How do I install the Openclaw CLI skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/openclaw-cli in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

What does the Openclaw CLI skill do?

Master the OpenClaw CLI - gateway, agents, channels, skills, hooks, and automation Use when this capability is needed. It is listed under Coding & Dev Tools on SkillMD.

Is Openclaw CLI safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Openclaw CLI?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Openclaw CLI free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Openclaw CLI?

tomevault-io (@tomevault-io) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Openclaw CLI by tomevault-io — Agent Skill

Name: Openclaw CLI
Author: tomevault-io

OpenClaw CLI

Complete reference for openclaw command-line interface operations.

When to Use

Managing OpenClaw gateway, agents, channels, skills, hooks, and automation.

Core Commands

Setup & Onboarding

Initial setup:

# Quick onboarding with daemon install
openclaw onboard --install-daemon

# Setup workspace and config
openclaw setup --workspace ~/.openclaw/workspace

# Interactive configuration
openclaw configure

Health check:

openclaw doctor

Gateway Management

Run gateway:

# Interactive mode
openclaw gateway

# With specific port
openclaw gateway --port 18789

# With tailscale
openclaw gateway --tailscale serve

Gateway service:

# Install as system service
openclaw gateway install

# Control service
openclaw gateway start
openclaw gateway stop
openclaw gateway restart
openclaw gateway status

Gateway health:

openclaw status
openclaw status --deep     # Probe channels
openclaw health

Agent Management

List agents:

openclaw agents list
openclaw agents list --bindings    # Show routing

Add agent:

# Interactive wizard
openclaw agents add <name>

# Non-interactive
openclaw agents add dev \
  --workspace ~/.openclaw/workspace-dev \
  --model claude-sonnet-4.5 \
  --non-interactive

Delete agent:

openclaw agents delete <id>

Set identity:

# From IDENTITY.md
openclaw agents set-identity --agent main --from-identity

# Explicit values
openclaw agents set-identity --agent main \
  --name "MyAgent" \
  --emoji "🤖" \
  --avatar avatars/bot.png

Skills Management

List skills:

openclaw skills list
openclaw skills list --eligible    # Only ready skills
openclaw skills list --json        # JSON output

Skill info:

openclaw skills info <skill-name>

Check eligibility:

openclaw skills check

Hooks Management

List hooks:

openclaw hooks list
openclaw hooks list --eligible
openclaw hooks list --verbose      # Show missing requirements

Hook info:

openclaw hooks info <hook-name>

Enable/disable:

openclaw hooks enable session-memory
openclaw hooks disable command-logger

Install hooks:

# From npm
openclaw hooks install @openclaw/my-hooks

# Local directory
openclaw hooks install ./my-hooks

# Link (development)
openclaw hooks install -l ./my-hooks

Update hooks:

openclaw hooks update <id>
openclaw hooks update --all

Channel Management

List channels:

openclaw channels list

Channel status:

openclaw channels status
openclaw channels status --probe

Add channel:

# Interactive
openclaw channels add

# Telegram bot
openclaw channels add --channel telegram \
  --account alerts \
  --name "Alerts Bot" \
  --token $TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN

# Discord
openclaw channels add --channel discord \
  --account work \
  --token $DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN

Remove channel:

openclaw channels remove --channel telegram --account alerts
openclaw channels remove --channel discord --account work --delete

WhatsApp login:

openclaw channels login --channel whatsapp

Channel logs:

openclaw channels logs
openclaw channels logs --channel whatsapp --lines 100

Models & Authentication

Status:

openclaw models status
openclaw models status --probe               # Live check
openclaw models status --probe-provider anthropic

List models:

openclaw models list
openclaw models list --all
openclaw models list --provider anthropic

Set default:

openclaw models set claude-sonnet-4.5
openclaw models set-image claude-sonnet-4.5

Auth setup:

# Anthropic (recommended)
claude setup-token
openclaw models auth setup-token --provider anthropic

# Or paste token
openclaw models auth paste-token --provider anthropic

Fallbacks:

openclaw models fallbacks list
openclaw models fallbacks add claude-opus-4.6
openclaw models fallbacks remove claude-haiku-4.5
openclaw models fallbacks clear

