openclaw/docs/start/wizard-cli-reference.md

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Complete reference for CLI setup flow, auth/model setup, outputs, and internals	You need detailed behavior for `openclaw setup --wizard` You are debugging setup results or integrating setup clients	CLI Setup Reference	CLI reference

CLI Setup Reference

This page is the full reference for openclaw setup --wizard. For the short guide, see Setup Wizard (CLI).

What the wizard does

Local mode (default) walks you through:

• Model and auth setup (OpenAI Code subscription OAuth, Anthropic API key or setup token, plus MiniMax, GLM, Ollama, Moonshot, and AI Gateway options)
• Workspace location and bootstrap files
• Gateway settings (port, bind, auth, tailscale)
• Channels and providers (Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord, Google Chat, Mattermost plugin, Signal)
• Daemon install (LaunchAgent or systemd user unit)
• Health check
• Skills setup

Remote mode configures this machine to connect to a gateway elsewhere. It does not install or modify anything on the remote host.

Local flow details

- If `~/.openclaw/openclaw.json` exists, choose Keep, Modify, or Reset. - Re-running the wizard does not wipe anything unless you explicitly choose Reset (or pass `--reset`). - CLI `--reset` defaults to `config+creds+sessions`; use `--reset-scope full` to also remove workspace. - If config is invalid or contains legacy keys, the wizard stops and asks you to run `openclaw doctor` before continuing. - Reset uses `trash` and offers scopes: - Config only - Config + credentials + sessions - Full reset (also removes workspace) - Full option matrix is in [Auth and model options](#auth-and-model-options). - Default `~/.openclaw/workspace` (configurable). - Seeds workspace files needed for first-run bootstrap ritual. - Workspace layout: [Agent workspace](/concepts/agent-workspace). - Prompts for port, bind, auth mode, and tailscale exposure. - Recommended: keep token auth enabled even for loopback so local WS clients must authenticate. - In token mode, interactive setup offers: - **Generate/store plaintext token** (default) - **Use SecretRef** (opt-in) - In password mode, interactive setup also supports plaintext or SecretRef storage. - Non-interactive token SecretRef path: `--gateway-token-ref-env `. - Requires a non-empty env var in the setup process environment. - Cannot be combined with `--gateway-token`. - Disable auth only if you fully trust every local process. - Non-loopback binds still require auth. - [WhatsApp](/channels/whatsapp): optional QR login - [Telegram](/channels/telegram): bot token - [Discord](/channels/discord): bot token - [Google Chat](/channels/googlechat): service account JSON + webhook audience - [Mattermost](/channels/mattermost) plugin: bot token + base URL - [Signal](/channels/signal): optional `signal-cli` install + account config - [BlueBubbles](/channels/bluebubbles): recommended for iMessage; server URL + password + webhook - [iMessage](/channels/imessage): legacy `imsg` CLI path + DB access - DM security: default is pairing. First DM sends a code; approve via `openclaw pairing approve ` or use allowlists. - macOS: LaunchAgent - Requires logged-in user session; for headless, use a custom LaunchDaemon (not shipped). - Linux and Windows via WSL2: systemd user unit - Wizard attempts `loginctl enable-linger ` so gateway stays up after logout. - May prompt for sudo (writes `/var/lib/systemd/linger`); it tries without sudo first. - Runtime selection: Node (recommended; required for WhatsApp and Telegram). Bun is not recommended. - Starts gateway (if needed) and runs `openclaw health`. - `openclaw status --deep` adds gateway health probes to status output. - Reads available skills and checks requirements. - Lets you choose node manager: npm or pnpm (bun not recommended). - Installs optional dependencies (some use Homebrew on macOS). - Summary and next steps, including iOS, Android, and macOS app options. If no GUI is detected, the wizard prints SSH port-forward instructions for the Control UI instead of opening a browser. If Control UI assets are missing, the wizard attempts to build them; fallback is `pnpm ui:build` (auto-installs UI deps).

Remote mode details

Remote mode configures this machine to connect to a gateway elsewhere.

Remote mode does not install or modify anything on the remote host.

What you set:

• Remote gateway URL (ws://...)
• Token if remote gateway auth is required (recommended)

- If gateway is loopback-only, use SSH tunneling or a tailnet. - Discovery hints: - macOS: Bonjour (`dns-sd`) - Linux: Avahi (`avahi-browse`)

Auth and model options

Uses `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` if present or prompts for a key, then saves it for daemon use. - macOS: checks Keychain item "Claude Code-credentials" - Linux and Windows: reuses `~/.claude/.credentials.json` if present

On macOS, choose "Always Allow" so launchd starts do not block.

Run `claude setup-token` on any machine, then paste the token. You can name it; blank uses default. If `~/.codex/auth.json` exists, the wizard can reuse it. Browser flow; paste `code#state`.

Sets `agents.defaults.model` to `openai-codex/gpt-5.4` when model is unset or `openai/*`.

Uses `OPENAI_API_KEY` if present or prompts for a key, then stores the credential in auth profiles.

Sets `agents.defaults.model` to `openai/gpt-5.1-codex` when model is unset, `openai/*`, or `openai-codex/*`.

