Gateway / Operations • TutorialHeader.readTime
Configuration Examples
Pattern-based, accurate configuration examples for common OpenClaw setups.
The examples below are consistent with the current configuration schema. For an exhaustive reference and annotations for each field, see ''Configuration''.
Tutorial.step
Quick Start
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Tutorial.step
Absolute Minimum
Json5
{
agent: { workspace: "~/.openclaw/workspace" },
channels: { whatsapp: { allowFrom: ["+15555550123"] } },
}Save to ''~/.openclaw/openclaw.json'' and you can DM the bot from that number.
#
Tutorial.step
Recommended Starter
Json5
{
identity: {
name: "Clawd",
theme: "helpful assistant",
emoji: "🦞",
},
agent: {
workspace: "~/.openclaw/workspace",
model: { primary: "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-5" },
},
channels: {
whatsapp: {
allowFrom: ["+15555550123"],
groups: { "*": { requireMention: true } },
},
},
}Tutorial.step
Extended Example (Main Options)
Tutorial.alert.info
JSON5 allows you to use comments and trailing commas. Regular JSON also works.
Json5
{
// Environment + shell
env: {
OPENROUTER_API_KEY: "sk-or-...",
vars: {
GROQ_API_KEY: "gsk-...",
},
shellEnv: {
enabled: true,
timeoutMs: 15000,
},
},
// Auth profile metadata (secrets live in auth-profiles.json)
auth: {
profiles: {
"anthropic:[email protected]": { provider: "anthropic", mode: "oauth", email: "[email protected]" },
"anthropic:work": { provider: "anthropic", mode: "api_key" },
"openai:default": { provider: "openai", mode: "api_key" },
"openai-codex:default": { provider: "openai-codex", mode: "oauth" },
},
order: {
anthropic: ["anthropic:[email protected]", "anthropic:work"],
openai: ["openai:default"],
"openai-codex": ["openai-codex:default"],
},
},
// Identity
identity: {
name: "Samantha",
theme: "helpful sloth",
emoji: "🦥",
},
// Logging
logging: {
level: "info",
file: "/tmp/openclaw/openclaw.log",
consoleLevel: "info",
consoleStyle: "pretty",
redactSensitive: "tools",
},
// Message formatting
messages: {
messagePrefix: "[openclaw]",
responsePrefix: ">",
ackReaction: "👀",
ackReactionScope: "group-mentions",
},
// Routing + queue
routing: {
groupChat: {
mentionPatterns: ["@openclaw", "openclaw"],
historyLimit: 50,
},
queue: {
mode: "collect",
debounceMs: 1000,
cap: 20,
drop: "summarize",
byChannel: {
whatsapp: "collect",
telegram: "collect",
discord: "collect",
slack: "collect",
signal: "collect",
imessage: "collect",
webchat: "collect",
},
},
},
// Tooling
tools: {
media: {
audio: {
enabled: true,
maxBytes: 20971520,
models: [
{ provider: "openai", model: "gpt-4o-mini-transcribe" },
// Optional CLI fallback (Whisper binary):
// { type: "cli", command: "whisper", args: ["--model", "base", "{{MediaPath}}"] }
],
timeoutSeconds: 120,
},
video: {
enabled: true,
maxBytes: 52428800,
models: [{ provider: "google", model: "gemini-3-flash-preview" }],
},
},
},
// Session behavior
session: {
scope: "per-sender",
reset: {
mode: "daily",
atHour: 4,
idleMinutes: 60,
},
resetByChannel: {
discord: { mode: "idle", idleMinutes: 10080 },
},
resetTriggers: ["/new", "/reset"],
store: "~/.openclaw/agents/default/sessions/sessions.json",
typingIntervalSeconds: 5,
sendPolicy: {
default: "allow",
rules: [{ action: "deny", match: { channel: "discord", chatType: "group" } }],
},
},
// Channels
channels: {
whatsapp: {
dmPolicy: "pairing",
allowFrom: ["+15555550123"],
groupPolicy: "allowlist",
groupAllowFrom: ["+15555550123"],
groups: { "*": { requireMention: true } },
},
telegram: {
enabled: true,
botToken: "YOUR_TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN",
allowFrom: ["123456789"],
groupPolicy: "allowlist",
groupAllowFrom: ["123456789"],
groups: { "*": { requireMention: true } },
},
discord: {
enabled: true,
