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Node

docs/cli/node.md

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openclaw node

Run a headless node host that connects to the Gateway WebSocket and exposes system.run / system.which on this machine.

Why use a node host?

Use a node host when you want agents to run commands on other machines in your network without installing a full macOS companion app there.

Common use cases:

  • Run commands on remote Linux/Windows boxes (build servers, lab machines, NAS).
  • Keep exec sandboxed on the gateway, but delegate approved runs to other hosts.
  • Provide a lightweight, headless execution target for automation or CI nodes.

Execution is still guarded by exec approvals and per‑agent allowlists on the node host, so you can keep command access scoped and explicit.

Browser proxy (zero-config)

Node hosts automatically advertise a browser proxy if browser.enabled is not disabled on the node. This lets the agent use browser automation on that node without extra configuration.

By default, the proxy exposes the node's normal browser profile surface. If you set nodeHost.browserProxy.allowProfiles, the proxy becomes restrictive: non-allowlisted profile targeting is rejected, and persistent profile create/delete routes are blocked through the proxy.

Disable it on the node if needed:

json5
{
  nodeHost: {
    browserProxy: {
      enabled: false,
    },
  },
}

Run (foreground)

bash
openclaw node run --host <gateway-host> --port 18789

Options:

  • --host <host>: Gateway WebSocket host (default: 127.0.0.1)
  • --port <port>: Gateway WebSocket port (default: 18789)
  • --tls: Use TLS for the gateway connection
  • --tls-fingerprint <sha256>: Expected TLS certificate fingerprint (sha256)
  • --node-id <id>: Override node id (clears pairing token)
  • --display-name <name>: Override the node display name

Gateway auth for node host

openclaw node run and openclaw node install resolve gateway auth from config/env (no --token/--password flags on node commands):

  • OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN / OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_PASSWORD are checked first.
  • Then local config fallback: gateway.auth.token / gateway.auth.password.
  • In local mode, node host intentionally does not inherit gateway.remote.token / gateway.remote.password.
  • If gateway.auth.token / gateway.auth.password is explicitly configured via SecretRef and unresolved, node auth resolution fails closed (no remote fallback masking).
  • In gateway.mode=remote, remote client fields (gateway.remote.token / gateway.remote.password) are also eligible per remote precedence rules.
  • Node host auth resolution only honors OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_* env vars.

For a node connecting to a non-loopback ws:// Gateway on a trusted private network, set OPENCLAW_ALLOW_INSECURE_PRIVATE_WS=1. Without it, node startup fails closed and asks you to use wss://, an SSH tunnel, or Tailscale. This is a process-environment opt-in, not an openclaw.json config key. openclaw node install persists it into the supervised node service when it is present in the install command environment.

Service (background)

Install a headless node host as a user service.

bash
openclaw node install --host <gateway-host> --port 18789

Options:

  • --host <host>: Gateway WebSocket host (default: 127.0.0.1)
  • --port <port>: Gateway WebSocket port (default: 18789)
  • --tls: Use TLS for the gateway connection
  • --tls-fingerprint <sha256>: Expected TLS certificate fingerprint (sha256)
  • --node-id <id>: Override node id (clears pairing token)
  • --display-name <name>: Override the node display name
  • --runtime <runtime>: Service runtime (node or bun)
  • --force: Reinstall/overwrite if already installed

Manage the service:

bash
openclaw node status
openclaw node start
openclaw node stop
openclaw node restart
openclaw node uninstall

Use openclaw node run for a foreground node host (no service).

Service commands accept --json for machine-readable output.

The node host retries Gateway restart and network closes in-process. If the Gateway reports a terminal token/password/bootstrap auth pause, the node host logs the close detail and exits non-zero so launchd/systemd can restart it with fresh config and credentials. Pairing-required pauses stay in the foreground flow so the pending request can be approved.

Pairing

The first connection creates a pending device pairing request (role: node) on the Gateway. Approve it via:

bash
openclaw devices list
openclaw devices approve <requestId>

On tightly controlled node networks, the Gateway operator can explicitly opt in to auto-approving first-time node pairing from trusted CIDRs:

json5
{
  gateway: {
    nodes: {
      pairing: {
        autoApproveCidrs: ["192.168.1.0/24"],
      },
    },
  },
}

This is disabled by default. It only applies to fresh role: node pairing with no requested scopes. Operator/browser clients, Control UI, WebChat, and role, scope, metadata, or public-key upgrades still require manual approval.

If the node retries pairing with changed auth details (role/scopes/public key), the previous pending request is superseded and a new requestId is created. Run openclaw devices list again before approval.

The node host stores its node id, token, display name, and gateway connection info in ~/.openclaw/node.json.

Exec approvals

system.run is gated by local exec approvals:

  • ~/.openclaw/exec-approvals.json
  • Exec approvals
  • openclaw approvals --node <id|name|ip> (edit from the Gateway)

For approved async node exec, OpenClaw prepares a canonical systemRunPlan before prompting. The later approved system.run forward reuses that stored plan, so edits to command/cwd/session fields after the approval request was created are rejected instead of changing what the node executes.