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* docs(configuration): split into overview + full reference with Mintlify components * docs(configuration): use tooltip for JSON5 format note * docs(configuration): fix Accordion closing tags inside list contexts * docs(configuration): expand intro to reflect full config surface * docs(configuration): trim intro to three concise bullets * docs(configuration-examples): revert all branch changes * docs(configuration): improve hot-reload section with tabs and accordion * docs(configuration): uncramp hot-reload — subheadings, bullet list, warning * docs(configuration): restore hot-apply vs restart table * docs(configuration): fix hot-reload table against codebase * docs: add configuration-reference.md — full field-by-field reference * docs(gateway): refresh runbook and align config reference * docs: include pending docs updates and install graphic
480 lines
15 KiB
Markdown
480 lines
15 KiB
Markdown
---
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summary: "Configuration overview: common tasks, quick setup, and links to the full reference"
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read_when:
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- Setting up OpenClaw for the first time
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- Looking for common configuration patterns
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- Navigating to specific config sections
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title: "Configuration"
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---
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# Configuration
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OpenClaw reads an optional <Tooltip tip="JSON5 supports comments and trailing commas">**JSON5**</Tooltip> config from `~/.openclaw/openclaw.json`.
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If the file is missing, OpenClaw uses safe defaults. Common reasons to add a config:
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- Connect channels and control who can message the bot
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- Set models, tools, sandboxing, or automation (cron, hooks)
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- Tune sessions, media, networking, or UI
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See the [full reference](/gateway/configuration-reference) for every available field.
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<Tip>
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**New to configuration?** Start with `openclaw onboard` for interactive setup, or check out the [Configuration Examples](/gateway/configuration-examples) guide for complete copy-paste configs.
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</Tip>
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## Minimal config
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```json5
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// ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json
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{
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agents: { defaults: { workspace: "~/.openclaw/workspace" } },
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channels: { whatsapp: { allowFrom: ["+15555550123"] } },
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}
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```
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## Editing config
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<Tabs>
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<Tab title="Interactive wizard">
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```bash
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openclaw onboard # full setup wizard
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openclaw configure # config wizard
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```
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</Tab>
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<Tab title="CLI (one-liners)">
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```bash
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openclaw config get agents.defaults.workspace
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openclaw config set agents.defaults.heartbeat.every "2h"
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openclaw config unset tools.web.search.apiKey
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```
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</Tab>
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<Tab title="Control UI">
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Open [http://127.0.0.1:18789](http://127.0.0.1:18789) and use the **Config** tab.
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The Control UI renders a form from the config schema, with a **Raw JSON** editor as an escape hatch.
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</Tab>
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<Tab title="Direct edit">
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Edit `~/.openclaw/openclaw.json` directly. The Gateway watches the file and applies changes automatically (see [hot reload](#config-hot-reload)).
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</Tab>
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</Tabs>
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## Strict validation
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<Warning>
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OpenClaw only accepts configurations that fully match the schema. Unknown keys, malformed types, or invalid values cause the Gateway to **refuse to start**.