Scan for models:

openclaw models scan
openclaw models scan --set-default

Messaging

Send message:

openclaw message send \
  --target +15555550123 \
  --message "Hello from OpenClaw"

# Discord channel
openclaw message send \
  --channel discord \
  --target channel:123456 \
  --message "Deployment complete"

Send poll:

openclaw message poll \
  --channel discord \
  --target channel:123 \
  --poll-question "Lunch?" \
  --poll-option "Pizza" \
  --poll-option "Sushi"

Other message operations:

openclaw message read --target +15555550123
openclaw message react --target <id> --emoji "👍"
openclaw message edit --target <id> --message "Updated"
openclaw message delete --target <id>

Browser Control

Status & control:

openclaw browser status
openclaw browser start
openclaw browser stop
openclaw browser tabs

Navigate:

openclaw browser open https://example.com
openclaw browser navigate https://example.com --target-id <id>

Interact:

openclaw browser click "#submit-button"
openclaw browser type "#email" "user@example.com"
openclaw browser press Enter

Capture:

openclaw browser screenshot
openclaw browser screenshot --full-page
openclaw browser snapshot --format ai

Profiles:

openclaw browser profiles
openclaw browser create-profile --name dev
openclaw browser delete-profile --name old

Nodes & Devices

List nodes:

openclaw nodes list
openclaw nodes status --connected

Node operations:

# Describe node
openclaw nodes describe --node <id>

# Run command on node
openclaw nodes run --node <id> --cwd /path -- ls -la

# Notify (macOS)
openclaw nodes notify --node <id> \
  --title "Build Complete" \
  --body "Success" \
  --sound default

Camera:

openclaw nodes camera list --node <id>
openclaw nodes camera snap --node <id> --facing front
openclaw nodes camera clip --node <id> --duration 10s

Canvas:

openclaw nodes canvas snapshot --node <id>
openclaw nodes canvas present --node <id> --target index.html
openclaw nodes canvas hide --node <id>

Screen recording:

openclaw nodes screen record --node <id> --duration 30s

System Commands

System event:

openclaw system event --text "Deployment complete" --mode now

Heartbeat:

openclaw system heartbeat last
openclaw system heartbeat enable
openclaw system heartbeat disable

Presence:

openclaw system presence

Cron Jobs

List jobs:

openclaw cron list
openclaw cron list --all
openclaw cron status

Add job:

# System event every hour
openclaw cron add \
  --name "hourly-check" \
  --every "1h" \
  --system-event "Hourly check"

# Message at specific time
openclaw cron add \
  --name "morning-reminder" \
  --at "09:00" \
  --message "Good morning!"

Manage jobs:

openclaw cron enable <id>
openclaw cron disable <id>
openclaw cron rm <id>
openclaw cron run <id>

Job runs:

openclaw cron runs --id <id> --limit 10

Configuration

Get/set config:

# Get value
openclaw config get agents.defaults.model.primary

# Set value
openclaw config set agents.defaults.model.primary "claude-sonnet-4.5"

# Unset value
openclaw config unset some.config.path

Memory Operations

Memory status:

openclaw memory status

Index memory:

openclaw memory index

Search memory:

openclaw memory search "GraphQL implementation patterns"

Logs

Tail logs:

openclaw logs
openclaw logs --follow
openclaw logs --limit 200
openclaw logs --json

Sandbox

List sandboxes:

openclaw sandbox list

Recreate sandbox:

openclaw sandbox recreate

Security

Security audit:

openclaw security audit
openclaw security audit --deep
openclaw security audit --fix

Plugins

List plugins:

openclaw plugins list
openclaw plugins list --json

Plugin info:

openclaw plugins info <plugin-id>

Install plugin:

openclaw plugins install <path-or-spec>

Enable/disable:

openclaw plugins enable <id>
openclaw plugins disable <id>

Plugin health:

openclaw plugins doctor

Update & Maintenance

Update OpenClaw:

openclaw update

Reset config:

openclaw reset --scope config
openclaw reset --scope config+creds+sessions
openclaw reset --scope full

