openclaw/docs/plugins/sdk-runtime.md

summary, title, sidebarTitle, read_when

summary	title	sidebarTitle	read_when
api.runtime -- the injected runtime helpers available to plugins	Plugin runtime helpers	Runtime helpers	You need to call core helpers from a plugin (TTS, STT, image gen, web search, subagent, nodes) You want to understand what api.runtime exposes You are accessing config, agent, or media helpers from plugin code

Reference for the api.runtime object injected into every plugin during registration. Use these helpers instead of importing host internals directly.

Step-by-step guide that uses these helpers in context for channel plugins. Step-by-step guide that uses these helpers in context for provider plugins.

register(api) {
  const runtime = api.runtime;
}

Config loading and writes

Prefer config that was already passed into the active call path, for example api.config during registration or a cfg argument on channel/provider callbacks. This keeps one process snapshot flowing through the work instead of reparsing config on hot paths.

Use api.runtime.config.current() only when a long-lived handler needs the current process snapshot and no config was passed to that function. The returned value is readonly; clone or use a mutation helper before editing.

Tool factories receive ctx.runtimeConfig plus ctx.getRuntimeConfig(). Use the getter inside a long-lived tool's execute callback when config can change after the tool definition was created.

Persist changes with api.runtime.config.mutateConfigFile(...) or api.runtime.config.replaceConfigFile(...). Each write must choose an explicit afterWrite policy:

• afterWrite: { mode: "auto" } lets the gateway reload planner decide.
• afterWrite: { mode: "restart", reason: "..." } forces a clean restart when the writer knows hot reload is unsafe.
• afterWrite: { mode: "none", reason: "..." } suppresses automatic reload/restart only when the caller owns the follow-up.

The mutation helpers return afterWrite plus a typed followUp summary so callers can log or test whether they requested a restart. The gateway still owns when that restart actually happens.

api.runtime.config.loadConfig() and api.runtime.config.writeConfigFile(...) are deprecated compatibility helpers under runtime-config-load-write. They warn once at runtime, and remain available for old external plugins during the migration window. Bundled plugins must not use them; the config boundary guards fail if plugin code calls them or imports those helpers from plugin SDK subpaths.

For direct SDK imports, use the focused config subpaths instead of the broad openclaw/plugin-sdk/config-runtime compatibility barrel: config-contracts for types, plugin-config-runtime for already-loaded config assertions and plugin entry lookup, runtime-config-snapshot for current process snapshots, and config-mutation for writes. Bundled plugin tests should mock these focused subpaths directly instead of mocking the broad compatibility barrel.

Internal OpenClaw runtime code has the same direction: load config once at the CLI, gateway, or process boundary, then pass that value through. Successful mutation writes refresh the process runtime snapshot and advance its internal revision; long-lived caches should key off the runtime-owned cache key instead of serializing config locally. Long-lived runtime modules have a zero-tolerance scanner for ambient loadConfig() calls; use a passed cfg, a request context.getRuntimeConfig(), or getRuntimeConfig() at an explicit process boundary.

Provider and channel execution paths must use the active runtime config snapshot, not a file snapshot returned for config readback or editing. File snapshots preserve source values such as SecretRef markers for UI and writes; provider callbacks need the resolved runtime view. When a helper may be called with either the active source snapshot or the active runtime snapshot, route through selectApplicableRuntimeConfig() before reading credentials.

