Files
openclaw/docs/start/wizard.md
Peter Steinberger 96f0983a85 fix(onboarding): skip setup for configured gateways and require inference first (#102883)
* fix(crestodian): keep onboarding RPCs restart-safe

* fix(profiles): isolate approval state migrations

* fix(crestodian): bypass configured gateway setup

* test(crestodian): type onboarding mocks

* fix(onboarding): require inference before Crestodian

* fix(onboarding): enforce verified inference handoff

* fix(macos): reset setup on gateway endpoint edits

* chore(i18n): refresh native source inventory

* fix(gateway): keep socket on request cancellation

* test(packaging): require workspace templates

* fix(onboarding): bind setup to verified inference

* fix(onboarding): align inference gate contracts

* fix(crestodian): classify concurrent policy rejection

* test(crestodian): expect registry restoration

* fix(onboarding): bind setup to configured gateways

* fix(codex): preserve startup phase deadlines

* test(crestodian): match fail-closed policy ordering

* test(onboarding): assert bound gateway handoff

* fix(codex): bind runtime resolution to spawn cwd

* test(crestodian): assert policy rejection order

* fix(cli): preserve gateway routing across restarts

* fix(macos): fail closed during gateway edits

* test(macos): cover gateway route generation races

* chore: keep release notes out of onboarding PR

* fix(ci): refresh onboarding generated checks

* style(swift): align gateway channel formatting

* fix(ci): refresh plugin SDK surface budgets

* fix(ci): resync native string inventory

* refactor(swift): split gateway channel support

* test(doctor): isolate plugin compatibility registry

* test(macos): isolate gateway onboarding fixtures

* test(macos): assert gateway lease health ordering

* fix(codex): reconcile computer-use startup changes
2026-07-11 10:25:14 -07:00

217 lines
9.8 KiB
Markdown

---
summary: "CLI onboarding: verify inference, then hand remaining setup to Crestodian"
read_when:
- Running or configuring CLI onboarding
- Setting up a new machine
title: "Onboarding (CLI)"
sidebarTitle: "Onboarding: CLI"
---
```bash
openclaw onboard
```
CLI onboarding is the recommended terminal setup path on macOS, Linux, and
Windows (native or WSL2). By default it detects AI access already available on
the machine, verifies it with a real completion, and starts Crestodian to
configure the workspace, Gateway, and optional features. `openclaw setup` runs the same flow ([Setup](/cli/setup) covers
the `--baseline` config-only variant). Windows desktop users can also start
from [Windows Hub](/platforms/windows).
Guided onboarding establishes inference first. It detects available AI access,
requires a real completion, and only then starts [Crestodian](/cli/crestodian)
to configure the rest of OpenClaw. There is no pre-inference Crestodian or
skip-AI path in the guided flow.
The classic wizard remains available for provider sign-in, remote Gateway
setup, channel pairing, daemon controls, skills, and imports. Run it explicitly
with `openclaw onboard --classic`; the guided inference candidate screen does
not delegate into it. After inference passes, Crestodian can use `open channel
wizard for <channel>` to hand channel setup that needs secrets to a masked
terminal wizard. To change the model provider or its authentication, exit
Crestodian and run `openclaw onboard`; Crestodian does not open guided or
classic provider flows.
<Info>
Fastest first chat: finish guided setup, run `openclaw dashboard`, and chat in
the browser through the Control UI. Docs: [Dashboard](/web/dashboard).
</Info>
## Locale
The wizard localizes fixed onboarding copy. Resolve order: `OPENCLAW_LOCALE`,
`LC_ALL`, `LC_MESSAGES`, `LANG`, then English. Supported locales: `en`,
`zh-CN`, `zh-TW`.
```bash
OPENCLAW_LOCALE=zh-CN openclaw onboard
```
Product names, commands, config keys, URLs, provider IDs, model IDs, and
plugin/channel labels stay in English regardless of locale.
To reconfigure non-inference settings later:
```bash
openclaw configure
openclaw agents add <name>
```
<Note>
`--json` does not imply non-interactive mode. For scripts, use `--non-interactive` (see [CLI automation](/start/wizard-cli-automation)).
</Note>
<Tip>
The classic wizard includes a web search step where you can pick a provider: Brave,
DuckDuckGo, Exa, Firecrawl, Gemini, Grok, Kimi, MiniMax Search, Ollama Web
Search, Perplexity, SearXNG, or Tavily. Some need an API key; others are
key-free. Configure this later with `openclaw configure --section web`. Docs:
[Web tools](/tools/web).
</Tip>
## Guided default
Plain `openclaw onboard` follows this path:
1. Accept the security notice.
2. Detect configured models, API-key environment variables, and supported local
AI CLIs.
3. Test the first detected candidate with a real completion. On failure, show the
reason and continue to the next usable candidate.
4. If detection is exhausted, retry a detected candidate or enter a provider
API key in a masked prompt. Guided onboarding
does not offer Crestodian or a skip-AI exit before inference works.
5. Persist only the verified model route and any credential/plugin state it
requires. Workspace and Gateway settings remain untouched.
6. Start Crestodian with the verified model so it can configure the workspace,
Gateway, channels, agents, plugins, and the remaining optional setup.
Re-running the command on a configured installation tests the current default
model first, making the guided flow a verification and repair pass. A failing
check never replaces the configured model automatically; onboarding stops and
asks how to continue. Run `openclaw channels add` or `openclaw configure` for
later non-inference additions; use `openclaw onboard` for provider or auth route
changes.
## Classic wizard: QuickStart vs Advanced
Run `openclaw onboard --classic` to open the full wizard. It starts with a
