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>

src/cli/update-cli.test.ts

@@ -549,6 +549,48 @@ describe("update-cli", () => {
     );
   });
 
+  it("maps --tag main to the GitHub main package spec for package updates", async () => {
+    const tempDir = createCaseDir("openclaw-update");
+    mockPackageInstallStatus(tempDir);
+
+    await updateCommand({ yes: true, tag: "main" });
+
+    expect(runGatewayUpdate).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(runCommandWithTimeout).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      [
+        "npm",
+        "i",
+        "-g",
+        "github:openclaw/openclaw#main",
+        "--no-fund",
+        "--no-audit",
+        "--loglevel=error",
+      ],
+      expect.any(Object),
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("passes explicit git package specs through for package updates", async () => {
+    const tempDir = createCaseDir("openclaw-update");
+    mockPackageInstallStatus(tempDir);
+
+    await updateCommand({ yes: true, tag: "github:openclaw/openclaw#main" });
+
+    expect(runGatewayUpdate).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(runCommandWithTimeout).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      [
+        "npm",
+        "i",
+        "-g",
+        "github:openclaw/openclaw#main",
+        "--no-fund",
+        "--no-audit",
+        "--loglevel=error",
+      ],
+      expect.any(Object),
+    );
+  });
+
   it("updateCommand outputs JSON when --json is set", async () => {
     vi.mocked(runGatewayUpdate).mockResolvedValue(makeOkUpdateResult());
     vi.mocked(defaultRuntime.log).mockClear();

src/cli/update-cli.ts

@@ -39,7 +39,10 @@ export function registerUpdateCli(program: Command) {
     .option("--no-restart", "Skip restarting the gateway service after a successful update")
     .option("--dry-run", "Preview update actions without making changes", false)
     .option("--channel <stable|beta|dev>", "Persist update channel (git + npm)")
-    .option("--tag <dist-tag|version>", "Override npm dist-tag or version for this update")
+    .option(
+      "--tag <dist-tag|version|spec>",
+      "Override the package target for this update (dist-tag, version, or package spec)",
+    )
     .option("--timeout <seconds>", "Timeout for each update step in seconds (default: 1200)")
     .option("--yes", "Skip confirmation prompts (non-interactive)", false)
     .addHelpText("after", () => {
@@ -48,6 +51,7 @@ export function registerUpdateCli(program: Command) {
         ["openclaw update --channel beta", "Switch to beta channel (git + npm)"],
         ["openclaw update --channel dev", "Switch to dev channel (git + npm)"],
         ["openclaw update --tag beta", "One-off update to a dist-tag or version"],
+        ["openclaw update --tag main", "One-off package install from GitHub main"],
         ["openclaw update --dry-run", "Preview actions without changing anything"],
         ["openclaw update --no-restart", "Update without restarting the service"],
         ["openclaw update --json", "Output result as JSON"],
@@ -66,7 +70,7 @@ ${theme.heading("What this does:")}
 ${theme.heading("Switch channels:")}
   - Use --channel stable|beta|dev to persist the update channel in config
   - Run openclaw update status to see the active channel and source
-  - Use --tag <dist-tag|version> for a one-off npm update without persisting
+  - Use --tag <dist-tag|version|spec> for a one-off package update without persisting
 
 ${theme.heading("Non-interactive:")}
   - Use --yes to accept downgrade prompts

src/cli/update-cli/shared.ts

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { trimLogTail } from "../../infra/restart-sentinel.js";
 import { parseSemver } from "../../infra/runtime-guard.js";
 import { fetchNpmTagVersion } from "../../infra/update-check.js";
 import {
+  canResolveRegistryVersionForPackageTarget,
   detectGlobalInstallManagerByPresence,
   detectGlobalInstallManagerForRoot,
   type CommandRunner,
@@ -77,6 +78,9 @@ export async function resolveTargetVersion(
   tag: string,
   timeoutMs?: number,
 ): Promise<string | null> {
+  if (!canResolveRegistryVersionForPackageTarget(tag)) {
+    return null;
+  }
   const direct = normalizeVersionTag(tag);
   if (direct) {
     return direct;

src/cli/update-cli/update-command.ts

@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import {
   checkUpdateStatus,
 } from "../../infra/update-check.js";
 import {
+  canResolveRegistryVersionForPackageTarget,
   createGlobalInstallEnv,
   cleanupGlobalRenameDirs,
   globalInstallArgs,
@@ -731,22 +732,31 @@ export async function updateCommand(opts: UpdateCommandOptions): Promise<void> {
   let targetVersion: string | null = null;
   let downgradeRisk = false;
   let fallbackToLatest = false;
+  let packageInstallSpec: string | null = null;
 
