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CLI setup reference

docs/start/wizard-cli-reference.md

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This page is the full reference for openclaw onboard. For the short guide, see Onboarding (CLI).

What the wizard does

Local mode (default) walks you through:

  • Model and auth setup (OpenAI Code subscription OAuth, Anthropic Claude CLI or API key, plus MiniMax, GLM, Ollama, Moonshot, StepFun, and AI Gateway options)
  • Workspace location and bootstrap files
  • Gateway settings (port, bind, auth, tailscale)
  • Channels and providers (Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord, Google Chat, Mattermost, Signal, BlueBubbles, and other bundled channel plugins)
  • Daemon install (LaunchAgent, systemd user unit, or native Windows Scheduled Task with Startup-folder fallback)
  • Health check
  • Skills setup

Remote mode configures this machine to connect to a gateway elsewhere. It does not install or modify anything on the remote host.

Local flow details

<Steps> <Step title="Existing config detection"> - If `~/.openclaw/openclaw.json` exists, choose Keep, Modify, or Reset. - Re-running the wizard does not wipe anything unless you explicitly choose Reset (or pass `--reset`). - CLI `--reset` defaults to `config+creds+sessions`; use `--reset-scope full` to also remove workspace. - If config is invalid or contains legacy keys, the wizard stops and asks you to run `openclaw doctor` before continuing. - Reset uses `trash` and offers scopes: - Config only - Config + credentials + sessions - Full reset (also removes workspace) </Step> <Step title="Model and auth"> - Full option matrix is in [Auth and model options](#auth-and-model-options). </Step> <Step title="Workspace"> - Default `~/.openclaw/workspace` (configurable). - Seeds workspace files needed for first-run bootstrap ritual. - Workspace layout: [Agent workspace](/concepts/agent-workspace). </Step> <Step title="Gateway"> - Prompts for port, bind, auth mode, and tailscale exposure. - Recommended: keep token auth enabled even for loopback so local WS clients must authenticate. - In token mode, interactive setup offers: - **Generate/store plaintext token** (default) - **Use SecretRef** (opt-in) - In password mode, interactive setup also supports plaintext or SecretRef storage. - Non-interactive token SecretRef path: `--gateway-token-ref-env <ENV_VAR>`. - Requires a non-empty env var in the onboarding process environment. - Cannot be combined with `--gateway-token`. - Disable auth only if you fully trust every local process. - Non-loopback binds still require auth. </Step> <Step title="Channels"> - [WhatsApp](/channels/whatsapp): optional QR login - [Telegram](/channels/telegram): bot token - [Discord](/channels/discord): bot token - [Google Chat](/channels/googlechat): service account JSON + webhook audience - [Mattermost](/channels/mattermost): bot token + base URL - [Signal](/channels/signal): optional `signal-cli` install + account config - [BlueBubbles](/channels/bluebubbles): recommended for iMessage; server URL + password + webhook - [iMessage](/channels/imessage): legacy `imsg` CLI path + DB access - DM security: default is pairing. First DM sends a code; approve via `openclaw pairing approve <channel> <code>` or use allowlists. </Step> <Step title="Daemon install"> - macOS: LaunchAgent - Requires logged-in user session; for headless, use a custom LaunchDaemon (not shipped). - Linux and Windows via WSL2: systemd user unit - Wizard attempts `loginctl enable-linger <user>` so gateway stays up after logout. - May prompt for sudo (writes `/var/lib/systemd/linger`); it tries without sudo first. - Native Windows: Scheduled Task first - If task creation is denied, OpenClaw falls back to a per-user Startup-folder login item and starts the gateway immediately. - Scheduled Tasks remain preferred because they provide better supervisor status. - Runtime selection: Node (recommended; required for WhatsApp and Telegram). Bun is not recommended. </Step> <Step title="Health check"> - Starts gateway (if needed) and runs `openclaw health`. - `openclaw status --deep` adds the live gateway health probe to status output, including channel probes when supported. </Step> <Step title="Skills"> - Reads available skills and checks requirements. - Lets you choose node manager: npm, pnpm, or bun. - Installs optional dependencies (some use Homebrew on macOS). </Step> <Step title="Finish"> - Summary and next steps, including iOS, Android, and macOS app options. </Step> </Steps> <Note> If no GUI is detected, the wizard prints SSH port-forward instructions for the Control UI instead of opening a browser. If Control UI assets are missing, the wizard attempts to build them; fallback is `pnpm ui:build` (auto-installs UI deps). </Note>

Remote mode details

Remote mode configures this machine to connect to a gateway elsewhere.

