docs: clarify plugin gateway auto-restart

docs/plugins/manage-plugins.md

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ Most install workflows are:
 
 1. find a package
 2. install it from ClawHub, npm, git, or a local path
-3. restart the Gateway that serves your channels
+3. let the managed Gateway auto-restart, or restart it manually when unmanaged
 4. verify the plugin's runtime registrations
 
 ## List and search plugins
@@ -82,7 +82,10 @@ target. For routine upgrades of tracked npm, ClawHub, or hook-pack installs, use
 
 ## Restart and inspect
 
-After installing plugin code, restart the Gateway that serves your channels:
+After installing, updating, or uninstalling plugin code, a running managed
+Gateway with config reload enabled restarts automatically. If the Gateway is not
+managed or reload is disabled, restart it yourself before checking live runtime
+surfaces:
 
 ```bash
 openclaw gateway restart
@@ -128,12 +131,12 @@ matching `@beta` releases. For the exact fallback and pinning rules, see
 openclaw plugins uninstall <plugin-id> --dry-run
 openclaw plugins uninstall <plugin-id>
 openclaw plugins uninstall <plugin-id> --keep-files
-openclaw gateway restart
 ```
 
 Uninstall removes the plugin's config entry, persisted plugin index record,
 allow/deny list entries, and linked load paths when applicable. Managed install
-directories are removed unless you pass `--keep-files`.
+directories are removed unless you pass `--keep-files`. A running managed
+Gateway restarts automatically when the uninstall changes plugin source.
 
 In Nix mode (`OPENCLAW_NIX_MODE=1`), plugin install, update, uninstall, enable,
 and disable commands are disabled. Manage those choices in the Nix source for

docs/tools/plugin.md

@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ Before installing a plugin, make sure you have:
 - network access to the selected source, such as ClawHub, npm, or a git host
 - any plugin-specific credentials, config keys, or operating-system tools named
   by that plugin's setup docs
-- permission to restart the Gateway that serves your channels
+- permission for the Gateway that serves your channels to reload or restart
 
 ## Quick start
 
@@ -82,15 +82,20 @@ Before installing a plugin, make sure you have:
 
   </Step>
 
-  <Step title="Restart the Gateway">
+  <Step title="Let the Gateway reload">
+    Installing, updating, or uninstalling plugin code requires a Gateway
+    restart. When a managed Gateway is already running with config reload
+    enabled, OpenClaw detects the changed plugin install record and restarts the
+    Gateway automatically. If the Gateway is not managed or reload is disabled,
+    restart it yourself:
+
     ```bash
     openclaw gateway restart
     ```
 
-    Installing, updating, or uninstalling plugin code requires a Gateway
-    restart. Enable and disable operations update config and refresh the cold
-    registry, but a restart is still the clearest verification path for live
-    runtime surfaces.
+    Enable and disable operations update config and refresh the cold registry.
+    A runtime inspect is still the clearest verification path for live runtime
+    surfaces.
 
   </Step>
 
@@ -204,9 +209,10 @@ openclaw plugins inspect <plugin-id> --runtime --json
 openclaw gateway restart
 ```
 
-On VPS or container installs, make sure the process you restart is the actual
-`openclaw gateway run` child that serves your channels, not only a wrapper or
-supervisor.
+Managed Gateways restart automatically after plugin install, update, and
+uninstall changes that alter plugin source. On VPS or container installs, make
+sure any manual restart targets the actual `openclaw gateway run` child that
+serves your channels, not only a wrapper or supervisor.
 
 ## Troubleshooting
 

docs/tools/slash-commands.md

@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ User-invocable skills are also exposed as slash commands:
     - In multi-account channels, config-targeted `/allowlist --account <id>` and `/config set channels.<provider>.accounts.<id>...` also honor the target account's `configWrites`.
     - `/usage` controls the per-response usage footer; `/usage cost` prints a local cost summary from OpenClaw session logs.
     - `/restart` is enabled by default; set `commands.restart: false` to disable it.
-    - `/plugins install <spec>` accepts the same plugin specs as `openclaw plugins install`: local path/archive, npm package, `git:<repo>`, or `clawhub:<pkg>`, then requests a Gateway restart because plugin source modules changed.
+    - `/plugins install <spec>` accepts the same plugin specs as `openclaw plugins install`: local path/archive, npm package, `git:<repo>`, or `clawhub:<pkg>`. Managed Gateways restart automatically because plugin source modules changed.
     - `/plugins enable|disable` updates plugin config and triggers Gateway plugin reload for new agent turns.
 
   </Accordion>
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ Examples:
 - `/plugins list` and `/plugins show` use real plugin discovery against the current workspace plus on-disk config.
 - `/plugins install` installs from ClawHub, npm, git, local directories, and archives.
 - `/plugins enable|disable` updates plugin config only; it does not install or uninstall plugins.
-- Enable and disable changes hot-reload Gateway plugin runtime surfaces for new agent turns; install requests a Gateway restart because plugin source modules changed.
+- Enable and disable changes hot-reload Gateway plugin runtime surfaces for new agent turns; install restarts managed Gateways automatically because plugin source modules changed.
 
 </Note>