Openclaw Local Test

OpenClaw local test

Provide a ready-to-use local OpenClaw instance for manual testing in a browser.

Workflow

1. Resolve <skill-dir> to this skill's directory and inspect native runtime availability with the repository-owned helper.

   <skill-dir>/scripts/openclaw-local-test --inspect
   

   The report may name an auth type, route class, and model. It must not print credential values or custom endpoint URLs.

2. Start the intended OpenClaw checkout.

   <skill-dir>/scripts/openclaw-local-test --repo ~/repos/openclaw --runtime auto
   

   --inspect is read-only discovery. --runtime chooses which native client owns the started Gateway: auto prefers a usable Codex login, then Claude; use codex or claude when the choice matters.

   • Codex uses OpenClaw's native Codex app-server with appServer.homeScope: "user". The app-server reads the operator's $CODEX_HOME or ~/.codex, including its API-key or ChatGPT login, model provider, custom endpoint/proxy settings, plugins, and model.
   • Claude uses OpenClaw's bundled claude-cli runtime. The installed claude process owns its subscription or API-key login and user settings.

   Read references/options.md for explicit models, optional base configs, browser, lease, status, stop, and smoke-test options.

3. Inspect the generated OpenClaw config.

   The running Gateway uses ~/.openclaw-local-test/openclaw.json. Read references/config-inspection.md for the redacted inspection command and reporting rules.

4. Verify both endpoints and wizard readiness after startup:

   curl -fsS http://127.0.0.1:<gateway-port>/healthz
   curl -fsS http://localhost:<browser-proxy-port>/healthz
   

   Startup also performs a typed wizard.start readiness probe. It cancels an acquired running session through wizard.cancel, including when a later probe step fails. Do not hand off the URL when that check fails.

5. Check logs when runtime or channel readiness matters:

   tail -80 ~/.openclaw-local-test/logs/gateway.err.log
   tail -80 ~/.openclaw-local-test/logs/gateway.log
   

6. Report the browser URL, ports, selected runtime, provider/model, auth and route classes, config path, lease expiry, relevant degraded logs, and the --status / --stop commands.

Context pointers

• Read references/helper-behavior.md to explain runtime selection, state paths, config overlays, proxy behavior, startup locks, TTL, or security posture.
• Read references/troubleshooting.md when startup, native login, model routing, proxy, channel, or cleanup fails.

Done means

• The helper is installed and --inspect identifies at least one usable native runtime.
• The instance starts from the intended OpenClaw checkout with the intended Codex or Claude runtime.
• The generated config selects the native runtime without copying raw auth material into openclaw.json.
• Gateway, browser proxy, and wizard lifecycle checks pass.
• The report includes the useful runtime and lease details without credentials or private endpoint values.

Avoid

• copying Codex or Claude token values into OpenClaw config;
• exposing the loopback-only Gateway or browser proxy publicly;
• interpreting behavior against an optional source config instead of the generated runtime config;
• manually choosing ports while another startup holds the lock;
• leaving reduced smoke-test instances running unless the user asks.