Uninstall:

openclaw uninstall --service
openclaw uninstall --state
openclaw uninstall --workspace
openclaw uninstall --all

Global Flags

Available everywhere:

--dev               # Use ~/.openclaw-dev for isolation
--profile <name>    # Use ~/.openclaw-<name>
--no-color         # Disable ANSI colors
--json             # Machine-readable output
-V, --version      # Show version

Common Workflows

First-Time Setup

# 1. Onboard with daemon
openclaw onboard --install-daemon

# 2. Pair WhatsApp (or other channel)
openclaw channels login

# 3. Start gateway
openclaw gateway

# 4. Test with message
openclaw message send --target +1234567890 --message "Test"

Multi-Agent Setup

# 1. Add agent
openclaw agents add work --workspace ~/.openclaw/workspace-work

# 2. Set identity
openclaw agents set-identity --agent work --from-identity

# 3. Add binding (in openclaw.json)
# bindings: [{ agentId: "work", match: { channel: "discord" } }]

# 4. List to verify
openclaw agents list --bindings

Hook Automation

# 1. Enable session memory hook
openclaw hooks enable session-memory

# 2. Enable command logger
openclaw hooks enable command-logger

# 3. Verify
openclaw hooks check

# 4. Restart gateway
openclaw gateway restart

Channel Setup

# 1. Add Telegram bot
openclaw channels add --channel telegram \
  --account alerts \
  --token $TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN

# 2. Verify
openclaw channels status

# 3. Send test message
openclaw message send --channel telegram \
  --target <chat-id> \
  --message "Bot online"

Model Configuration

# 1. Setup auth
claude setup-token

# 2. Set default model
openclaw models set claude-sonnet-4.5

# 3. Add fallbacks
openclaw models fallbacks add claude-opus-4.6
openclaw models fallbacks add claude-haiku-4.5

# 4. Verify
openclaw models status

Debugging

Check gateway status:

openclaw status --deep
openclaw doctor
openclaw health

View logs:

openclaw logs --follow
openclaw channels logs --lines 200

Test channel:

openclaw channels status --probe

Check skills/hooks:

openclaw skills check
openclaw hooks check
openclaw plugins doctor

Tips

Use --json for scripting - All commands support JSON output
Profile isolation - Use --profile for testing without affecting main config
Doctor fixes - Run openclaw doctor regularly to catch issues
Logs location - ~/.openclaw/logs/ for file logs
Config location - ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json
Workspace - ~/.openclaw/workspace (or custom path)

Resources

Converted and distributed by TomeVault — claim your Tome and manage your conversions.

Openclaw CLI

File contents

OpenClaw CLI

When to Use

Core Commands

Setup & Onboarding

Gateway Management

Agent Management

Skills Management

Hooks Management

Channel Management

Models & Authentication

Messaging

Browser Control

Nodes & Devices

System Commands

Cron Jobs

Configuration

Memory Operations

Logs

Sandbox

Security

Plugins

Update & Maintenance

Global Flags

Common Workflows

First-Time Setup

Multi-Agent Setup

Hook Automation

Channel Setup

Model Configuration

Debugging

Tips

Resources

Frequently asked questions

Openclaw CLI

File contents

OpenClaw CLI

When to Use

Core Commands

Setup & Onboarding

Gateway Management

Agent Management

Skills Management

Hooks Management

Channel Management

Models & Authentication

Messaging

Browser Control

Nodes & Devices

System Commands

Cron Jobs

Configuration

Memory Operations

Logs

Sandbox

Security

Plugins

Update & Maintenance

Global Flags

Common Workflows

First-Time Setup

Multi-Agent Setup

Hook Automation

Channel Setup

Model Configuration

Debugging

Tips

Resources

Related skills

Frequently asked questions

How do I install the Openclaw CLI skill?

What does the Openclaw CLI skill do?

Is Openclaw CLI safe to use?

Which AI agents work with Openclaw CLI?

Is Openclaw CLI free to use?

Who published Openclaw CLI?