Runtime namespaces

Agent identity, directories, and session management.

```typescript
// Resolve the agent's working directory
const agentDir = api.runtime.agent.resolveAgentDir(cfg);

// Resolve agent workspace
const workspaceDir = api.runtime.agent.resolveAgentWorkspaceDir(cfg);

// Get agent identity
const identity = api.runtime.agent.resolveAgentIdentity(cfg);

// Get default thinking level
const thinking = api.runtime.agent.resolveThinkingDefault({
  cfg,
  provider,
  model,
});

// Validate a user-provided thinking level against the active provider profile
const policy = api.runtime.agent.resolveThinkingPolicy({ provider, model });
const level = api.runtime.agent.normalizeThinkingLevel("extra high");
if (level && policy.levels.some((entry) => entry.id === level)) {
  // pass level to an embedded run
}

// Get agent timeout
const timeoutMs = api.runtime.agent.resolveAgentTimeoutMs(cfg);

// Ensure workspace exists
await api.runtime.agent.ensureAgentWorkspace(cfg);

// Run an embedded agent turn
const agentDir = api.runtime.agent.resolveAgentDir(cfg);
const result = await api.runtime.agent.runEmbeddedAgent({
  sessionId: "my-plugin:task-1",
  runId: crypto.randomUUID(),
  sessionFile: path.join(agentDir, "sessions", "my-plugin-task-1.jsonl"),
  workspaceDir: api.runtime.agent.resolveAgentWorkspaceDir(cfg),
  prompt: "Summarize the latest changes",
  timeoutMs: api.runtime.agent.resolveAgentTimeoutMs(cfg),
});
```

`runEmbeddedAgent(...)` is the neutral helper for starting a normal OpenClaw agent turn from plugin code. It uses the same provider/model resolution and agent-harness selection as channel-triggered replies.

`runEmbeddedPiAgent(...)` remains as a compatibility alias.

`resolveThinkingPolicy(...)` returns the provider/model's supported thinking levels and optional default. Provider plugins own the model-specific profile through their thinking hooks, so tool plugins should call this runtime helper instead of importing or duplicating provider lists.

`normalizeThinkingLevel(...)` converts user text such as `on`, `x-high`, or `extra high` to the canonical stored level before checking it against the resolved policy.

**SQLite session row helpers** are under `api.runtime.agent.session`:

```typescript
const entry = api.runtime.agent.session.getSessionEntry({ agentId, sessionKey });
await api.runtime.agent.session.patchSessionEntry({
  agentId,
  sessionKey,
  update: (current) => ({
    ...current,
    thinkingLevel: "high",
  }),
});
const filePath = api.runtime.agent.session.resolveSessionFilePath(cfg, sessionId);
```

Prefer row helpers such as `getSessionEntry(...)`, `listSessionEntries(...)`, `patchSessionEntry(...)`, and `upsertSessionEntry(...)` for runtime writes. They route through the SQLite session row store and preserve concurrent updates. Legacy `sessions.json` parsing belongs in doctor/migration code, not plugin runtime paths.

Default model and provider constants:

```typescript
const model = api.runtime.agent.defaults.model; // e.g. "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6"
const provider = api.runtime.agent.defaults.provider; // e.g. "anthropic"
```

Run a host-owned text completion without importing provider internals or duplicating OpenClaw model/auth/base URL preparation.

```typescript
const result = await api.runtime.llm.complete({
  messages: [{ role: "user", content: "Summarize this transcript." }],
  purpose: "my-plugin.summary",
  maxTokens: 512,
  temperature: 0.2,
});
```

The helper uses the same simple-completion preparation path as OpenClaw's
built-in runtime and the host-owned runtime config snapshot. Context engines
receive a session-bound `llm.complete` capability, so model calls use the
active session's agent and do not silently fall back to the default agent. The
result includes provider/model/agent attribution plus normalized token,
cache, and estimated cost usage when available.

<Warning>
Model overrides require operator opt-in via `plugins.entries.<id>.llm.allowModelOverride: true` in config. Use `plugins.entries.<id>.llm.allowedModels` to restrict trusted plugins to specific canonical `provider/model` targets. Cross-agent completions require `plugins.entries.<id>.llm.allowAgentIdOverride: true`.
</Warning>

Launch and manage background subagent runs.

```typescript
// Start a subagent run
const { runId } = await api.runtime.subagent.run({
  sessionKey: "agent:main:subagent:search-helper",
  message: "Expand this query into focused follow-up searches.",
  provider: "openai", // optional override
  model: "gpt-4.1-mini", // optional override
  deliver: false,
});

// Wait for completion
const result = await api.runtime.subagent.waitForRun({ runId, timeoutMs: 30000 });

// Read session messages
const { messages } = await api.runtime.subagent.getSessionMessages({
  sessionKey: "agent:main:subagent:search-helper",
  limit: 10,
});

// Delete a session
await api.runtime.subagent.deleteSession({
  sessionKey: "agent:main:subagent:search-helper",
});
```

<Warning>
Model overrides (`provider`/`model`) require operator opt-in via `plugins.entries.<id>.subagent.allowModelOverride: true` in config. Untrusted plugins can still run subagents, but override requests are rejected.
</Warning>

`deleteSession(...)` can delete sessions created by the same plugin through `api.runtime.subagent.run(...)`. Deleting arbitrary user or operator sessions still requires an admin-scoped Gateway request.

