CLI: support package-manager installs from GitHub main (#47630)

* CLI: resolve package-manager main install specs

* CLI: skip registry resolution for raw package specs

* CLI: support main package target updates

* CLI: document package update specs in help

* Tests: cover package install spec resolution

* Tests: cover npm main-package updates

* Tests: cover update --tag main

* Installer: support main package targets

* Installer: support main package targets on Windows

* Docs: document package-manager main updates

* Docs: document installer main targets

* Docs: document npm and pnpm main installs

* Docs: document update --tag main

* Changelog: note package-manager main installs

* Update src/infra/update-global.test.ts

Co-authored-by: greptile-apps[bot] <165735046+greptile-apps[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>

---------

Co-authored-by: greptile-apps[bot] <165735046+greptile-apps[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>

scripts/install.ps1

@@ -200,13 +200,15 @@ function Ensure-Git {
 }
 
 function Install-OpenClawNpm {
-    param([string]$Version = "latest")
+    param([string]$Target = "latest")
+
+    $installSpec = Resolve-PackageInstallSpec -Target $Target
     
-    Write-Host "Installing OpenClaw (openclaw@$Version)..." -Level info
+    Write-Host "Installing OpenClaw ($installSpec)..." -Level info
     
     try {
         # Use -ExecutionPolicy Bypass to handle restricted execution policy
-        npm install -g openclaw@$Version --no-fund --no-audit 2>&1
+        npm install -g $installSpec --no-fund --no-audit 2>&1
         Write-Host "OpenClaw installed" -Level success
         return $true
     } catch {
@@ -257,6 +259,34 @@ node "%~dp0..\openclaw\dist\entry.js" %*
     return $true
 }
 
+function Test-ExplicitPackageInstallSpec {
+    param([string]$Target)
+
+    if ([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($Target)) {
+        return $false
+    }
+
+    return $Target.Contains("://") -or
+        $Target.Contains("#") -or
+        $Target -match '^(file|github|git\+ssh|git\+https|git\+http|git\+file|npm):'
+}
+
+function Resolve-PackageInstallSpec {
+    param([string]$Target = "latest")
+
+    $trimmed = $Target.Trim()
+    if ([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($trimmed)) {
+        return "openclaw@latest"
+    }
+    if ($trimmed.ToLowerInvariant() -eq "main") {
+        return "github:openclaw/openclaw#main"
+    }
+    if (Test-ExplicitPackageInstallSpec -Target $trimmed) {
+        return $trimmed
+    }
+    return "openclaw@$trimmed"
+}
+
 function Add-ToPath {
     param([string]$Path)
     
@@ -301,9 +331,9 @@ function Main {
         }
         
         if ($DryRun) {
-            Write-Host "[DRY RUN] Would install OpenClaw via npm (tag: $Tag)" -Level info
+            Write-Host "[DRY RUN] Would install OpenClaw via npm ($((Resolve-PackageInstallSpec -Target $Tag)))" -Level info
         } else {
-            if (!(Install-OpenClawNpm -Version $Tag)) {
+            if (!(Install-OpenClawNpm -Target $Tag)) {
                 exit 1
             }
         }

scripts/install.sh

@@ -1011,7 +1011,7 @@ Options:
   --install-method, --method npm|git   Install via npm (default) or from a git checkout
   --npm                               Shortcut for --install-method npm
   --git, --github                     Shortcut for --install-method git
-  --version <version|dist-tag>         npm install: version (default: latest)
+  --version <version|dist-tag|spec>    npm install target (default: latest; use "main" for GitHub main)
   --beta                               Use beta if available, else latest
   --git-dir, --dir <path>             Checkout directory (default: ~/openclaw)
   --no-git-update                      Skip git pull for existing checkout
@@ -1024,7 +1024,7 @@ Options:
 
 Environment variables:
   OPENCLAW_INSTALL_METHOD=git|npm
-  OPENCLAW_VERSION=latest|next|<semver>
+  OPENCLAW_VERSION=latest|next|main|<semver>|<spec>
   OPENCLAW_BETA=0|1
   OPENCLAW_GIT_DIR=...
   OPENCLAW_GIT_UPDATE=0|1
@@ -1040,6 +1040,7 @@ Examples:
   curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash
   curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --no-onboard
   curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --no-onboard --verify
+  curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --version main
   curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --install-method git --no-onboard
 EOF
 }
@@ -1963,6 +1964,43 @@ resolve_beta_version() {
     echo "$beta"
 }
 
+is_explicit_package_install_spec() {
+    local value="${1:-}"
+    [[ "$value" == *"://"* || "$value" == *"#"* || "$value" =~ ^(file|github|git\+ssh|git\+https|git\+http|git\+file|npm): ]]
+}
+
+can_resolve_registry_package_version() {
+    local value="${1:-}"
+    if [[ -z "$value" ]]; then
+        return 0
+    fi
+    if [[ "${value,,}" == "main" ]]; then
+        return 1
+    fi
+    if is_explicit_package_install_spec "$value"; then
+        return 1
+    fi
+    return 0
+}
+
+resolve_package_install_spec() {
+    local package_name="$1"
+    local value="$2"
+    if [[ "${value,,}" == "main" ]]; then
+        echo "github:openclaw/openclaw#main"
+        return 0
+    fi
+    if is_explicit_package_install_spec "$value"; then
+        echo "$value"
+        return 0
+    fi
+    if [[ "$value" == "latest" ]]; then
+        echo "${package_name}@latest"
+        return 0
+    fi
+    echo "${package_name}@${value}"
+}
+
 install_openclaw() {
     local package_name="openclaw"
     if [[ "$USE_BETA" == "1" ]]; then
@@ -1983,18 +2021,16 @@ install_openclaw() {
     fi
 
     local resolved_version=""
-    resolved_version="$(npm view "${package_name}@${OPENCLAW_VERSION}" version 2>/dev/null || true)"
+    if can_resolve_registry_package_version "${OPENCLAW_VERSION}"; then
+        resolved_version="$(npm view "${package_name}@${OPENCLAW_VERSION}" version 2>/dev/null || true)"
+    fi
     if [[ -n "$resolved_version" ]]; then
         ui_info "Installing OpenClaw v${resolved_version}"
     else
         ui_info "Installing OpenClaw (${OPENCLAW_VERSION})"
     fi
     local install_spec=""
-    if [[ "${OPENCLAW_VERSION}" == "latest" ]]; then
-        install_spec="${package_name}@latest"
-    else
-        install_spec="${package_name}@${OPENCLAW_VERSION}"
-    fi
+    install_spec="$(resolve_package_install_spec "${package_name}" "${OPENCLAW_VERSION}")"
 
     if ! install_openclaw_npm "${install_spec}"; then
         ui_warn "npm install failed; retrying"