token: "YOUR_DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN",
dm: { enabled: true, allowFrom: ["steipete"] },
guilds: {
"123456789012345678": {
slug: "friends-of-openclaw",
requireMention: false,
channels: {
general: { allow: true },
help: { allow: true, requireMention: true },
},
},
},
},
slack: {
enabled: true,
botToken: "xoxb-REPLACE_ME",
appToken: "xapp-REPLACE_ME",
channels: {
"#general": { allow: true, requireMention: true },
},
dm: { enabled: true, allowFrom: ["U123"] },
slashCommand: {
enabled: true,
name: "openclaw",
sessionPrefix: "slack:slash",
ephemeral: true,
},
},
},
// Agent runtime
agents: {
defaults: {
workspace: "~/.openclaw/workspace",
userTimezone: "America/Chicago",
model: {
primary: "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-5",
fallbacks: ["anthropic/claude-opus-4-5", "openai/gpt-5.2"],
},
imageModel: {
primary: "openrouter/anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-5",
},
models: {
"anthropic/claude-opus-4-5": { alias: "opus" },
"anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-5": { alias: "sonnet" },
"openai/gpt-5.2": { alias: "gpt" },
},
thinkingDefault: "low",
verboseDefault: "off",
elevatedDefault: "on",
blockStreamingDefault: "off",
blockStreamingBreak: "text_end",
blockStreamingChunk: {
minChars: 800,
maxChars: 1200,
breakPreference: "paragraph",
},
blockStreamingCoalesce: {
idleMs: 1000,
},
humanDelay: {
mode: "natural",
},
timeoutSeconds: 600,
mediaMaxMb: 5,
typingIntervalSeconds: 5,
maxConcurrent: 3,
heartbeat: {
every: "30m",
model: "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-5",
target: "last",
to: "+15555550123",
prompt: "HEARTBEAT",
ackMaxChars: 300,
},
memorySearch: {
provider: "gemini",
model: "gemini-embedding-001",
remote: {
apiKey: "${GEMINI_API_KEY}",
},
extraPaths: ["../team-docs", "/srv/shared-notes"],
},
sandbox: {
mode: "non-main",
perSession: true,
workspaceRoot: "~/.openclaw/sandboxes",
docker: {
image: "openclaw-sandbox:bookworm-slim",
workdir: "/workspace",
readOnlyRoot: true,
tmpfs: ["/tmp", "/var/tmp", "/run"],
network: "none",
user: "1000:1000",
},
browser: {
enabled: false,
},
},
},
},
tools: {
allow: ["exec", "process", "read", "write", "edit", "apply_patch"],
deny: ["browser", "canvas"],
exec: {
backgroundMs: 10000,
timeoutSec: 1800,
cleanupMs: 1800000,
},
elevated: {
enabled: true,
allowFrom: {
whatsapp: ["+15555550123"],
telegram: ["123456789"],
discord: ["steipete"],
slack: ["U123"],
signal: ["+15555550123"],
imessage: ["[email protected]"],
webchat: ["session:demo"],
},
},
},
// Custom model providers
models: {
mode: "merge",
providers: {
"custom-proxy": {
baseUrl: "http://localhost:4000/v1",
apiKey: "LITELLM_KEY",
api: "openai-responses",
authHeader: true,
headers: { "X-Proxy-Region": "us-west" },
models: [
{
id: "llama-3.1-8b",
name: "Llama 3.1 8B",
api: "openai-responses",
reasoning: false,
input: ["text"],
cost: { input: 0, output: 0, cacheRead: 0, cacheWrite: 0 },
contextWindow: 128000,
maxTokens: 32000,
},
],
},
},
},
// Cron jobs
cron: {
enabled: true,
store: "~/.openclaw/cron/cron.json",
maxConcurrentRuns: 2,
},
// Webhooks
hooks: {
enabled: true,
path: "/hooks",
token: "shared-secret",
presets: ["gmail"],
transformsDir: "~/.openclaw/hooks",
mappings: [
{
id: "gmail-hook",
match: { path: "gmail" },
action: "agent",
wakeMode: "now",
name: "Gmail",
sessionKey: "hook:gmail:{{messages[0].id}}",
messageTemplate: "From: {{messages[0].from}}
Subject: {{messages[0].subject}}",
textTemplate: "{{messages[0].snippet}}",
deliver: true,
channel: "last",
to: "+15555550123",
thinking: "low",
timeoutSeconds: 300,
transform: { module: "./transforms/gmail.js", export: "transformGmail" },
},
],
gmail: {
account: "[email protected]",
label: "INBOX",
topic: "projects/<project-id>/topics/gog-gmail-watch",
