Minimal: in binary size, dependencies, and surface area

ZeroClaw is written in Rust and optimised for a small binary and fast startup. The microkernel split (RFC #5574) factors functionality behind feature flags so you only ship what you use: the foundation builds with --no-default-features, and channels, hardware, and the gateway are opt-in. A typical release build lands around 26 MiB; a minimal feature set trims it further.

The same discipline applies to the agent’s prompt surface. Tool descriptions are Fluent-localised and terse. There are no hidden system prompts injecting personality. The model sees what you configure.