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</Warning>
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When validation fails:
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- The Gateway does not boot
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- Only diagnostic commands work (`openclaw doctor`, `openclaw logs`, `openclaw health`, `openclaw status`)
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- Run `openclaw doctor` to see exact issues
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- Run `openclaw doctor --fix` (or `--yes`) to apply repairs
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## Common tasks
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<AccordionGroup>
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<Accordion title="Set up a channel (WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, etc.)">
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Each channel has its own config section under `channels.<provider>`. See the dedicated channel page for setup steps:
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- [WhatsApp](/channels/whatsapp) — `channels.whatsapp`
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- [Telegram](/channels/telegram) — `channels.telegram`
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- [Discord](/channels/discord) — `channels.discord`
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- [Slack](/channels/slack) — `channels.slack`
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- [Signal](/channels/signal) — `channels.signal`
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- [iMessage](/channels/imessage) — `channels.imessage`
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- [Google Chat](/channels/googlechat) — `channels.googlechat`
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- [Mattermost](/channels/mattermost) — `channels.mattermost`
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- [MS Teams](/channels/msteams) — `channels.msteams`
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All channels share the same DM policy pattern:
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```json5
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{
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channels: {
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telegram: {
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enabled: true,
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botToken: "123:abc",
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dmPolicy: "pairing", // pairing | allowlist | open | disabled
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allowFrom: ["tg:123"], // only for allowlist/open
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},
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},
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}
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```
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</Accordion>
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<Accordion title="Choose and configure models">
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Set the primary model and optional fallbacks:
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```json5
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{
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agents: {
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defaults: {
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model: {
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primary: "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-5",
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fallbacks: ["openai/gpt-5.2"],
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},
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models: {
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"anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-5": { alias: "Sonnet" },
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"openai/gpt-5.2": { alias: "GPT" },
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},
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},
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},
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}
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```
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- `agents.defaults.models` defines the model catalog and acts as the allowlist for `/model`.
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- Model refs use `provider/model` format (e.g. `anthropic/claude-opus-4-6`).
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- See [Models CLI](/concepts/models) for switching models in chat and [Model Failover](/concepts/model-failover) for auth rotation and fallback behavior.
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- For custom/self-hosted providers, see [Custom providers](/gateway/configuration-reference#custom-providers-and-base-urls) in the reference.
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</Accordion>
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<Accordion title="Control who can message the bot">
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DM access is controlled per channel via `dmPolicy`:
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- `"pairing"` (default): unknown senders get a one-time pairing code to approve
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- `"allowlist"`: only senders in `allowFrom` (or the paired allow store)
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- `"open"`: allow all inbound DMs (requires `allowFrom: ["*"]`)
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- `"disabled"`: ignore all DMs
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For groups, use `groupPolicy` + `groupAllowFrom` or channel-specific allowlists.
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See the [full reference](/gateway/configuration-reference#dm-and-group-access) for per-channel details.
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</Accordion>
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<Accordion title="Set up group chat mention gating">
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Group messages default to **require mention**. Configure patterns per agent:
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```json5
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{
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agents: {
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list: [
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{
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id: "main",
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groupChat: {
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mentionPatterns: ["@openclaw", "openclaw"],
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},
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},
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],
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},
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channels: {
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whatsapp: {
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groups: { "*": { requireMention: true } },
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},
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},
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}
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```
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- **Metadata mentions**: native @-mentions (WhatsApp tap-to-mention, Telegram @bot, etc.)
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- **Text patterns**: regex patterns in `mentionPatterns`
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- See [full reference](/gateway/configuration-reference#group-chat-mention-gating) for per-channel overrides and self-chat mode.
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</Accordion>
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<Accordion title="Configure sessions and resets">
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Sessions control conversation continuity and isolation:
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```json5
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{
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session: {
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dmScope: "per-channel-peer", // recommended for multi-user
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reset: {
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mode: "daily",
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atHour: 4,
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idleMinutes: 120,
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},
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},
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}
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```
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- `dmScope`: `main` (shared) | `per-peer` | `per-channel-peer` | `per-account-channel-peer`
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- See [Session Management](/concepts/session) for scoping, identity links, and send policy.
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- See [full reference](/gateway/configuration-reference#session) for all fields.
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</Accordion>
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<Accordion title="Enable sandboxing">
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Run agent sessions in isolated Docker containers:
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```json5
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{
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agents: {
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defaults: {
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sandbox: {
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mode: "non-main", // off | non-main | all
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scope: "agent", // session | agent | shared
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},
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},
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},
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}
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```
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Build the image first: `scripts/sandbox-setup.sh`
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See [Sandboxing](/gateway/sandboxing) for the full guide and [full reference](/gateway/configuration-reference#sandbox) for all options.
