Mastering the OpenClaw CLI for Agent Management

The OpenClaw Command Line Interface (CLI) is your control center for managing AI agents, sessions, tools, and configurations directly from the terminal. Whether you're automating tasks, debugging workflows, or deploying new skills, understanding the CLI is essential for unlocking the full power of OpenClaw.

Core CLI Commands Overview

OpenClaw’s CLI organizes functionality into logical command groups:

• agent, agents: Control individual or multiple agents
• browser: Manage browser automation profiles and interactions
• channels: Configure messaging channels (WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, etc.)
• cron: Schedule and manage recurring tasks
• gateway: Start, stop, and configure the gateway service
• memory: Search and manage agent memory files
• message: Send messages and manage content across channels
• models: Inspect and switch between available LLMs
• nodes: Connect and control remote devices (iOS, Android, desktops)
• skills: List, install, and manage AgentSkills
• sessions: Monitor and manipulate active agent sessions

You can list all top-level commands with:

openclaw --help

Managing Agents

Start an interactive agent session:

openclaw agent

Run a one-shot command through the agent:

openclaw agent "Summarize unread emails"

List all active agents:

openclaw agents list

Working with Sessions

List active sessions and their status:

openclaw sessions list

Inspect the recent message history of a specific session:

openclaw sessions history <session-key>

Send a message into a background session:

openclaw sessions send <session-key> "Run system diagnostics"

Skill Management

List all available skills, including bundled and workspace skills:

openclaw skills list

Check which skills are eligible based on current config and environment:

openclaw skills list --eligible

Get detailed information about a specific skill:

openclaw skills info browser

Validate skill installation and dependencies:

openclaw skills check

Use clawhub install <skill> to add new skills from the registry, or clawhub update --all to keep them current.

Automation with Cron

Schedule a recurring task using cron expressions:

openclaw cron add --schedule="0 */30 * * * *" --payload='{"kind":"agentTurn","message":"Check email and summarize"}'

List all scheduled jobs:

openclaw cron list

Run a job immediately:

openclaw cron run <job-id>

Gateway Control

Start the OpenClaw gateway service:

openclaw gateway start

Stop the running gateway:

openclaw gateway stop

Restart the gateway after config changes:

openclaw gateway restart

Channel Configuration

Link a new messaging channel:

openclaw channels login whatsapp

List configured channels:

openclaw channels list

Remote Node Control

List connected nodes (mobile devices, other computers):

openclaw nodes list

Run a shell command on a remote node:

openclaw nodes run <node-id> "systemctl status openclaw"

Take a screenshot from a paired iOS or Android device:

openclaw nodes screen_record <node-id> --duration=5 --outPath=./screen.png

Advanced CLI Tips

JSON Output for Scripting

Many commands support JSON output, useful for automation scripts:

openclaw sessions list --json
openclaw cron list --json

Configuration Inspection

Inspect your full runtime config:

openclaw system config get

Validate config syntax before applying:

openclaw system config validate

Agent Debugging

Enable verbose logging for troubleshooting:

openclaw agent --verbose

View real-time logs from the gateway:

openclaw logs follow

Security and Best Practices

• Use --dry-run with destructive commands when possible
• Avoid hardcoding API keys in scripts; use config or environment variables
• Limit skill permissions using sandboxing when running untrusted code
• Regularly audit skills.entries in ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json to control enabled skills

The OpenClaw CLI gives you precise, scriptable control over your agent ecosystem. By mastering these commands, you can automate complex workflows, maintain system health, and respond to events without leaving the terminal. For full documentation, use openclaw <command> --help or visit docs.openclaw.ai.