Files
openclaw/docs/cli/setup.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

5.4 KiB

summary, read_when, title
summary read_when title
CLI reference for `openclaw setup` (alias for onboarding, with baseline setup available by flag)
You're doing first-run setup with the CLI onboarding wizard
You want to set the default workspace path
You need the baseline-only setup flag for scripts
Setup

openclaw setup

openclaw setup runs the same guided onboarding flow as openclaw onboard: it verifies and persists inference first, then starts Crestodian to configure the workspace, Gateway, channels, skills, and health. Use --baseline when you only need to initialize config/workspace folders without the wizard.

In guided mode, --workspace <dir> is the workspace proposed to Crestodian; it is persisted only after you approve that proposal. Baseline, classic, and noninteractive setup persist the supplied workspace through their normal flow.

setup accepts the same onboarding flags as openclaw onboard, including auth (--auth-choice, --token, provider key flags), Gateway (--gateway-port, --gateway-bind, --gateway-auth, --install-daemon), Tailscale (--tailscale), reset (--reset, --reset-scope), flow (--flow quickstart|advanced|manual|import), and skip flags (--skip-channels, --skip-skills, --skip-bootstrap, --skip-search, --skip-health, --skip-ui, --skip-hooks). See Onboard and CLI automation for the full flag reference and non-interactive examples. openclaw onboard --modern is the compatibility alias for the inference-gated Crestodian assistant and has no setup equivalent.

`openclaw setup` is for mutable config installs. In Nix mode (`OPENCLAW_NIX_MODE=1`) OpenClaw refuses setup writes because the config file is managed by Nix. Use the first-party [nix-openclaw Quick Start](https://github.com/openclaw/nix-openclaw#quick-start) or the equivalent source config for another Nix package.

Options

Flag Description
--workspace <dir> Workspace proposal in guided mode; persisted directly by baseline, classic, and noninteractive setup.
--baseline Create baseline config/workspace/session folders without onboarding.
--wizard Accepted for compatibility; setup runs onboarding by default.
--non-interactive Run onboarding without prompts.
--accept-risk Acknowledge full-system agent access risk; required with --non-interactive.
--mode <mode> Onboarding mode: local or remote.
--flow <flow> Onboard flow: quickstart, advanced, manual, or import.
--reset Reset config + credentials + sessions before onboarding (workspace only with --reset-scope full).
--reset-scope <scope> Reset scope: config, config+creds+sessions, or full.
--import-from <provider> Migration provider to run during onboarding.
--import-source <path> Source agent home for --import-from.
--import-secrets Import supported secrets during onboarding migration.
--remote-url <url> Remote Gateway WebSocket URL.
--remote-token <token> Remote Gateway token (optional).
--json Output a JSON summary.

--classic and --non-interactive are mutually exclusive: classic opens the prompted wizard, while noninteractive setup uses the automation path.

Baseline mode

openclaw setup --baseline preserves the older baseline-only behavior: it creates the config, workspace, and session directories, then exits without running onboarding.

Examples

openclaw setup
openclaw setup --baseline
openclaw setup --workspace ~/.openclaw/workspace
openclaw setup --import-from hermes --import-source ~/.hermes
openclaw setup --non-interactive --accept-risk --mode remote --remote-url wss://gateway-host:18789 --remote-token <token>

Notes

  • After baseline setup, run openclaw setup or openclaw onboard for the full guided journey, openclaw configure for targeted changes, or openclaw channels add to add channel accounts.
  • If Hermes state is detected, interactive onboarding can offer migration automatically. Import onboarding requires a fresh setup; use Migrate for dry-run plans, backups, and overwrite mode outside onboarding.