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</Accordion>
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<Accordion title="Set up heartbeat (periodic check-ins)">
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```json5
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{
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agents: {
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defaults: {
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heartbeat: {
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every: "30m",
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target: "last",
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},
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},
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},
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}
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```
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- `every`: duration string (`30m`, `2h`). Set `0m` to disable.
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- `target`: `last` | `whatsapp` | `telegram` | `discord` | `none`
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- See [Heartbeat](/gateway/heartbeat) for the full guide.
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</Accordion>
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<Accordion title="Configure cron jobs">
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```json5
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{
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cron: {
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enabled: true,
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maxConcurrentRuns: 2,
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sessionRetention: "24h",
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},
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}
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```
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See [Cron jobs](/automation/cron-jobs) for the feature overview and CLI examples.
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</Accordion>
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<Accordion title="Set up webhooks (hooks)">
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Enable HTTP webhook endpoints on the Gateway:
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```json5
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{
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hooks: {
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enabled: true,
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token: "shared-secret",
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path: "/hooks",
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mappings: [
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{
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match: { path: "gmail" },
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action: "agent",
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agentId: "main",
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deliver: true,
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},
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],
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},
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}
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```
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See [full reference](/gateway/configuration-reference#hooks) for all mapping options and Gmail integration.
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</Accordion>
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<Accordion title="Configure multi-agent routing">
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Run multiple isolated agents with separate workspaces and sessions:
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```json5
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{
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agents: {
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list: [
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{ id: "home", default: true, workspace: "~/.openclaw/workspace-home" },
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{ id: "work", workspace: "~/.openclaw/workspace-work" },
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],
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},
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bindings: [
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{ agentId: "home", match: { channel: "whatsapp", accountId: "personal" } },
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{ agentId: "work", match: { channel: "whatsapp", accountId: "biz" } },
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],
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}
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```
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See [Multi-Agent](/concepts/multi-agent) and [full reference](/gateway/configuration-reference#multi-agent-routing) for binding rules and per-agent access profiles.
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</Accordion>
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<Accordion title="Split config into multiple files ($include)">
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Use `$include` to organize large configs:
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```json5
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// ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json
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{
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gateway: { port: 18789 },
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agents: { $include: "./agents.json5" },
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broadcast: {
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$include: ["./clients/a.json5", "./clients/b.json5"],
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},
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}
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```
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- **Single file**: replaces the containing object
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- **Array of files**: deep-merged in order (later wins)
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- **Sibling keys**: merged after includes (override included values)
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- **Nested includes**: supported up to 10 levels deep
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- **Relative paths**: resolved relative to the including file
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- **Error handling**: clear errors for missing files, parse errors, and circular includes
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</Accordion>
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</AccordionGroup>
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## Config hot reload
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The Gateway watches `~/.openclaw/openclaw.json` and applies changes automatically — no manual restart needed for most settings.
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### Reload modes
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| Mode | Behavior |
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| ---------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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| **`hybrid`** (default) | Hot-applies safe changes instantly. Automatically restarts for critical ones. |
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| **`hot`** | Hot-applies safe changes only. Logs a warning when a restart is needed — you handle it. |
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| **`restart`** | Restarts the Gateway on any config change, safe or not. |
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| **`off`** | Disables file watching. Changes take effect on the next manual restart. |
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```json5
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{
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gateway: {
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reload: { mode: "hybrid", debounceMs: 300 },
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},
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}
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```
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### What hot-applies vs what needs a restart
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Most fields hot-apply without downtime. In `hybrid` mode, restart-required changes are handled automatically.
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| Category | Fields | Restart needed? |
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| ------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------- |
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| Channels | `channels.*`, `web` (WhatsApp) — all built-in and extension channels | No |
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| Agent & models | `agent`, `agents`, `models`, `routing` | No |
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| Automation | `hooks`, `cron`, `agent.heartbeat` | No |
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| Sessions & messages | `session`, `messages` | No |
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| Tools & media | `tools`, `browser`, `skills`, `audio`, `talk` | No |
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| UI & misc | `ui`, `logging`, `identity`, `bindings` | No |
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| Gateway server | `gateway.*` (port, bind, auth, tailscale, TLS, HTTP) | **Yes** |
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| Infrastructure | `discovery`, `canvasHost`, `plugins` | **Yes** |
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<Note>
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`gateway.reload` and `gateway.remote` are exceptions — changing them does **not** trigger a restart.