List connected nodes and invoke a node-host command from Gateway-loaded plugin code or from plugin CLI commands. Use this when a plugin owns local work on a paired device, for example a browser or audio bridge on another Mac.

```typescript
const { nodes } = await api.runtime.nodes.list({ connected: true });

const result = await api.runtime.nodes.invoke({
  nodeId: "mac-studio",
  command: "my-plugin.command",
  params: { action: "start" },
  timeoutMs: 30000,
});
```

Inside the Gateway this runtime is in-process. In plugin CLI commands it calls the configured Gateway over RPC, so commands such as `openclaw googlemeet recover-tab` can inspect paired nodes from the terminal. Node commands still go through normal Gateway node pairing, command allowlists, plugin node-invoke policies, and node-local command handling.

Plugins that expose dangerous node-host commands should register a node-invoke policy with `api.registerNodeInvokePolicy(...)`. The policy runs in the Gateway after command allowlist checks and before the command is forwarded to the node, so direct `node.invoke` calls and higher-level plugin tools share the same enforcement path.

Bind a Task Flow runtime to an existing OpenClaw session key or trusted tool context, then create and manage Task Flows without passing an owner on every call.

Task Flow tracks durable multi-step workflow state. It is not a scheduler:
use Cron or `api.session.workflow.scheduleSessionTurn(...)` for future
wakeups, then use `managedFlows` from the scheduled turn when that work
needs flow state, child tasks, waits, or cancellation.

```typescript
const taskFlow = api.runtime.tasks.managedFlows.fromToolContext(ctx);

const created = taskFlow.createManaged({
  controllerId: "my-plugin/review-batch",
  goal: "Review new pull requests",
});

const child = taskFlow.runTask({
  flowId: created.flowId,
  runtime: "acp",
  childSessionKey: "agent:main:subagent:reviewer",
  task: "Review PR #123",
  status: "running",
  startedAt: Date.now(),
});

const waiting = taskFlow.setWaiting({
  flowId: created.flowId,
  expectedRevision: created.revision,
  currentStep: "await-human-reply",
  waitJson: { kind: "reply", channel: "telegram" },
});
```

Use `bindSession({ sessionKey, requesterOrigin })` when you already have a trusted OpenClaw session key from your own binding layer. Do not bind from raw user input.

Text-to-speech synthesis.

```typescript
// Standard TTS
const clip = await api.runtime.tts.textToSpeech({
  text: "Hello from OpenClaw",
  cfg: api.config,
});

// Telephony-optimized TTS
const telephonyClip = await api.runtime.tts.textToSpeechTelephony({
  text: "Hello from OpenClaw",
  cfg: api.config,
});

// List available voices
const voices = await api.runtime.tts.listVoices({
  provider: "elevenlabs",
  cfg: api.config,
});
```

Uses core `messages.tts` configuration and provider selection. Returns PCM audio buffer + sample rate.

Image, audio, and video analysis.

```typescript
// Describe an image
const image = await api.runtime.mediaUnderstanding.describeImageFile({
  filePath: "/tmp/inbound-photo.jpg",
  cfg: api.config,
  agentDir: "/tmp/agent",
});

// Transcribe audio
const { text } = await api.runtime.mediaUnderstanding.transcribeAudioFile({
  filePath: "/tmp/inbound-audio.ogg",
  cfg: api.config,
  mime: "audio/ogg", // optional, for when MIME cannot be inferred
});

// Describe a video
const video = await api.runtime.mediaUnderstanding.describeVideoFile({
  filePath: "/tmp/inbound-video.mp4",
  cfg: api.config,
});

// Generic file analysis
const result = await api.runtime.mediaUnderstanding.runFile({
  filePath: "/tmp/inbound-file.pdf",
  cfg: api.config,
});

// Structured image extraction through a specific provider/model.
// Include at least one image; text inputs are supplemental context.
const evidence = await api.runtime.mediaUnderstanding.extractStructuredWithModel({
  provider: "codex",
  model: "gpt-5.5",
  input: [
    {
      type: "image",
      buffer: receiptImageBuffer,
      fileName: "receipt.png",
      mime: "image/png",
    },
    { type: "text", text: "Prefer the printed total over handwritten notes." },
  ],
  instructions: "Extract vendor, total, and searchable tags.",
  schemaName: "receipt.evidence",
  jsonSchema: {
    type: "object",
    properties: {
      vendor: { type: "string" },
      total: { type: "number" },
      tags: { type: "array", items: { type: "string" } },
    },
    required: ["vendor", "total"],
  },
  cfg: api.config,
});
```