choice between **QuickStart** (defaults) and **Advanced** (full control). Pass
`--flow quickstart` or `--flow advanced` (alias `manual`) to select the classic
flow and skip that prompt.
<Tabs>
<Tab title="QuickStart (defaults)">
- Local gateway, loopback bind
- Workspace default (or existing workspace)
- Gateway port **18789**
- Gateway auth **Token** (auto-generated, even on loopback)
- Tool policy: `tools.profile: "coding"` for new setups (an existing explicit profile is preserved)
- DM isolation: `session.dmScope: "per-channel-peer"` for new setups. Details: [CLI setup reference](/start/wizard-cli-reference#outputs-and-internals)
- Tailscale exposure **Off**
- Telegram and WhatsApp DMs default to **allowlist**: Telegram asks for a numeric Telegram user ID, WhatsApp asks for a phone number
</Tab>
<Tab title="Advanced (full control)">
- Exposes every step: mode, workspace, gateway, channels, daemon, skills
</Tab>
</Tabs>
Remote mode (`--mode remote`) always uses the advanced flow; it only
configures this machine to connect to a Gateway elsewhere and never installs
or changes anything on the remote host.
## What classic onboarding configures
Local mode (default) walks through these steps:
1. **Model/Auth** - pick a provider auth flow (API key, OAuth, or
provider-specific manual auth), including Custom Provider
(OpenAI-compatible, OpenAI Responses-compatible, Anthropic-compatible, or
Unknown auto-detect). Pick a default model.
Fresh OpenAI API-key setup defaults to `openai/gpt-5.6` (the bare direct-API
id resolves to Sol); fresh ChatGPT/Codex setup defaults to
`openai/gpt-5.6-sol`. Re-running setup preserves an existing explicit model,
including `openai/gpt-5.5`. Select `openai/gpt-5.5` explicitly if the
account does not expose GPT-5.6.
Security note: if this agent will run tools or process webhook/hook
content, prefer the strongest latest-generation model available and keep
tool policy strict - weaker or older tiers are easier to prompt-inject.
For non-interactive runs, `--secret-input-mode ref` stores env-backed refs
instead of plaintext API key values; the referenced env var must already
be set, or onboarding fails fast. Interactive secret reference mode can
point at an environment variable or a configured provider ref (`file` or
`exec`), with a fast preflight check before saving. After model/auth setup,
the wizard offers an optional live completion test; a failure can return to
model/auth setup once or be ignored without blocking the rest of the
classic wizard. Ignoring it does not unlock Crestodian; conversational setup
still requires a passing inference check.
2. **Workspace** - directory for agent files (default `~/.openclaw/workspace`). Seeds bootstrap files.
3. **Gateway** - port, bind address, auth mode, Tailscale exposure. In
interactive token mode, choose plaintext token storage (default) or opt
into a SecretRef. Non-interactive SecretRef path: `--gateway-token-ref-env <ENV_VAR>`.
4. **Channels** - built-in and official plugin chat channels, including
Discord, Feishu, Google Chat, iMessage, Mattermost, Microsoft Teams,
QQ Bot, Signal, Slack, Telegram, WhatsApp, and more.
5. **Daemon** - installs a LaunchAgent (macOS), a systemd user unit
(Linux/WSL2), or a native Windows Scheduled Task with a per-user
Startup-folder fallback.
If token auth is required and `gateway.auth.token` is SecretRef-managed,
daemon install validates it but does not persist a resolved token into
supervisor service environment metadata; an unresolved SecretRef blocks
install with guidance. If both `gateway.auth.token` and
`gateway.auth.password` are set while `gateway.auth.mode` is unset, install
is blocked until you set the mode explicitly.
6. **Health check** - starts the Gateway and verifies it is reachable.
7. **Skills** - installs recommended skills and their optional dependencies.
<Note>
Re-running onboarding does **not** wipe anything unless you explicitly choose
**Reset** (or pass `--reset`). CLI `--reset` defaults to config, credentials,
and sessions; use `--reset-scope full` to also remove the workspace. If the
config is invalid or contains legacy keys, onboarding asks you to run
`openclaw doctor` first.
</Note>
`--flow import` runs a detected migration flow (for example Hermes) in the
classic wizard instead of fresh setup; see [Migrate](/cli/migrate) and the migration guides under
[Install](/install/migrating-hermes). `openclaw onboard --modern` is a
compatibility alias for [Crestodian](/cli/crestodian). It uses the same
inference gate as `openclaw crestodian`: verified inference starts the
assistant, while an interactive failure returns to guided inference setup.
## Add another agent
Use `openclaw agents add <name>` to create a separate agent with its own
workspace, sessions, and auth profiles. Running without `--workspace` starts
an interactive flow for name, workspace, auth, channels, and bindings - it is
not the full `openclaw onboard` wizard.
What it sets:
- `agents.list[].name`
- `agents.list[].workspace`
- `agents.list[].agentDir`
Notes:
- Default workspace: `~/.openclaw/workspace-<agentId>` (or under
`agents.defaults.workspace` if that is set).
- Add `bindings` to route inbound messages to this agent (onboarding can do this for you).
- Non-interactive flags: `--model`, `--agent-dir`, `--bind`, `--non-interactive`.
## Full reference
For detailed step-by-step behavior and config outputs, see
[CLI setup reference](/start/wizard-cli-reference).
For non-interactive examples, see [CLI automation](/start/wizard-cli-automation).
For the full flag reference, see [`openclaw onboard`](/cli/onboard).
## Related docs
- CLI command reference: [`openclaw onboard`](/cli/onboard)
- Onboarding overview: [Onboarding overview](/start/onboarding-overview)
- macOS app onboarding: [Onboarding](/start/onboarding)
- Agent first-run ritual: [Agent Bootstrapping](/start/bootstrapping)