subscription: "gog-gmail-watch-push",
pushToken: "shared-push-token",
hookUrl: "http://127.0.0.1:18789/hooks/gmail",
includeBody: true,
maxBytes: 20000,
renewEveryMinutes: 720,
serve: { bind: "127.0.0.1", port: 8788, path: "/" },
tailscale: { mode: "funnel", path: "/gmail-pubsub" },
},
},
// Gateway + networking
gateway: {
mode: "local",
port: 18789,
bind: "loopback",
controlUi: { enabled: true, basePath: "/openclaw" },
auth: {
mode: "token",
token: "gateway-token",
allowTailscale: true,
},
tailscale: { mode: "serve", resetOnExit: false },
remote: { url: "ws://gateway.tailnet:18789", token: "remote-token" },
reload: { mode: "hybrid", debounceMs: 300 },
},
skills: {
allowBundled: ["gemini", "peekaboo"],
load: {
extraDirs: ["~/Projects/agent-scripts/skills"],
},
install: {
preferBrew: true,
nodeManager: "npm",
},
entries: {
"nano-banana-pro": {
enabled: true,
apiKey: "GEMINI_KEY_HERE",
env: { GEMINI_API_KEY: "GEMINI_KEY_HERE" },
},
peekaboo: { enabled: true },
},
},
}Tutorial.step
Common Patterns
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Tutorial.step
Multi-Provider Setup
Json5
{
agent: { workspace: "~/.openclaw/workspace" },
channels: {
whatsapp: { allowFrom: ["+15555550123"] },
telegram: {
enabled: true,
botToken: "YOUR_TOKEN",
allowFrom: ["123456789"],
},
discord: {
enabled: true,
token: "YOUR_TOKEN",
dm: { allowFrom: ["yourname"] },
},
},
}#
Tutorial.step
OAuth with API Key Fallback
Json5
{
auth: {
profiles: {
"anthropic:subscription": {
provider: "anthropic",
mode: "oauth",
email: "[email protected]",
},
"anthropic:api": {
provider: "anthropic",
mode: "api_key",
},
},
order: {
anthropic: ["anthropic:subscription", "anthropic:api"],
},
},
agent: {
workspace: "~/.openclaw/workspace",
model: {
primary: "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-5",
fallbacks: ["anthropic/claude-opus-4-5"],
},
},
}#
Tutorial.step
Anthropic Subscription + API Key, MiniMax Fallback
Json5
{
auth: {
profiles: {
"anthropic:subscription": {
provider: "anthropic",
mode: "oauth",
email: "[email protected]",
},
"anthropic:api": {
provider: "anthropic",
mode: "api_key",
},
},
order: {
anthropic: ["anthropic:subscription", "anthropic:api"],
},
},
models: {
providers: {
minimax: {
baseUrl: "https://api.minimax.io/anthropic",
api: "anthropic-messages",
apiKey: "${MINIMAX_API_KEY}",
},
},
},
agent: {
workspace: "~/.openclaw/workspace",
model: {
primary: "anthropic/claude-opus-4-5",
fallbacks: ["minimax/MiniMax-M2.1"],
},
},
}#
Tutorial.step
Working Bot (Restricted Access)
Json5
{
identity: {
name: "WorkBot",
theme: "professional assistant",
},
agent: {
workspace: "~/work-openclaw",
elevated: { enabled: false },
},
channels: {
slack: {
enabled: true,
botToken: "xoxb-...",
channels: {
"#engineering": { allow: true, requireMention: true },
"#general": { allow: true, requireMention: true },
},
},
},
}#
Tutorial.step
Local Models Only
Json5
{
agent: {
workspace: "~/.openclaw/workspace",
model: { primary: "lmstudio/minimax-m2.1-gs32" },
},
models: {
mode: "merge",
providers: {
lmstudio: {
baseUrl: "http://127.0.0.1:1234/v1",
apiKey: "lmstudio",
api: "openai-responses",
models: [
{
id: "minimax-m2.1-gs32",
name: "MiniMax M2.1 GS32",
reasoning: false,
input: ["text"],
cost: { input: 0, output: 0, cacheRead: 0, cacheWrite: 0 },
contextWindow: 196608,
maxTokens: 8192,
},
],
},
},
},
}Tutorial.step
Tips
- If you set ''dmPolicy: "open"'', the matching ''allowFrom'' list must contain ''"*"''.
- Provider IDs differ (phone number, user ID, channel ID). Use provider documentation to confirm format.
- Optional sections to add later: ''web'', ''browser'', ''ui'', ''discovery'', ''canvasHost'', ''talk'', ''signal'', ''imessage''.
- See ''Providers'' and ''Troubleshooting'' for more in-depth setup instructions.