Returns `{ text: undefined }` when no output is produced (e.g. skipped input).

<Info>
`api.runtime.stt.transcribeAudioFile(...)` remains as a compatibility alias for `api.runtime.mediaUnderstanding.transcribeAudioFile(...)`.
</Info>

Image generation.

```typescript
const result = await api.runtime.imageGeneration.generate({
  prompt: "A robot painting a sunset",
  cfg: api.config,
});

const providers = api.runtime.imageGeneration.listProviders({ cfg: api.config });
```

Web search.

```typescript
const providers = api.runtime.webSearch.listProviders({ config: api.config });

const result = await api.runtime.webSearch.search({
  config: api.config,
  args: { query: "OpenClaw plugin SDK", count: 5 },
});
```

Low-level media utilities.

```typescript
const webMedia = await api.runtime.media.loadWebMedia(url);
const mime = await api.runtime.media.detectMime(buffer);
const kind = api.runtime.media.mediaKindFromMime("image/jpeg"); // "image"
const isVoice = api.runtime.media.isVoiceCompatibleAudio(filePath);
const metadata = await api.runtime.media.getImageMetadata(filePath);
const resized = await api.runtime.media.resizeToJpeg(buffer, { maxWidth: 800 });
const terminalQr = await api.runtime.media.renderQrTerminal("https://openclaw.ai");
const pngQr = await api.runtime.media.renderQrPngBase64("https://openclaw.ai", {
  scale: 6, // 1-12
  marginModules: 4, // 0-16
});
const pngQrDataUrl = await api.runtime.media.renderQrPngDataUrl("https://openclaw.ai");
const tmpRoot = resolvePreferredOpenClawTmpDir();
const pngQrFile = await api.runtime.media.writeQrPngTempFile("https://openclaw.ai", {
  tmpRoot,
  dirPrefix: "my-plugin-qr-",
  fileName: "qr.png",
});
```

Current runtime config snapshot and transactional config writes. Prefer config that was already passed into the active call path; use `current()` only when the handler needs the process snapshot directly.

```typescript
const cfg = api.runtime.config.current();
await api.runtime.config.mutateConfigFile({
  afterWrite: { mode: "auto" },
  mutate(draft) {
    draft.plugins ??= {};
  },
});
```

`mutateConfigFile(...)` and `replaceConfigFile(...)` return a `followUp`
value, for example `{ mode: "restart", requiresRestart: true, reason }`,
which records the writer intent without taking restart control away from the
gateway.

System-level utilities.

```typescript
await api.runtime.system.enqueueSystemEvent(event);
api.runtime.system.requestHeartbeat({
  source: "other",
  intent: "event",
  reason: "plugin-event",
});
api.runtime.system.requestHeartbeatNow({ reason: "plugin-event" }); // Deprecated compatibility alias.
const output = await api.runtime.system.runCommandWithTimeout(cmd, args, opts);
const hint = api.runtime.system.formatNativeDependencyHint(pkg);
```

Event subscriptions.

```typescript
api.runtime.events.onAgentEvent((event) => {
  /* ... */
});
api.runtime.events.onSessionTranscriptUpdate((update) => {
  /* ... */
});
```

Logging.

```typescript
const verbose = api.runtime.logging.shouldLogVerbose();
const childLogger = api.runtime.logging.getChildLogger({ plugin: "my-plugin" }, { level: "debug" });
```

