TypeBox

Last updated: 2026-01-10

TypeBox is a TypeScript-first schema library. We use it to define the **Gateway

WebSocket protocol** (handshake, request/response, server events). Those schemas

drive runtime validation, JSON schema export, and Swift codegen for the

macOS application. One source of truth; everything else is generated.

If you want a higher-level protocol context, start from

''Gateway Architecture''.

Every gateway WS message is one of three frames:

- ''Request'': ''{ type: "req", id, method, params }''

- ''Reply'': ''{ type: "res", id, ok, payload | error }''

- ''Event'': ''{ type: "event", event, payload, seq?, stateVersion? }''

The first frame ''must'' be a ''connect'' request. After that, clients can call

methods (e.g. ''health'', ''send'', ''chat.send'') and subscribe to events (e.g.

''presence'', ''tick'', ''agent'').

Connection flow (minimal):

Client                    Gateway
  |- res:hello-ok --|
  |<-|
  |->|
  |<-|

Common methods + events:

| Category | Examples | Notes |

-

| Core | ''connect'', ''health'', ''status'' | ''connect'' must be first |

| Messages | ''send'', ''poll'', ''agent'', ''agent.wait'' | Side effects require ''idempotencyKey'' |

| Chat | ''chat.history'', ''chat.send'', ''chat.abort'', ''chat.inject'' | WebChat uses these |

| Sessions | ''sessions.list'', ''sessions.patch'', ''sessions.delete'' | Session management |

| Nodes | ''node.list'', ''node.invoke'', ''node.pair.*'' | Gateway WS + node operations |

| Events | ''tick'', ''presence'', ''agent'', ''chat'', ''health'', ''shutdown'' | Server push |

The authoritative list lives in ''src/gateway/server.ts'' (''METHODS'', ''EVENTS'').

- Source: ''src/gateway/protocol/schema.ts''

- Runtime validator (AJV): ''src/gateway/protocol/index.ts''

- Server handshake + method dispatch: ''src/gateway/server.ts''

- Node client: ''src/gateway/client.ts''

- Generated JSON schema: ''dist/protocol.schema.json''

- Generated Swift models: ''apps/macos/Sources/OpenClawProtocol/GatewayModels.swift''

- ''pnpm protocol:gen''

- Writes JSON schema (draft 07) to ''dist/protocol.schema.json''

- ''pnpm protocol:gen:swift''

- Generates Swift gateway models

- ''pnpm protocol:check''

- Runs both generators and verifies output is committed

- Server-side: Every inbound frame is validated via AJV. Only handshake

accepts a ''connect'' request with params matching ''ConnectParams''.

- Client: JS client validates event and response frames before

using them.

- ''Method surface'': Gateway advertises supported ''methods'' and

''events'' in ''hello-ok''.

Connection (first message):

{
  "type": "req",
  "id": "c1",
  "method": "connect",
  "params": {
    "minProtocol": 2,
    "maxProtocol": 2,
    "client": {
      "id": "openclaw-macos",
      "displayName": "macos",
      "version": "1.0.0",
      "platform": "macos 15.1",
      "mode": "ui",
      "instanceId": "A1B2"
    }
  }
}

Hello-ok response:

{
  "type": "res",
  "id": "c1",
  "ok": true,
  "payload": {
    "type": "hello-ok",
    "protocol": 2,
    "server": { "version": "dev", "connId": "ws-1" },
    "features": { "methods": ["health"], "events": ["tick"] },
    "snapshot": {
      "presence": [],
      "health": {},
      "stateVersion": { "presence": 0, "health": 0 },
      "uptimeMs": 0
    },
    "policy": { "maxPayload": 1048576, "maxBufferedBytes": 1048576, "tickIntervalMs": 30000 }
  }
}

Request + Response:

{ "type": "req", "id": "r1", "method": "health" }

{ "type": "res", "id": "r1", "ok": true, "payload": { "ok": true } }

Event:

{ "type": "event", "event": "tick", "payload": { "ts": 1730000000 }, "seq": 12 }

Minimal useful flow: connect + health.

import { WebSocket } from "ws";

const ws = new WebSocket("ws://127.0.0.1:18789");

ws.on("open", () => {
  ws.send(
    JSON.stringify({
      type: "req",
      id: "c1",
      method: "connect",
      params: {
        minProtocol: 3,
        maxProtocol: 3,
        client: {
          id: "cli",
          displayName: "example",
          version: "dev",
          platform: "node",
          mode: "cli",
        },
      },
    }),
  );
});

ws.on("message", (data) => {
  const msg = JSON.parse(String(data));
  if (msg.type === "res" && msg.id === "c1" && msg.ok) {
    ws.send(JSON.stringify({ type: "req", id: "h1", method: "health" }));
  }
  if (msg.type === "res" && msg.id === "h1") {
    console.log("health:", msg.payload);
    ws.close();
  }
});

Example: Add a new ''system.echo'' request that returns ''{ ok: true, text }''.

1. Schema (source of truth)

Add to ''src/gateway/protocol/schema.ts'':

export const SystemEchoParamsSchema = Type.Object(
  { text: NonEmptyString },
  { additionalProperties: false },
);

export const SystemEchoResultSchema = Type.Object(
  { ok: Type.Boolean(), text: NonEmptyString },
  { additionalProperties: false },
);

Add both to ''ProtocolSchemas'' and export types:

SystemEchoParams: SystemEchoParamsSchema,
  SystemEchoResult: SystemEchoResultSchema,

export type SystemEchoParams = Static<typeof SystemEchoParamsSchema>;
export type SystemEchoResult = Static<typeof SystemEchoResultSchema>;

2. Validation

In ''src/gateway/protocol/index.ts'', export AJV validators:

export const validateSystemEchoParams = ajv.compile<SystemEchoParams>(SystemEchoParamsSchema);

3. Server behavior

Add a handler in ''src/gateway/server-methods/system.ts'':

export const systemHandlers: GatewayRequestHandlers = {
  "system.echo": ({ params, respond }) => {
    const text = String(params.text ?? "");
    respond(true, { ok: true, text });
  },
};

Register it in ''src/gateway/server-methods.ts'' (merged ''systemHandlers''),

then add ''"system.echo"'' to ''METHODS'' in ''src/gateway/server.ts''.

4. Regeneration

pnpm protocol:check

5. Test + Docs

Add server tests in ''src/gateway/server.*.test.ts'' and note the method in docs.

Swift generator emits:

- ''GatewayFrame'' enum with ''req'', ''res'', ''event'', and ''unknown'' cases

- Strongly-typed payload structs/enums

- ''ErrorCode'' values and ''GATEWAY_PROTOCOL_VERSION''

未知のフレームタイプは前方互換性のために生ペイロードとして保持されます。

- ''PROTOCOL_VERSION'' lives in ''src/gateway/protocol/schema.ts''.

- Client sends ''minProtocol'' + ''maxProtocol''; server rejects mismatches.

- Swift models preserve unknown frame types to avoid breaking older clients.

- Most objects use ''additionalProperties: false'' for strict payloads.

- ''NonEmptyString'' is the default for IDs and method/event names.

- Top-level ''GatewayFrame'' uses a ''discriminator'' on ''type''.

- Methods with side effects typically require ''idempotencyKey'' in params

(e.g.: ''send'', ''poll'', ''agent'', ''chat.send'').

The generated JSON schema is committed in the repo at ''dist/protocol.schema.json''. The

published raw file is typically available at:

- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/openclaw/openclaw/main/dist/protocol.schema.json

1. Update TypeBox schema.

2. Run ''pnpm protocol:check''.

3. Commit regenerated schema + Swift models.