.5.2` | `v2026.5.27` | Delta |

| Metric | `v2026.5.2` | `v2026.5.28` | Delta |

| --------------- | ----------: | -----------: | ----------: |

| Cold agent turn | 3,897ms | 3,378ms | 13.3% lower |

| Warm agent turn | 3,610ms | 2,973ms | 17.6% lower |

| Agent peak RSS | 613.7MB | 635.5MB | 3.6% higher |

| Cold agent turn | 3,897ms | 1,908ms | 51.0% lower |

| Warm agent turn | 3,610ms | 1,870ms | 48.2% lower |

| Agent peak RSS | 613.7MB | 581.0MB | 5.3% lower |

Best prerelease point in the single-sample sweep:

Compared with the previous stable release:

| Metric | `v2026.5.27` | `v2026.5.27-beta.1` | Delta |

| --------------- | -----------: | ------------------: | ----------: |

| Cold agent turn | 3,378ms | 2,575ms | 23.8% lower |

| Warm agent turn | 2,973ms | 2,217ms | 25.4% lower |

| Agent peak RSS | 635.5MB | 635.3MB | flat |

| Metric | `v2026.5.27` | `v2026.5.28` | Delta |

| --------------- | -----------: | -----------: | ----------: |

| Cold agent turn | 2,231ms | 1,908ms | 14.5% lower |

| Warm agent turn | 2,226ms | 1,870ms | 16.0% lower |

| Agent peak RSS | 649.0MB | 581.0MB | 10.5% lower |

### Install footprint

| Metric | Baseline | Current main | Delta |

| Metric | Baseline | `v2026.5.28` | Delta |

| ----------------------------------------------- | --------: | -----------: | ----------: |

| Install size from `2026.5.22` peak | 1,020.6MB | 407.4MB | 60.1% lower |

| Install size from latest release `2026.5.27` | 786.9MB | 407.4MB | 48.2% lower |

| Dependencies from monthly high `2026.2.26` | 645 | 314 | 51.3% lower |

| Dependencies from latest release `2026.5.27` | 371 | 314 | 15.4% lower |

| Nested `openclaw/node_modules` from `2026.5.22` | 911.8MB | 0MB | removed |

| Nested `openclaw/node_modules` from `2026.5.27` | 675.9MB | 0MB | removed |

| Install size from `2026.5.22` peak | 1,020.6MB | 361.7MiB | 64.6% lower |

| Install size from latest release `2026.5.27` | 767.1MiB | 361.7MiB | 52.8% lower |

| Dependencies from monthly high `2026.2.26` | 645 | 300 | 53.5% lower |

| Dependencies from latest release `2026.5.27` | 371 | 300 | 19.1% lower |

| Nested `openclaw/node_modules` from `2026.5.22` | 911.8MB | 259.7MiB | 71.5% lower |

| Nested `openclaw/node_modules` from `2026.5.27` | 656.1MiB | 259.7MiB | 60.4% lower |

### npm package size

| `2026.4.29` | 22.9MB | 74.6MB | 9,309 | package pruning visible |

| `2026.5.12` | 23.4MB | 80.1MB | 12,035 | major external-plugin split |

| `2026.5.22` | 17.2MB | 76.9MB | 12,386 | docs/assets excluded from package |

| `2026.5.27` | 17.8MB | 79.0MB | 12,509 | latest stable package |

| `2026.5.27` | 17.8MB | 79.0MB | 12,509 | previous stable package |

| `2026.5.28` | 17.9MB | 81.0MB | 9,082 | latest stable package |

`2026.5.12` is the visible plugin-extraction milestone in the changelog:

Amazon Bedrock, Bedrock Mantle, Slack, OpenShell sandbox, Anthropic Vertex,

| `v2026.4.20` | FAIL | 22,314ms | 18,811ms | 810.8MB |

| `v2026.4.22` | FAIL | 9,630ms | 7,459ms | 743.0MB |

Supplied single-sample sweep:

