Peter Steinberger
5278a8f2ed
* feat(node-host): advertise an explicit node command allowlist Persist exact node command selection and restrict ancillary publication and hosting. Preserve the unchanged assertion baseline under the work-order stop rule; check:changed requests removing the obsolete runtime.ts count (2 to 0). * feat(plugin-sdk): session transcript catalog reader Expose bounded read-only native display pages and portable attribution through the existing runtime subpath. Keep pagination scoped to the original active transcript branch and allow an explicit bounded native cursor length. * feat(session-share): read-only OpenClaw session catalog across paired gateways Publish explicitly selected native session groups through two paired node commands. Validate the closed wire contract, reject remote profile claims, and keep receiver identity binding opt-in and display-only. * fix(gateway): show published session catalogs to view-scoped roles Let publication consent satisfy catalog read visibility for roles allowed to view others, while owner-only and unprofiled callers stay hidden. Preserve published attribution without accepting a remote local-session adoption claim. Regression tests reproduce four pre-fix failures; final validation stopped at the work-order baseline gate. * docs: session sharing across gateways Document sessions-only node setup, explicit publication groups, receiver attribution, view-scoped catalog access, and read-only limits. Add the bundled plugin inventory and generated reference entry. Live proof runbook remains outside the repository; build and rig execution are blocked by the work-order baseline restriction. * fix(session-share): preserve source storage and paired reconnects Respect configured stores through listing, paging, and revocation. Keep cold listings available and bound raw transcript reads. Prefer the established paired node credential on service restart, suppress unrelated host metrics, and refresh the approved plugin configuration docs. * refactor(gateway): separate authorized catalog reads Keep the catalog dispatcher within its owned scope and preserve post-read role checks and sender projection. Align the rebased tests with their shared setup and imports.
8.2 KiB
summary, read_when, title
| summary | read_when | title | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connect a machine to an OpenClaw Gateway with one pasted command |
|
Connect |
openclaw connect
Connect the current machine to an OpenClaw Gateway as a headless node. The
command redeems a short-lived bootstrap credential, saves the Gateway endpoint
in the existing node-host state, and runs the same runtime as
openclaw node run.
Create a join command
On the Gateway host, use admin credentials to mint a single-use join URL:
openclaw devices join-code
The command prints the URL and a pasteable command:
npx openclaw connect https://gateway.example/j/<shortcode>
The shortcode has 128 bits of entropy, expires with the setup credential after about 10 minutes, and can be fetched exactly once. Mint another code if it expires or has already been used.
Connect in the foreground
Paste the printed command on the machine you want to connect:
npx openclaw connect https://gateway.example/j/<shortcode>
Set the device name during enrollment when useful:
npx openclaw connect https://gateway.example/j/<shortcode> --display-name "Build Node"
The node stays in the foreground until you stop it.
To expose only selected commands, pass a comma-separated list of exact command IDs. For a Session Share node:
openclaw connect <join-url> \
--commands openclaw.sessions.list.v1,openclaw.sessions.read.v1
The flag is repeatable. The allowlist is durable node state and also applies
after --service installation; omitting it preserves a saved list. It filters
available commands and their required capabilities,
and disables computer use, skills, plugin-tool publication, MCP servers, and
worker hosting. Startup fails when no requested command is available. The
Gateway pairing approval shows the resulting declared commands.
To restore the full default surface, use openclaw node run --all-commands
for a foreground node or openclaw node install --force --all-commands for
an installed service. When enrolling again, use openclaw connect <join-url> --all-commands (add --service for a service). This forgets the saved allowlist;
--all-commands cannot be combined with --commands.
To let that foreground process host full worker sessions, give explicit local
consent with --session-host:
npx openclaw connect https://gateway.example/j/<shortcode> --session-host
Foreground consent applies only to that process. It does not change
openclaw.json, so the next normal node-host start remains non-hosting.
