232 lines
6.6 KiB
Markdown
232 lines
6.6 KiB
Markdown
---
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summary: "Updating OpenClaw safely (global install or source), plus rollback strategy"
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read_when:
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- Updating OpenClaw
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- Something breaks after an update
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title: "Updating"
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---
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# Updating
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OpenClaw is moving fast (pre “1.0”). Treat updates like shipping infra: update → run checks → restart (or use `openclaw update`, which restarts) → verify.
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## Recommended: re-run the website installer (upgrade in place)
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The **preferred** update path is to re-run the installer from the website. It
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detects existing installs, upgrades in place, and runs `openclaw doctor` when
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needed.
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```bash
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curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash
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```
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Notes:
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- Add `--no-onboard` if you don’t want the onboarding wizard to run again.
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- For **source installs**, use:
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```bash
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curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --install-method git --no-onboard
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```
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The installer will `git pull --rebase` **only** if the repo is clean.
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- For **global installs**, the script uses `npm install -g openclaw@latest` under the hood.
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- Legacy note: `clawdbot` remains available as a compatibility shim.
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## Before you update
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- Know how you installed: **global** (npm/pnpm) vs **from source** (git clone).
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- Know how your Gateway is running: **foreground terminal** vs **supervised service** (launchd/systemd).
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- Snapshot your tailoring:
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- Config: `~/.openclaw/openclaw.json`
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- Credentials: `~/.openclaw/credentials/`
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- Workspace: `~/.openclaw/workspace`
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## Update (global install)
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Global install (pick one):
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```bash
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npm i -g openclaw@latest
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```
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```bash
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pnpm add -g openclaw@latest
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```
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We do **not** recommend Bun for the Gateway runtime (WhatsApp/Telegram bugs).
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To switch update channels (git + npm installs):
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```bash
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openclaw update --channel beta
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openclaw update --channel dev
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openclaw update --channel stable
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```
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Use `--tag <dist-tag|version>` for a one-off install tag/version.
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See [Development channels](/install/development-channels) for channel semantics and release notes.
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Note: on npm installs, the gateway logs an update hint on startup (checks the current channel tag). Disable via `update.checkOnStart: false`.
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Then:
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```bash
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openclaw doctor
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openclaw gateway restart
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openclaw health
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```
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Notes:
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- If your Gateway runs as a service, `openclaw gateway restart` is preferred over killing PIDs.
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- If you’re pinned to a specific version, see “Rollback / pinning” below.
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## Update (`openclaw update`)
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For **source installs** (git checkout), prefer:
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```bash
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openclaw update
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```
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It runs a safe-ish update flow:
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- Requires a clean worktree.
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- Switches to the selected channel (tag or branch).
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- Fetches + rebases against the configured upstream (dev channel).
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- Installs deps, builds, builds the Control UI, and runs `openclaw doctor`.
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- Restarts the gateway by default (use `--no-restart` to skip).
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If you installed via **npm/pnpm** (no git metadata), `openclaw update` will try to update via your package manager. If it can’t detect the install, use “Update (global install)” instead.
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## Update (Control UI / RPC)
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The Control UI has **Update & Restart** (RPC: `update.run`). It:
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1. Runs the same source-update flow as `openclaw update` (git checkout only).
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2. Writes a restart sentinel with a structured report (stdout/stderr tail).
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3. Restarts the gateway and pings the last active session with the report.
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If the rebase fails, the gateway aborts and restarts without applying the update.
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## Update (from source)
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From the repo checkout:
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Preferred:
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```bash
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openclaw update
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```
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Manual (equivalent-ish):
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```bash
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git pull
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pnpm install
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pnpm build
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pnpm ui:build # auto-installs UI deps on first run
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openclaw doctor
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openclaw health
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```
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Notes:
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- `pnpm build` matters when you run the packaged `openclaw` binary ([`openclaw.mjs`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/main/openclaw.mjs)) or use Node to run `dist/`.
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- If you run from a repo checkout without a global install, use `pnpm openclaw ...` for CLI commands.
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- If you run directly from TypeScript (`pnpm openclaw ...`), a rebuild is usually unnecessary, but **config migrations still apply** → run doctor.
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- Switching between global and git installs is easy: install the other flavor, then run `openclaw doctor` so the gateway service entrypoint is rewritten to the current install.
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## Always Run: `openclaw doctor`
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Doctor is the “safe update” command. It’s intentionally boring: repair + migrate + warn.
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Note: if you’re on a **source install** (git checkout), `openclaw doctor` will offer to run `openclaw update` first.
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Typical things it does:
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- Migrate deprecated config keys / legacy config file locations.
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- Audit DM policies and warn on risky “open” settings.
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- Check Gateway health and can offer to restart.
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- Detect and migrate older gateway services (launchd/systemd; legacy schtasks) to current OpenClaw services.
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- On Linux, ensure systemd user lingering (so the Gateway survives logout).
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Details: [Doctor](/gateway/doctor)
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## Start / stop / restart the Gateway
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CLI (works regardless of OS):
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```bash
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openclaw gateway status
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openclaw gateway stop
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openclaw gateway restart
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openclaw gateway --port 18789
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openclaw logs --follow
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```
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If you’re supervised:
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- macOS launchd (app-bundled LaunchAgent): `launchctl kickstart -k gui/$UID/bot.molt.gateway` (use `bot.molt.<profile>`; legacy `com.openclaw.*` still works)
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- Linux systemd user service: `systemctl --user restart openclaw-gateway[-<profile>].service`
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- Windows (WSL2): `systemctl --user restart openclaw-gateway[-<profile>].service`
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- `launchctl`/`systemctl` only work if the service is installed; otherwise run `openclaw gateway install`.
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Runbook + exact service labels: [Gateway runbook](/gateway)
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## Rollback / pinning (when something breaks)
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### Pin (global install)
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Install a known-good version (replace `<version>` with the last working one):
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```bash
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npm i -g openclaw@<version>
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```
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```bash
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pnpm add -g openclaw@<version>
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```
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Tip: to see the current published version, run `npm view openclaw version`.
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Then restart + re-run doctor:
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```bash
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openclaw doctor
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openclaw gateway restart
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```
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### Pin (source) by date
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Pick a commit from a date (example: “state of main as of 2026-01-01”):
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```bash
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git fetch origin
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git checkout "$(git rev-list -n 1 --before=\"2026-01-01\" origin/main)"
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```
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Then reinstall deps + restart:
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```bash
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pnpm install
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pnpm build
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openclaw gateway restart
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```
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If you want to go back to latest later:
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```bash
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git checkout main
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git pull
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```
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## If you’re stuck
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- Run `openclaw doctor` again and read the output carefully (it often tells you the fix).
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- Check: [Troubleshooting](/gateway/troubleshooting)
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- Ask in Discord: [https://discord.gg/clawd](https://discord.gg/clawd)
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