Supplied sweep:

| Release | Kova | Cold turn | Warm turn | Agent peak RSS |

| ------------------- | ---- | --------: | --------: | -------------: |

| `v2026.5.22` | PASS | 4,494ms | 4,093ms | 654.3MB |

| `v2026.5.26` | PASS | 2,626ms | 2,282ms | 660.4MB |

| `v2026.5.27-beta.1` | PASS | 2,575ms | 2,217ms | 635.3MB |

| `v2026.5.27` | PASS | 3,378ms | 2,973ms | 635.5MB |

| `v2026.5.27` | PASS | 2,231ms | 2,226ms | 649.0MB |

| `v2026.5.28` | PASS | 1,908ms | 1,870ms | 581.0MB |

## Source probes

| `v2026.5.22` | 2,081ms | 1,884ms | 5,095ms | 444.2MB |

| `v2026.5.26` | 1,546ms | 1,634ms | 656ms | 400.4MB |

| `v2026.5.27-beta.1` | 1,462ms | 1,548ms | 548ms | 394.0MB |

| `v2026.5.27` | 1,874ms | 1,925ms | 660ms | 398.0MB |

| `v2026.5.27` | 1,491ms | 1,571ms | 553ms | 401.5MB |

| `v2026.5.28` | 1,457ms | 1,474ms | 623ms | 386.1MB |

The `v2026.5.22` CLI health spike is visible in this table even though the

agent-turn lane still passed. Keep the source probes when investigating

## Install footprint audit

Dependency samples use one stable release per month, plus the

`2026.5.22` shrinkwrap-introduction event, latest `2026.5.27`, and current

`main`.

`2026.5.22` shrinkwrap-introduction event and the latest `2026.5.28` release.

| Point | Installed deps | Fresh install | OpenClaw package | Nested `openclaw/node_modules` | Root shrinkwrap | Canvas install behavior |

| ------------------ | -------------: | ------------: | ---------------: | -----------------------------: | --------------- | ----------------------------------------- |

| Apr `2026.4.29` | 392 | 335.0MB | 97.4MB | 0MB | no | none installed |

| `2026.5.22` | 401 | 1,020.6MB | 1,020.4MB | 911.8MB | yes | nested: all 12 `@napi-rs/canvas` packages |

| May `2026.5.26` | 371 | 767.5MB | 767.4MB | 656.4MB | yes | nested: all 12 `@napi-rs/canvas` packages |

| Latest `2026.5.27` | 371 | 786.9MB | 786.7MB | 675.9MB | yes | nested: all 12 `@napi-rs/canvas` packages |

| Current `main` | 314 | 407.4MB | 101.0MB | 0MB | yes | top-level wrapper + `darwin-arm64` |

| `2026.5.27` | 371 | 767.1MiB | 766.9MiB | 656.1MiB | yes | nested: all 12 `@napi-rs/canvas` packages |

| Latest `2026.5.28` | 300 | 361.7MiB | 361.6MiB | 259.7MiB | yes | none installed |

### Shrinkwrap boundary

`openclaw/node_modules`.

</Card>

<Card title="Latest stable" icon="tag">

`2026.5.27` keeps shrinkwrap and still installs 675.9MB under nested

`2026.5.28` keeps shrinkwrap and still installs 259.7MiB under nested

`openclaw/node_modules`.

</Card>

<Card title="Current main" icon="check">

`main` keeps shrinkwrap and removes the nested OpenClaw dependency tree.

<Card title="Canvas fanout fixed" icon="check">

`2026.5.28` no longer installs any `@napi-rs/canvas` packages in the local

fresh install audit.

</Card>

</CardGroup>

| `2026.5.25` | no | n/a | no stable npm release |

| `2026.5.26` | yes | yes | nested dependency tree still present |

| `2026.5.27` | yes | yes | nested dependency tree still present |

| `main` | n/a | yes | nested dependency tree removed |

| `2026.5.28` | yes | yes | nested dependency tree much smaller |

The important distinction: **shrinkwrap itself is not the problem**. Current

`main` still ships root shrinkwrap. The problem was the package shape that made

npm materialize a large nested OpenClaw dependency tree and all 12

`@napi-rs/canvas` platform packages.

The important distinction: **shrinkwrap itself is not the problem**.

`v2026.5.28` still ships root shrinkwrap. The problem was the package shape

that made npm materialize a large nested OpenClaw dependency tree and all 12

`@napi-rs/canvas` platform packages. The nested tree is smaller in `v2026.5.28`,

and the canvas platform fanout no longer lands in the local audit.

For a plain-English explanation of shrinkwrap and the maintainer-level package

checks, see [npm shrinkwrap](/gateway/security/shrinkwrap).