<Info> Remote mode does not install or modify anything on the remote host. </Info>

What you set:

  • Remote gateway URL (ws://...)
  • Token if remote gateway auth is required (recommended)
<Note> - If gateway is loopback-only, use SSH tunneling or a tailnet. - Discovery hints: - macOS: Bonjour (`dns-sd`) - Linux: Avahi (`avahi-browse`) </Note>

Auth and model options

<AccordionGroup> <Accordion title="Anthropic API key"> Uses `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` if present or prompts for a key, then saves it for daemon use. </Accordion> <Accordion title="OpenAI Code subscription (OAuth)"> Browser flow; paste `code#state`. 
Sets `agents.defaults.model` to `openai-codex/gpt-5.5` when model is unset or already OpenAI-family.
</Accordion> <Accordion title="OpenAI Code subscription (device pairing)"> Browser pairing flow with a short-lived device code. 
Sets `agents.defaults.model` to `openai-codex/gpt-5.5` when model is unset or already OpenAI-family.
</Accordion> <Accordion title="OpenAI API key"> Uses `OPENAI_API_KEY` if present or prompts for a key, then stores the credential in auth profiles. 
Sets `agents.defaults.model` to `openai/gpt-5.5` when model is unset, `openai/*`, or `openai-codex/*`.
</Accordion> <Accordion title="xAI (Grok) API key"> Prompts for `XAI_API_KEY` and configures xAI as a model provider. </Accordion> <Accordion title="OpenCode"> Prompts for `OPENCODE_API_KEY` (or `OPENCODE_ZEN_API_KEY`) and lets you choose the Zen or Go catalog. Setup URL: [opencode.ai/auth](https://opencode.ai/auth). </Accordion> <Accordion title="API key (generic)"> Stores the key for you. </Accordion> <Accordion title="Vercel AI Gateway"> Prompts for `AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY`. More detail: [Vercel AI Gateway](/providers/vercel-ai-gateway). </Accordion> <Accordion title="Cloudflare AI Gateway"> Prompts for account ID, gateway ID, and `CLOUDFLARE_AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY`. More detail: [Cloudflare AI Gateway](/providers/cloudflare-ai-gateway). </Accordion> <Accordion title="MiniMax"> Config is auto-written. Hosted default is `MiniMax-M2.7`; API-key setup uses `minimax/...`, and OAuth setup uses `minimax-portal/...`. More detail: [MiniMax](/providers/minimax). </Accordion> <Accordion title="StepFun"> Config is auto-written for StepFun standard or Step Plan on China or global endpoints. Standard currently includes `step-3.5-flash`, and Step Plan also includes `step-3.5-flash-2603`. More detail: [StepFun](/providers/stepfun). </Accordion> <Accordion title="Synthetic (Anthropic-compatible)"> Prompts for `SYNTHETIC_API_KEY`. More detail: [Synthetic](/providers/synthetic). </Accordion> <Accordion title="Ollama (Cloud and local open models)"> Prompts for `Cloud + Local`, `Cloud only`, or `Local only` first. `Cloud only` uses `OLLAMA_API_KEY` with `https://ollama.com`. The host-backed modes prompt for base URL (default `http://127.0.0.1:11434`), discover available models, and suggest defaults. `Cloud + Local` also checks whether that Ollama host is signed in for cloud access. More detail: [Ollama](/providers/ollama). </Accordion> <Accordion title="Moonshot and Kimi Coding"> Moonshot (Kimi K2) and Kimi Coding configs are auto-written. More detail: [Moonshot AI (Kimi + Kimi Coding)](/providers/moonshot). </Accordion> <Accordion title="Custom provider"> Works with OpenAI-compatible and Anthropic-compatible endpoints. 
Interactive onboarding supports the same API key storage choices as other provider API key flows:
- **Paste API key now** (plaintext)
- **Use secret reference** (env ref or configured provider ref, with preflight validation)

Non-interactive flags:
- `--auth-choice custom-api-key`
- `--custom-base-url`
- `--custom-model-id`
- `--custom-api-key` (optional; falls back to `CUSTOM_API_KEY`)
- `--custom-provider-id` (optional)
- `--custom-compatibility <openai|anthropic>` (optional; default `openai`)
- `--custom-image-input` / `--custom-text-input` (optional; override inferred model input capability)
</Accordion> <Accordion title="Skip"> Leaves auth unconfigured. </Accordion> </AccordionGroup>

Model behavior:

  • Pick default model from detected options, or enter provider and model manually.
  • Custom-provider onboarding infers image support for common model IDs and asks only when the model name is unknown.
  • When onboarding starts from a provider auth choice, the model picker prefers that provider automatically. For Volcengine and BytePlus, the same preference also matches their coding-plan variants (volcengine-plan/*, byteplus-plan/*).
  • If that preferred-provider filter would be empty, the picker falls back to the full catalog instead of showing no models.
  • Wizard runs a model check and warns if the configured model is unknown or missing auth.

