fix(update): skip package no-op installs

src/cli/update-cli.test.ts

@@ -837,6 +837,33 @@ describe("update-cli", () => {
     );
   });
 
+  it("skips package-manager updates when the installed version already matches the target", async () => {
+    const tempDir = createCaseDir("openclaw-update");
+    mockPackageInstallStatus(tempDir);
+    readPackageVersion.mockResolvedValue("2026.4.22");
+    vi.mocked(resolveNpmChannelTag).mockResolvedValue({
+      tag: "latest",
+      version: "2026.4.22",
+    });
+
+    await updateCommand({ yes: true });
+
+    const installCalls = vi
+      .mocked(runCommandWithTimeout)
+      .mock.calls.filter(
+        ([argv]) => Array.isArray(argv) && argv[0] === "npm" && argv[1] === "i" && argv[2] === "-g",
+      );
+    expect(installCalls).toEqual([]);
+    expect(syncPluginsForUpdateChannel).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(updateNpmInstalledPlugins).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(replaceConfigFile).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(runRestartScript).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(runDaemonRestart).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(defaultRuntime.exit).toHaveBeenCalledWith(0);
+    const logs = vi.mocked(defaultRuntime.log).mock.calls.map((call) => String(call[0]));
+    expect(logs.join("\n")).toContain("already-current");
+  });
+
   it("blocks package updates when the target requires a newer Node runtime", async () => {
     mockPackageInstallStatus(createCaseDir("openclaw-update"));
     vi.mocked(fetchNpmPackageTargetStatus).mockResolvedValue({

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

@@ -1055,6 +1055,7 @@ export async function updateCommand(opts: UpdateCommandOptions): Promise<void> {
   let downgradeRisk = false;
   let fallbackToLatest = false;
   let packageInstallSpec: string | null = null;
+  let packageAlreadyCurrent = false;
 
   if (updateInstallKind !== "git") {
     currentVersion = switchToPackage ? null : await readPackageVersion(root);
@@ -1069,6 +1070,13 @@ export async function updateCommand(opts: UpdateCommandOptions): Promise<void> {
     }
     const cmp =
       currentVersion && targetVersion ? compareSemverStrings(currentVersion, targetVersion) : null;
+    packageAlreadyCurrent =
+      updateInstallKind === "package" &&
+      !switchToPackage &&
+      currentVersion != null &&
+      targetVersion != null &&
+      currentVersion === targetVersion &&
+      (requestedChannel === null || requestedChannel === storedChannel);
     downgradeRisk =
       canResolveRegistryVersionForPackageTarget(tag) &&
       !fallbackToLatest &&
@@ -1103,16 +1111,20 @@ export async function updateCommand(opts: UpdateCommandOptions): Promise<void> {
       actions.push(`Switch install mode from git to package manager (${mode})`);
     } else if (updateInstallKind === "git") {
       actions.push(`Run git update flow on channel ${channel} (fetch/rebase/build/doctor)`);
+    } else if (packageAlreadyCurrent) {
+      actions.push(`Skip package update; current version already matches ${targetVersion}`);
     } else {
       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)");
-    actions.push(
-      shouldRestart
-        ? "Restart gateway service and run doctor checks"
-        : "Skip restart (because --no-restart is set)",
-    );
+    if (!packageAlreadyCurrent) {
+      actions.push("Run plugin update sync after core update");
+      actions.push("Refresh shell completion cache (if needed)");
+      actions.push(
+        shouldRestart
+          ? "Restart gateway service and run doctor checks"
+          : "Skip restart (because --no-restart is set)",
+      );
+    }
 
     const notes: string[] = [];
     if (opts.tag && updateInstallKind === "git") {
@@ -1183,6 +1195,25 @@ export async function updateCommand(opts: UpdateCommandOptions): Promise<void> {
     );
   }
 
+  if (packageAlreadyCurrent) {
+    const mode = isPackageManagerUpdateMode(updateStatus.packageManager)
+      ? updateStatus.packageManager
+      : "unknown";
+    const result: UpdateRunResult = {
+      status: "skipped",
+      mode,
+      root,
+      reason: "already-current",
+      before: { version: currentVersion },
+      after: { version: currentVersion },
+      steps: [],
+      durationMs: 0,
+    };
+    printResult(result, opts);
+    defaultRuntime.exit(0);
+    return;
+  }
+
   if (updateInstallKind === "package") {
     const runtimePreflightError = await resolvePackageRuntimePreflightError({
       tag,