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openclaw/docs/cli/hooks.md
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---
summary: "CLI reference for `openclaw hooks` (agent hooks)"
read_when:
- You want to manage agent hooks
- You want to inspect hook availability or enable workspace hooks
title: "Hooks"
---
# `openclaw hooks`
Manage agent hooks (event-driven automations for commands like `/new`, `/reset`, and gateway startup). Bare `openclaw hooks` is equivalent to `openclaw hooks list`.
Related: [Hooks](/automation/hooks) - [Plugin hooks](/plugins/hooks)
## List hooks
```bash
openclaw hooks list [--eligible] [--json] [-v|--verbose]
```
Lists hooks discovered from workspace, managed, extra, and bundled directories.
- `--eligible`: only hooks whose requirements are met.
- `--json`: structured output.
- `-v, --verbose`: include a Missing column with unmet requirements.
```
Hooks (4/5 ready)
Ready:
🚀 boot-md ✓ - Run BOOT.md on gateway startup
📎 bootstrap-extra-files ✓ - Inject additional workspace bootstrap files during agent bootstrap
📝 command-logger ✓ - Log all command events to a centralized audit file
💾 session-memory ✓ - Save session context to memory when /new or /reset command is issued
```
## Get hook info
```bash
openclaw hooks info <name> [--json]
```
`<name>` is the hook name or hook key (for example `session-memory`). Shows source, file/handler paths, homepage, events, and per-requirement status (binaries, env, config, OS).
## Check eligibility
```bash
openclaw hooks check [--json]
```
Prints a ready/not-ready count summary; with hooks not ready, lists each with its blocking reason.
## Enable a hook
```bash
openclaw hooks enable <name>
```
Adds/updates `hooks.internal.entries.<name>.enabled = true` in config and also flips the `hooks.internal.enabled` master switch on (the gateway does not load any internal hook handler until at least one is configured). Fails if the hook does not exist, is plugin-managed, or is not eligible (missing requirements).
Plugin-managed hooks show `plugin:<id>` in `hooks list` and cannot be enabled/disabled here; enable or disable the owning plugin instead.
Restart the gateway after enabling (macOS menu bar app restart, or restart your gateway process in dev) so it reloads hooks.
## Disable a hook
```bash
openclaw hooks disable <name>
```
Sets `hooks.internal.entries.<name>.enabled = false`. Restart the gateway afterward.
## Install and update hook packs
```bash
openclaw plugins install <package> # npm by default
openclaw plugins install npm:<package> # npm only
openclaw plugins install <package> --pin # pin resolved version
openclaw plugins install <path> # local directory or archive
openclaw plugins install -l <path> # link a local directory instead of copying
openclaw plugins update <id>
openclaw plugins update --all
openclaw plugins update --dry-run
```
Hook packs install through the unified plugins installer/updater; `openclaw hooks install` / `openclaw hooks update` still work as deprecated aliases that print a warning and forward to the `plugins` commands.
- Npm specs are registry-only: package name plus an optional exact version or dist-tag. Git/URL/file specs and semver ranges are rejected. Dependency installs run project-local with `--ignore-scripts`.
- Bare specs and `@latest` stay on the stable track; if npm resolves to a prerelease, OpenClaw stops and asks you to opt in explicitly (`@beta`, `@rc`, or an exact prerelease version).
- Supported archives: `.zip`, `.tgz`, `.tar.gz`, `.tar`.
- `-l, --link` links a local directory instead of copying it (adds it to `hooks.internal.load.extraDirs`); linked hook packs are managed hooks from an operator-configured directory, not workspace hooks.
- `--pin` records npm installs as an exact resolved `name@version` in `hooks.internal.installs`.
- Install copies the pack into `~/.openclaw/hooks/<id>`, enables its hooks under `hooks.internal.entries.*`, and records the install under `hooks.internal.installs`.
- If a stored integrity hash no longer matches the fetched artifact, OpenClaw warns and prompts before continuing; pass global `--yes` to bypass the prompt (for example in CI).
## Bundled hooks
| Hook | Events | What it does |
| --------------------- | ------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| boot-md | `gateway:startup` | Runs `BOOT.md` at gateway startup for each configured agent scope |
| bootstrap-extra-files | `agent:bootstrap` | Injects extra bootstrap files (for example monorepo `AGENTS.md`/`TOOLS.md`) during agent bootstrap |
| command-logger | `command` | Logs command events to `~/.openclaw/logs/commands.log` |
| compaction-notifier | `session:compact:before`, `session:compact:after` | Sends visible chat notices when session compaction starts and finishes |
| session-memory | `command:new`, `command:reset` | Saves session context to memory on `/new` or `/reset` |
Enable any bundled hook with `openclaw hooks enable <hook-name>`. Full details, config keys, and defaults: [Bundled hooks](/automation/hooks#bundled-hooks).
### command-logger log file
```bash
tail -n 20 ~/.openclaw/logs/commands.log # recent commands
cat ~/.openclaw/logs/commands.log | jq . # pretty-print
grep '"action":"new"' ~/.openclaw/logs/commands.log | jq . # filter by action
```
## Notes
- `hooks list --json`, `info --json`, and `check --json` write structured JSON directly to stdout.
## Related
- [CLI reference](/cli)
- [Automation hooks](/automation/hooks)