Prompts for `XAI_API_KEY` and configures xAI as a model provider. Prompts for `OPENCODE_API_KEY` (or `OPENCODE_ZEN_API_KEY`) and lets you choose the Zen or Go catalog. Setup URL: [opencode.ai/auth](https://opencode.ai/auth). Stores the key for you. Prompts for `AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY`. More detail: [Vercel AI Gateway](/providers/vercel-ai-gateway). Prompts for account ID, gateway ID, and `CLOUDFLARE_AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY`. More detail: [Cloudflare AI Gateway](/providers/cloudflare-ai-gateway). Config is auto-written. More detail: [MiniMax](/providers/minimax). Prompts for `SYNTHETIC_API_KEY`. More detail: [Synthetic](/providers/synthetic). Prompts for base URL (default `http://127.0.0.1:11434`), then offers Cloud + Local or Local mode. Discovers available models and suggests defaults. More detail: [Ollama](/providers/ollama). Moonshot (Kimi K2) and Kimi Coding configs are auto-written. More detail: [Moonshot AI (Kimi + Kimi Coding)](/providers/moonshot). Works with OpenAI-compatible and Anthropic-compatible endpoints.

Interactive onboarding supports the same API key storage choices as other provider API key flows:
- **Paste API key now** (plaintext)
- **Use secret reference** (env ref or configured provider ref, with preflight validation)

Non-interactive flags:
- `--auth-choice custom-api-key`
- `--custom-base-url`
- `--custom-model-id`
- `--custom-api-key` (optional; falls back to `CUSTOM_API_KEY`)
- `--custom-provider-id` (optional)
- `--custom-compatibility <openai|anthropic>` (optional; default `openai`)

Leaves auth unconfigured.

Model behavior:

• Pick default model from detected options, or enter provider and model manually.
• Wizard runs a model check and warns if the configured model is unknown or missing auth.

Credential and profile paths:

• OAuth credentials: ~/.openclaw/credentials/oauth.json
• Auth profiles (API keys + OAuth): ~/.openclaw/agents/<agentId>/agent/auth-profiles.json

Credential storage mode:

• Default setup behavior persists API keys as plaintext values in auth profiles.
• --secret-input-mode ref enables reference mode instead of plaintext key storage. In interactive setup, you can choose either:
  • environment variable ref (for example keyRef: { source: "env", provider: "default", id: "OPENAI_API_KEY" })
  • configured provider ref (file or exec) with provider alias + id
• Interactive reference mode runs a fast preflight validation before saving.
  • Env refs: validates variable name + non-empty value in the current setup environment.
  • Provider refs: validates provider config and resolves the requested id.
  • If preflight fails, setup shows the error and lets you retry.
• In non-interactive mode, --secret-input-mode ref is env-backed only.
  • Set the provider env var in the setup process environment.
  • Inline key flags (for example --openai-api-key) require that env var to be set; otherwise setup fails fast.
  • For custom providers, non-interactive ref mode stores models.providers.<id>.apiKey as { source: "env", provider: "default", id: "CUSTOM_API_KEY" }.
  • In that custom-provider case, --custom-api-key requires CUSTOM_API_KEY to be set; otherwise setup fails fast.
• Gateway auth credentials support plaintext and SecretRef choices in interactive setup:
  • Token mode: Generate/store plaintext token (default) or Use SecretRef.
  • Password mode: plaintext or SecretRef.
• Non-interactive token SecretRef path: --gateway-token-ref-env <ENV_VAR>.
• Existing plaintext setups continue to work unchanged.

Headless and server tip: complete OAuth on a machine with a browser, then copy `~/.openclaw/credentials/oauth.json` (or `$OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR/credentials/oauth.json`) to the gateway host.

Outputs and internals

Typical fields in ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json:

• agents.defaults.workspace
• agents.defaults.model / models.providers (if Minimax chosen)
• tools.profile (local setup defaults to "coding" when unset; existing explicit values are preserved)
• gateway.* (mode, bind, auth, tailscale)
• session.dmScope (local setup defaults this to per-channel-peer when unset; existing explicit values are preserved)
• channels.telegram.botToken, channels.discord.token, channels.signal.*, channels.imessage.*
• Channel allowlists (Slack, Discord, Matrix, Microsoft Teams) when you opt in during prompts (names resolve to IDs when possible)
• skills.install.nodeManager
• wizard.lastRunAt
• wizard.lastRunVersion
• wizard.lastRunCommit
• wizard.lastRunCommand
• wizard.lastRunMode

openclaw agents add writes agents.list[] and optional bindings.

WhatsApp credentials go under ~/.openclaw/credentials/whatsapp/<accountId>/. Sessions are stored under ~/.openclaw/agents/<agentId>/sessions/.

Some channels are delivered as plugins. When selected during setup, the wizard prompts to install the plugin (npm or local path) before channel configuration.

Gateway wizard RPC:

• wizard.start
• wizard.next
• wizard.cancel
• wizard.status

Clients (macOS app and Control UI) can render steps without re-implementing onboarding logic.

Signal setup behavior:

• Downloads the appropriate release asset
• Stores it under ~/.openclaw/tools/signal-cli/<version>/
• Writes channels.signal.cliPath in config
• JVM builds require Java 21
• Native builds are used when available
• Windows uses WSL2 and follows Linux signal-cli flow inside WSL

Related docs

• Onboarding hub: Setup Wizard (CLI)
• Automation and scripts: CLI Automation
• Command reference: openclaw setup --wizard