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openclaw config

Config helpers for non-interactive edits in openclaw.json: get/set/unset/file/schema/validate values by path and print the active config file. Run without a subcommand to open the configure wizard (same as openclaw configure).

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Examples

openclaw config file
openclaw config schema
openclaw config get browser.executablePath
openclaw config set browser.executablePath "/usr/bin/google-chrome"
openclaw config set agents.defaults.heartbeat.every "2h"
openclaw config set agents.list[0].tools.exec.node "node-id-or-name"
openclaw config set channels.discord.token --ref-provider default --ref-source env --ref-id DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN
openclaw config set secrets.providers.vaultfile --provider-source file --provider-path /etc/openclaw/secrets.json --provider-mode json
openclaw config unset plugins.entries.brave.config.webSearch.apiKey
openclaw config set channels.discord.token --ref-provider default --ref-source env --ref-id DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN --dry-run
openclaw config validate
openclaw config validate --json

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config schema

Print the generated JSON schema for openclaw.json to stdout as plain text. 
openclaw config schema
Pipe it into a file when you want to inspect or validate it with other tools: 
openclaw config schema > openclaw.schema.json

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Paths

Paths use dot or bracket notation: 
openclaw config get agents.defaults.workspace
openclaw config get agents.list[0].id
Use the agent list index to target a specific agent: 
openclaw config get agents.list
openclaw config set agents.list[1].tools.exec.node "node-id-or-name"

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Values

Values are parsed as JSON5 when possible; otherwise they are treated as strings. Use --strict-json to require JSON5 parsing. --json remains supported as a legacy alias. 
openclaw config set agents.defaults.heartbeat.every "0m"
openclaw config set gateway.port 19001 --strict-json
openclaw config set channels.whatsapp.groups '["*"]' --strict-json

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config set modes

openclaw config set supports four assignment styles:
  1. Value mode: openclaw config set <path> <value>
  2. SecretRef builder mode:
openclaw config set channels.discord.token \
  --ref-provider default \
  --ref-source env \
  --ref-id DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN
  1. Provider builder mode (secrets.providers.<alias> path only):
openclaw config set secrets.providers.vault \
  --provider-source exec \
  --provider-command /usr/local/bin/openclaw-vault \
  --provider-arg read \
  --provider-arg openai/api-key \
  --provider-timeout-ms 5000
  1. Batch mode (--batch-json or --batch-file):
openclaw config set --batch-json '[
  {
    "path": "secrets.providers.default",
    "provider": { "source": "env" }
  },
  {
    "path": "channels.discord.token",
    "ref": { "source": "env", "provider": "default", "id": "DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN" }
  }
]'

openclaw config set --batch-file ./config-set.batch.json --dry-run
Policy note:
  • SecretRef assignments are rejected on unsupported runtime-mutable surfaces (for example hooks.token, commands.ownerDisplaySecret, Discord thread-binding webhook tokens, and WhatsApp creds JSON). See SecretRef Credential Surface.
Batch parsing always uses the batch payload (--batch-json/--batch-file) as the source of truth. --strict-json / --json do not change batch parsing behavior. JSON path/value mode remains supported for both SecretRefs and providers: 
openclaw config set channels.discord.token \
  '{"source":"env","provider":"default","id":"DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN"}' \
  --strict-json

openclaw config set secrets.providers.vaultfile \
  '{"source":"file","path":"/etc/openclaw/secrets.json","mode":"json"}' \
  --strict-json

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Provider Builder Flags

Provider builder targets must use secrets.providers.<alias> as the path. Common flags:
  • --provider-source <env|file|exec>
  • --provider-timeout-ms <ms> (file, exec)
Env provider (--provider-source env):
  • --provider-allowlist <ENV_VAR> (repeatable)
File provider (--provider-source file):
  • --provider-path <path> (required)
  • --provider-mode <singleValue|json>
  • --provider-max-bytes <bytes>
Exec provider (--provider-source exec):
  • --provider-command <path> (required)
  • --provider-arg <arg> (repeatable)
  • --provider-no-output-timeout-ms <ms>
  • --provider-max-output-bytes <bytes>
  • --provider-json-only
  • --provider-env <KEY=VALUE> (repeatable)
  • --provider-pass-env <ENV_VAR> (repeatable)
  • --provider-trusted-dir <path> (repeatable)
  • --provider-allow-insecure-path
  • --provider-allow-symlink-command
Hardened exec provider example: 
openclaw config set secrets.providers.vault \
  --provider-source exec \
  --provider-command /usr/local/bin/openclaw-vault \
  --provider-arg read \
  --provider-arg openai/api-key \
  --provider-json-only \
  --provider-pass-env VAULT_TOKEN \
  --provider-trusted-dir /usr/local/bin \
  --provider-timeout-ms 5000

