OpenClaw Expert Skill

Complete OpenClaw reference compiled from 426+ official documentation pages. 12 reference files covering every aspect of the platform.

Reference File Index

Load the relevant file based on the user's question. Read only what's needed.

Routing Guide

Match the user's question to the best starting file(s). Many topics span multiple files — follow cross-references.

Key Quick-Reference

Config File Location

~/.openclaw/openclaw.json (JSON5 with comments/trailing commas)

Essential CLI Commands

openclaw onboard          # Interactive setup
openclaw doctor           # Diagnose issues
openclaw doctor --fix     # Auto-repair
openclaw gateway start    # Start daemon
openclaw gateway status   # Check status
openclaw status --deep    # Full health probe
openclaw config get <path>    # Read config value
openclaw config set <path> <value>  # Write config value
openclaw cron list        # List cron jobs
openclaw models list      # List available models
openclaw models scan      # Probe all configured models

Model Format

Always provider/model — e.g. anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6, openai/gpt-5.4, minimax/MiniMax-M2.7

DM Policy Options

pairing (default) → allowlist → open → disabled

Sandbox Modes

off (default) | non-main | all — scope: session | agent | shared

Heartbeat Defaults

• Interval: 30m (or 1h for Anthropic OAuth/token auth)
• Target: none (set last for delivery to last contact)
• Reply HEARTBEAT_OK when nothing needs attention

Session Scoping

main | per-peer | per-channel-peer (recommended) | per-account-channel-peer

File Precedence (workspace context)

Bootstrap files loaded every session: AGENTS.md, SOUL.md, USER.md, IDENTITY.md, TOOLS.md, HEARTBEAT.md Per-file limit: bootstrapMaxChars (default 12000), total: bootstrapTotalMaxChars (default 60000)

Grep Patterns for Efficient Lookup

All reference files are large. Use targeted reads instead of loading entire files:

# Find a specific topic's section
grep -n '^## \|^### ' references/01-core-concepts.md   # List all headings
grep -n 'heartbeat' references/12-reference.md          # Find heartbeat mentions
grep -n '^## Telegram' references/04-channels.md         # Jump to Telegram section
grep -n '^## Anthropic' references/05-providers.md       # Jump to Anthropic section

Strategy for large files:

1. Read the first 40 lines (TOC or section overview) to locate the heading
2. grep -n '^## TARGET' to find the line number
3. Read only that section with offset/limit

Common Multi-File Lookups

Some topics are spread across files. Read in this order:

Notes

• All 12 reference files have a Table of Contents at the top — read that first to locate the relevant section.
• Cross-reference between files is common. The routing guide and multi-file lookup table above cover the main overlaps.
• All content verified against live docs at docs.openclaw.ai as of April 2026.