Credential and profile paths:

  • Auth profiles (API keys + OAuth): ~/.openclaw/agents/<agentId>/agent/auth-profiles.json
  • Legacy OAuth import: ~/.openclaw/credentials/oauth.json

Credential storage mode:

  • Default onboarding behavior persists API keys as plaintext values in auth profiles.
  • --secret-input-mode ref enables reference mode instead of plaintext key storage. In interactive setup, you can choose either:
    • environment variable ref (for example keyRef: { source: "env", provider: "default", id: "OPENAI_API_KEY" })
    • configured provider ref (file or exec) with provider alias + id
  • Interactive reference mode runs a fast preflight validation before saving.
    • Env refs: validates variable name + non-empty value in the current onboarding environment.
    • Provider refs: validates provider config and resolves the requested id.
    • If preflight fails, onboarding shows the error and lets you retry.
  • In non-interactive mode, --secret-input-mode ref is env-backed only.
    • Set the provider env var in the onboarding process environment.
    • Inline key flags (for example --openai-api-key) require that env var to be set; otherwise onboarding fails fast.
    • For custom providers, non-interactive ref mode stores models.providers.<id>.apiKey as { source: "env", provider: "default", id: "CUSTOM_API_KEY" }.
    • In that custom-provider case, --custom-api-key requires CUSTOM_API_KEY to be set; otherwise onboarding fails fast.
  • Gateway auth credentials support plaintext and SecretRef choices in interactive setup:
    • Token mode: Generate/store plaintext token (default) or Use SecretRef.
    • Password mode: plaintext or SecretRef.
  • Non-interactive token SecretRef path: --gateway-token-ref-env <ENV_VAR>.
  • Existing plaintext setups continue to work unchanged.
<Note> Headless and server tip: complete OAuth on a machine with a browser, then copy that agent's `auth-profiles.json` (for example `~/.openclaw/agents/<agentId>/agent/auth-profiles.json`, or the matching `$OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR/...` path) to the gateway host. `credentials/oauth.json` is only a legacy import source. </Note>

Outputs and internals

Typical fields in ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json:

  • agents.defaults.workspace
  • agents.defaults.skipBootstrap when --skip-bootstrap is passed
  • agents.defaults.model / models.providers (if Minimax chosen)
  • tools.profile (local onboarding defaults to "coding" when unset; existing explicit values are preserved)
  • gateway.* (mode, bind, auth, tailscale)
  • session.dmScope (local onboarding defaults this to per-channel-peer when unset; existing explicit values are preserved)
  • channels.telegram.botToken, channels.discord.token, channels.matrix.*, channels.signal.*, channels.imessage.*
  • Channel allowlists (Slack, Discord, Matrix, Microsoft Teams) when you opt in during prompts (names resolve to IDs when possible)
  • skills.install.nodeManager
    • The setup --node-manager flag accepts npm, pnpm, or bun.
    • Manual config can still set skills.install.nodeManager: "yarn" later.
  • wizard.lastRunAt
  • wizard.lastRunVersion
  • wizard.lastRunCommit
  • wizard.lastRunCommand
  • wizard.lastRunMode

openclaw agents add writes agents.list[] and optional bindings.

WhatsApp credentials go under ~/.openclaw/credentials/whatsapp/<accountId>/. Sessions are stored under ~/.openclaw/agents/<agentId>/sessions/.

<Note> Some channels are delivered as plugins. When selected during setup, the wizard prompts to install the plugin (npm or local path) before channel configuration. </Note>

Gateway wizard RPC:

  • wizard.start
  • wizard.next
  • wizard.cancel
  • wizard.status

Clients (macOS app and Control UI) can render steps without re-implementing onboarding logic.

Signal setup behavior:

  • Downloads the appropriate release asset
  • Stores it under ~/.openclaw/tools/signal-cli/<version>/
  • Writes channels.signal.cliPath in config
  • JVM builds require Java 21
  • Native builds are used when available
  • Windows uses WSL2 and follows Linux signal-cli flow inside WSL