   if (updateInstallKind !== "git") {
     currentVersion = switchToPackage ? null : await readPackageVersion(root);
-    targetVersion = explicitTag
-      ? await resolveTargetVersion(tag, timeoutMs)
-      : await resolveNpmChannelTag({ channel, timeoutMs }).then((resolved) => {
-          tag = resolved.tag;
-          fallbackToLatest = channel === "beta" && resolved.tag === "latest";
-          return resolved.version;
-        });
+    if (explicitTag) {
+      targetVersion = await resolveTargetVersion(tag, timeoutMs);
+    } else {
+      targetVersion = await resolveNpmChannelTag({ channel, timeoutMs }).then((resolved) => {
+        tag = resolved.tag;
+        fallbackToLatest = channel === "beta" && resolved.tag === "latest";
+        return resolved.version;
+      });
+    }
     const cmp =
       currentVersion && targetVersion ? compareSemverStrings(currentVersion, targetVersion) : null;
     downgradeRisk =
+      canResolveRegistryVersionForPackageTarget(tag) &&
       !fallbackToLatest &&
       currentVersion != null &&
       (targetVersion == null || (cmp != null && cmp > 0));
+    packageInstallSpec = resolveGlobalInstallSpec({
+      packageName: DEFAULT_PACKAGE_NAME,
+      tag,
+      env: process.env,
+    });
   }
 
   if (opts.dryRun) {
@@ -772,7 +782,7 @@ export async function updateCommand(opts: UpdateCommandOptions): Promise<void> {
     } else if (updateInstallKind === "git") {
       actions.push(`Run git update flow on channel ${channel} (fetch/rebase/build/doctor)`);
     } else {
-      actions.push(`Run global package manager update with spec openclaw@${tag}`);
+      actions.push(`Run global package manager update with spec ${packageInstallSpec ?? tag}`);
     }
     actions.push("Run plugin update sync after core update");
     actions.push("Refresh shell completion cache (if needed)");
@@ -789,6 +799,9 @@ export async function updateCommand(opts: UpdateCommandOptions): Promise<void> {
     if (fallbackToLatest) {
       notes.push("Beta channel resolves to latest for this run (fallback).");
     }
+    if (explicitTag && !canResolveRegistryVersionForPackageTarget(tag)) {
+      notes.push("Non-registry package specs skip npm version lookup and downgrade previews.");
+    }
 
     printDryRunPreview(
       {
@@ -803,7 +816,7 @@ export async function updateCommand(opts: UpdateCommandOptions): Promise<void> {
         requestedChannel,
         storedChannel,
         effectiveChannel: channel,
-        tag,
+        tag: packageInstallSpec ?? tag,
         currentVersion,
         targetVersion,
         downgradeRisk,

src/infra/update-global.test.ts

@@ -4,11 +4,15 @@ import path from "node:path";
 import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import { captureEnv } from "../test-utils/env.js";
 import {
+  canResolveRegistryVersionForPackageTarget,
   cleanupGlobalRenameDirs,
   detectGlobalInstallManagerByPresence,
   detectGlobalInstallManagerForRoot,
   globalInstallArgs,
   globalInstallFallbackArgs,
+  isExplicitPackageInstallSpec,
+  isMainPackageTarget,
+  OPENCLAW_MAIN_PACKAGE_SPEC,
   resolveGlobalPackageRoot,
   resolveGlobalInstallSpec,
   resolveGlobalRoot,
@@ -60,6 +64,40 @@ describe("update global helpers", () => {
     );
   });
 