Model and provider auth resolution.

```typescript
const auth = await api.runtime.modelAuth.getApiKeyForModel({ model, cfg });
const providerAuth = await api.runtime.modelAuth.resolveApiKeyForProvider({
  provider: "openai",
  cfg,
});
```

State directory resolution and SQLite-backed keyed storage.

```typescript
const stateDir = api.runtime.state.resolveStateDir(process.env);
const store = api.runtime.state.openKeyedStore<MyRecord>({
  namespace: "my-feature",
  maxEntries: 200,
  defaultTtlMs: 15 * 60_000,
});

await store.register("key-1", { value: "hello" });
const claimed = await store.registerIfAbsent("dedupe-key", { value: "first" });
const value = await store.lookup("key-1");
await store.consume("key-1");
await store.clear();
```

Keyed stores survive restarts and are isolated by the runtime-bound plugin id. Use `registerIfAbsent(...)` for atomic dedupe claims: it returns `true` when the key was missing or expired and registered, or `false` when a live value already exists without overwriting its value, creation time, or TTL. Limits: `maxEntries` per namespace, 1,000 live rows per plugin, JSON values under 64KB, and optional TTL expiry.

<Warning>
Bundled plugins only in this release.
</Warning>

Memory tool factories and CLI.

```typescript
const getTool = api.runtime.tools.createMemoryGetTool(/* ... */);
const searchTool = api.runtime.tools.createMemorySearchTool(/* ... */);
api.runtime.tools.registerMemoryCli(/* ... */);
```

Channel-specific runtime helpers (available when a channel plugin is loaded).

`api.runtime.channel.mentions` is the shared inbound mention-policy surface for bundled channel plugins that use runtime injection:

```typescript
const mentionMatch = api.runtime.channel.mentions.matchesMentionWithExplicit(text, {
  mentionRegexes,
  mentionPatterns,
});

const decision = api.runtime.channel.mentions.resolveInboundMentionDecision({
  facts: {
    canDetectMention: true,
    wasMentioned: mentionMatch.matched,
    implicitMentionKinds: api.runtime.channel.mentions.implicitMentionKindWhen(
      "reply_to_bot",
      isReplyToBot,
    ),
  },
  policy: {
    isGroup,
    requireMention,
    allowTextCommands,
    hasControlCommand,
    commandAuthorized,
  },
});
```

Available mention helpers:

- `buildMentionRegexes`
- `matchesMentionPatterns`
- `matchesMentionWithExplicit`
- `implicitMentionKindWhen`
- `resolveInboundMentionDecision`

`api.runtime.channel.mentions` intentionally does not expose the older `resolveMentionGating*` compatibility helpers. Prefer the normalized `{ facts, policy }` path.

Storing runtime references

Use createPluginRuntimeStore to store the runtime reference for use outside the register callback:

```typescript import { createPluginRuntimeStore } from "openclaw/plugin-sdk/runtime-store"; import type { PluginRuntime } from "openclaw/plugin-sdk/runtime-store";

const store = createPluginRuntimeStore<PluginRuntime>({
  pluginId: "my-plugin",
  errorMessage: "my-plugin runtime not initialized",
});
```

```typescript export default defineChannelPluginEntry({ id: "my-plugin", name: "My Plugin", description: "Example", plugin: myPlugin, setRuntime: store.setRuntime, }); ``` ```typescript export function getRuntime() { return store.getRuntime(); // throws if not initialized }

export function tryGetRuntime() {
  return store.tryGetRuntime(); // returns null if not initialized
}
```

Prefer `pluginId` for the runtime-store identity. The lower-level `key` form is for uncommon cases where one plugin intentionally needs more than one runtime slot.

Other top-level api fields

Beyond api.runtime, the API object also provides:

Plugin id. Plugin display name. Current config snapshot (active in-memory runtime snapshot when available). Plugin-specific config from `plugins.entries..config`. Scoped logger (`debug`, `info`, `warn`, `error`). Current load mode; `"setup-runtime"` is the lightweight pre-full-entry startup/setup window. Resolve a path relative to the plugin root.

Related

• Plugin internals — capability model and registry
• SDK entry points — definePluginEntry options
• SDK overview — subpath reference