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</Note>
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## Config RPC (programmatic updates)
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<AccordionGroup>
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<Accordion title="config.apply (full replace)">
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Validates + writes the full config and restarts the Gateway in one step.
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<Warning>
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`config.apply` replaces the **entire config**. Use `config.patch` for partial updates, or `openclaw config set` for single keys.
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</Warning>
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Params:
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- `raw` (string) — JSON5 payload for the entire config
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- `baseHash` (optional) — config hash from `config.get` (required when config exists)
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- `sessionKey` (optional) — session key for the post-restart wake-up ping
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- `note` (optional) — note for the restart sentinel
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- `restartDelayMs` (optional) — delay before restart (default 2000)
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```bash
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openclaw gateway call config.get --params '{}' # capture payload.hash
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openclaw gateway call config.apply --params '{
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"raw": "{ agents: { defaults: { workspace: \"~/.openclaw/workspace\" } } }",
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"baseHash": "<hash>",
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"sessionKey": "agent:main:whatsapp:dm:+15555550123"
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}'
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```
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</Accordion>
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<Accordion title="config.patch (partial update)">
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Merges a partial update into the existing config (JSON merge patch semantics):
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- Objects merge recursively
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- `null` deletes a key
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- Arrays replace
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Params:
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- `raw` (string) — JSON5 with just the keys to change
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- `baseHash` (required) — config hash from `config.get`
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- `sessionKey`, `note`, `restartDelayMs` — same as `config.apply`
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```bash
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openclaw gateway call config.patch --params '{
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"raw": "{ channels: { telegram: { groups: { \"*\": { requireMention: false } } } } }",
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"baseHash": "<hash>"
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}'
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```
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</Accordion>
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</AccordionGroup>
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## Environment variables
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OpenClaw reads env vars from the parent process plus:
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- `.env` from the current working directory (if present)
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- `~/.openclaw/.env` (global fallback)
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Neither file overrides existing env vars. You can also set inline env vars in config:
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```json5
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{
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env: {
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OPENROUTER_API_KEY: "sk-or-...",
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vars: { GROQ_API_KEY: "gsk-..." },
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},
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}
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```
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<Accordion title="Shell env import (optional)">
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If enabled and expected keys aren't set, OpenClaw runs your login shell and imports only the missing keys:
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```json5
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{
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env: {
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shellEnv: { enabled: true, timeoutMs: 15000 },
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},
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}
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```
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Env var equivalent: `OPENCLAW_LOAD_SHELL_ENV=1`
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</Accordion>
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<Accordion title="Env var substitution in config values">
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Reference env vars in any config string value with `${VAR_NAME}`:
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```json5
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{
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gateway: { auth: { token: "${OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN}" } },
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models: { providers: { custom: { apiKey: "${CUSTOM_API_KEY}" } } },
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}
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```
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Rules:
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- Only uppercase names matched: `[A-Z_][A-Z0-9_]*`
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- Missing/empty vars throw an error at load time
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- Escape with `$${VAR}` for literal output
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- Works inside `$include` files
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- Inline substitution: `"${BASE}/v1"` → `"https://api.example.com/v1"`
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</Accordion>
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See [Environment](/help/environment) for full precedence and sources.
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## Full reference
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For the complete field-by-field reference, see **[Configuration Reference](/gateway/configuration-reference)**.
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---
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_Related: [Configuration Examples](/gateway/configuration-examples) · [Configuration Reference](/gateway/configuration-reference) · [Doctor](/gateway/doctor)_
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