+  it("maps main and explicit install specs for global installs", () => {
+    expect(resolveGlobalInstallSpec({ packageName: "openclaw", tag: "main" })).toBe(
+      OPENCLAW_MAIN_PACKAGE_SPEC,
+    );
+    expect(
+      resolveGlobalInstallSpec({
+        packageName: "openclaw",
+        tag: "github:openclaw/openclaw#feature/my-branch",
+      }),
+    ).toBe("github:openclaw/openclaw#feature/my-branch");
+    expect(
+      resolveGlobalInstallSpec({
+        packageName: "openclaw",
+        tag: "https://example.com/openclaw-main.tgz",
+      }),
+    ).toBe("https://example.com/openclaw-main.tgz");
+  });
+
+  it("classifies main and raw install specs separately from registry selectors", () => {
+    expect(isMainPackageTarget("main")).toBe(true);
+    expect(isMainPackageTarget(" MAIN ")).toBe(true);
+    expect(isMainPackageTarget("beta")).toBe(false);
+
+    expect(isExplicitPackageInstallSpec("github:openclaw/openclaw#main")).toBe(true);
+    expect(isExplicitPackageInstallSpec("https://example.com/openclaw-main.tgz")).toBe(true);
+    expect(isExplicitPackageInstallSpec("file:/tmp/openclaw-main.tgz")).toBe(true);
+    expect(isExplicitPackageInstallSpec("beta")).toBe(false);
+
+    expect(canResolveRegistryVersionForPackageTarget("latest")).toBe(true);
+    expect(canResolveRegistryVersionForPackageTarget("2026.3.14")).toBe(true);
+    expect(canResolveRegistryVersionForPackageTarget("main")).toBe(false);
+    expect(canResolveRegistryVersionForPackageTarget("github:openclaw/openclaw#main")).toBe(false);
+  });
+
   it("detects install managers from resolved roots and on-disk presence", async () => {
     const base = await fs.mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "openclaw-update-global-"));
     const npmRoot = path.join(base, "npm-root");

src/infra/update-global.ts

@@ -14,12 +14,41 @@ export type CommandRunner = (
 const PRIMARY_PACKAGE_NAME = "openclaw";
 const ALL_PACKAGE_NAMES = [PRIMARY_PACKAGE_NAME] as const;
 const GLOBAL_RENAME_PREFIX = ".";
+export const OPENCLAW_MAIN_PACKAGE_SPEC = "github:openclaw/openclaw#main";
 const NPM_GLOBAL_INSTALL_QUIET_FLAGS = ["--no-fund", "--no-audit", "--loglevel=error"] as const;
 const NPM_GLOBAL_INSTALL_OMIT_OPTIONAL_FLAGS = [
   "--omit=optional",
   ...NPM_GLOBAL_INSTALL_QUIET_FLAGS,
 ] as const;
 
+function normalizePackageTarget(value: string): string {
+  return value.trim();
+}
+
+export function isMainPackageTarget(value: string): boolean {
+  return normalizePackageTarget(value).toLowerCase() === "main";
+}
+
+export function isExplicitPackageInstallSpec(value: string): boolean {
+  const trimmed = normalizePackageTarget(value);
+  if (!trimmed) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  return (
+    trimmed.includes("://") ||
+    trimmed.includes("#") ||
+    /^(?:file|github|git\+ssh|git\+https|git\+http|git\+file|npm):/i.test(trimmed)
+  );
+}
+
+export function canResolveRegistryVersionForPackageTarget(value: string): boolean {
+  const trimmed = normalizePackageTarget(value);
+  if (!trimmed) {
+    return true;
+  }
+  return !isMainPackageTarget(trimmed) && !isExplicitPackageInstallSpec(trimmed);
+}
+
 async function resolvePortableGitPathPrepend(
   env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv | undefined,
 ): Promise<string[]> {
@@ -68,7 +97,14 @@ export function resolveGlobalInstallSpec(params: {
   if (override) {
     return override;
   }
-  return `${params.packageName}@${params.tag}`;
+  const target = normalizePackageTarget(params.tag);
+  if (isMainPackageTarget(target)) {
+    return OPENCLAW_MAIN_PACKAGE_SPEC;
+  }
+  if (isExplicitPackageInstallSpec(target)) {
+    return target;
+  }
+  return `${params.packageName}@${target}`;
 }
 
 export async function createGlobalInstallEnv(

src/infra/update-runner.test.ts

@@ -441,6 +441,20 @@ describe("runGatewayUpdate", () => {
     expect(calls.some((call) => call === expectedInstallCommand)).toBe(true);
   });
 
+  it("updates global npm installs from the GitHub main package spec", async () => {
+    const { calls, result } = await runNpmGlobalUpdateCase({
+      expectedInstallCommand:
+        "npm i -g github:openclaw/openclaw#main --no-fund --no-audit --loglevel=error",
+      tag: "main",
+    });
+
+    expect(result.status).toBe("ok");
+    expect(result.mode).toBe("npm");
+    expect(calls).toContain(
+      "npm i -g github:openclaw/openclaw#main --no-fund --no-audit --loglevel=error",
+    );
+  });
+
   it("falls back to global npm update when git is missing from PATH", async () => {
     const { nodeModules, pkgRoot } = await createGlobalPackageFixture(tempDir);
     const { calls, runCommand } = createGlobalInstallHarness({