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Dry run

Use --dry-run to validate changes without writing openclaw.json. 
openclaw config set channels.discord.token \
  --ref-provider default \
  --ref-source env \
  --ref-id DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN \
  --dry-run

openclaw config set channels.discord.token \
  --ref-provider default \
  --ref-source env \
  --ref-id DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN \
  --dry-run \
  --json

openclaw config set channels.discord.token \
  --ref-provider vault \
  --ref-source exec \
  --ref-id discord/token \
  --dry-run \
  --allow-exec
Dry-run behavior:
  • Builder mode: runs SecretRef resolvability checks for changed refs/providers.
  • JSON mode (--strict-json, --json, or batch mode): runs schema validation plus SecretRef resolvability checks.
  • Policy validation also runs for known unsupported SecretRef target surfaces.
  • Policy checks evaluate the full post-change config, so parent-object writes (for example setting hooks as an object) cannot bypass unsupported-surface validation.
  • Exec SecretRef checks are skipped by default during dry-run to avoid command side effects.
  • Use --allow-exec with --dry-run to opt in to exec SecretRef checks (this may execute provider commands).
  • --allow-exec is dry-run only and errors if used without --dry-run.
--dry-run --json prints a machine-readable report:
  • ok: whether dry-run passed
  • operations: number of assignments evaluated
  • checks: whether schema/resolvability checks ran
  • checks.resolvabilityComplete: whether resolvability checks ran to completion (false when exec refs are skipped)
  • refsChecked: number of refs actually resolved during dry-run
  • skippedExecRefs: number of exec refs skipped because --allow-exec was not set
  • errors: structured schema/resolvability failures when ok=false

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JSON Output Shape

{
  ok: boolean,
  operations: number,
  configPath: string,
  inputModes: ["value" | "json" | "builder", ...],
  checks: {
    schema: boolean,
    resolvability: boolean,
    resolvabilityComplete: boolean,
  },
  refsChecked: number,
  skippedExecRefs: number,
  errors?: [
    {
      kind: "schema" | "resolvability",
      message: string,
      ref?: string, // present for resolvability errors
    },
  ],
}
Success example: 
{
  "ok": true,
  "operations": 1,
  "configPath": "~/.openclaw/openclaw.json",
  "inputModes": ["builder"],
  "checks": {
    "schema": false,
    "resolvability": true,
    "resolvabilityComplete": true
  },
  "refsChecked": 1,
  "skippedExecRefs": 0
}
Failure example: 
{
  "ok": false,
  "operations": 1,
  "configPath": "~/.openclaw/openclaw.json",
  "inputModes": ["builder"],
  "checks": {
    "schema": false,
    "resolvability": true,
    "resolvabilityComplete": true
  },
  "refsChecked": 1,
  "skippedExecRefs": 0,
  "errors": [
    {
      "kind": "resolvability",
      "message": "Error: Environment variable \"MISSING_TEST_SECRET\" is not set.",
      "ref": "env:default:MISSING_TEST_SECRET"
    }
  ]
}
If dry-run fails:
  • config schema validation failed: your post-change config shape is invalid; fix path/value or provider/ref object shape.
  • Config policy validation failed: unsupported SecretRef usage: move that credential back to plaintext/string input and keep SecretRefs on supported surfaces only.
  • SecretRef assignment(s) could not be resolved: referenced provider/ref currently cannot resolve (missing env var, invalid file pointer, exec provider failure, or provider/source mismatch).
  • Dry run note: skipped <n> exec SecretRef resolvability check(s): dry-run skipped exec refs; rerun with --allow-exec if you need exec resolvability validation.
  • For batch mode, fix failing entries and rerun --dry-run before writing.

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Subcommands

  • config file: Print the active config file path (resolved from OPENCLAW_CONFIG_PATH or default location).
Restart the gateway after edits.

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Validate

Validate the current config against the active schema without starting the gateway. 
openclaw config validate
openclaw config validate --json