Environment-managed cloud nodes
Worker providers use --ephemeral for disposable cloud machines:
npx openclaw connect <setup-code> --ephemeral
This process hosts worker sessions even when the machine's durable node config has worker hosting disabled. It does not install a service and cannot be combined with --service or --session-host. The Gateway owns the setup identity and paired-node lifetime: provider replay resumes the persisted device token after the one-shot setup credential is consumed, and environment teardown removes the node role after releasing the cloud lease.
--ephemeral is intended for provider-managed state directories on throwaway machines, not as a shortcut for enrolling a personal device.
Install as a service
Pass --service to redeem the bootstrap credential and install the node host as
the platform user service:
npx openclaw connect https://gateway.example/j/<shortcode> --service
OpenClaw completes the first authenticated connection before installing the
service. The short-lived bootstrap token is never stored in the service command
or node-host configuration; later starts use the durable paired-device token.
When restarting against that saved endpoint, config credentials for a co-located
Gateway do not override the paired token. Explicit OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN or
OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_PASSWORD environment credentials still take precedence.
Use openclaw node status to inspect the
installed service.
The service does not host worker sessions by default. To consent to full
worker-session hosting, add --session-host:
npx openclaw connect https://gateway.example/j/<shortcode> --service --session-host
The one-shot bootstrap connection authenticates and saves the durable device
identity without advertising worker hosting. Only after that connection
succeeds does OpenClaw persist nodeHost.workerRuns.enabled=true, preserving
the rest of the config, and install the service. If the config write fails,
service installation does not start. The installed service advertises worker
hosting and exact capacity from this durable consent when it starts.
Accepted targets
| Option | Purpose |
|---|---|
--commands <ids> |
Save an exact comma-separated node command allowlist (repeatable). Applies to foreground runs and installed services. |
--all-commands |
Advertise the full default command surface and forget any saved --commands allowlist. Conflicts with --commands. |
--display-name <name> |
Set the node display name. |
--service |
Pair first, then install the node as a user service. |
--session-host |
Consent to worker hosting. An explicit command allowlist disables hosting. |
--ephemeral |
Run a provider-managed disposable worker node. |
--target-file <path> |
Read a join target from a file and consume the handoff after a successful read. |
openclaw connect <target> accepts:
- an
https://<gateway>/j/<shortcode>join URL; - an
oc-pair://<setup-code>URL; - a bare base64url setup code.
--target-file <path> accepts a regular file up to 64 KiB. It removes the path
only after reading a non-empty target. If the file is empty, too large,
unreadable, or not a regular file, OpenClaw leaves it in place. A symlink is
allowed; OpenClaw reads its target, removes the symlink after a successful read,
and keeps the backing file. The dormant installer wrapper uses this handoff to
keep the single-use target out of child-process arguments.
Join URLs must use HTTPS. Plain HTTP is accepted only for loopback Gateway URLs
such as http://127.0.0.1/j/<shortcode>. Direct setup codes can carry the
Gateway TLS certificate fingerprint, which lets the node host pin a self-signed
Gateway certificate after decoding the payload.
The payload determines the saved host, port, TLS mode, WebSocket context path,
and ordered fallback endpoints. Normal and foreground connections do not add
openclaw.json keys; --service --session-host explicitly persists the worker
hosting consent described above.
Revocation behavior
A join code and a paired device have separate lifecycles:
- Burning or expiring a join code prevents another enrollment with that code.
- It does not disconnect or remove a node that already redeemed it.
- To revoke a normal enrolled machine, remove its paired device with
openclaw devices remove <deviceId>. - Environment-managed
--ephemeralnodes are removed automatically when their owning cloud environment is destroyed.
Troubleshooting
If the join URL reports that it is missing or expired, mint a new one with
openclaw devices join-code. A used code intentionally returns the same result
as an unknown code.
If an HTTPS join URL uses a certificate the local machine does not trust, use
the direct oc-pair:// or bare setup-code form that includes the TLS pin.
See Node for service management, explicit connection flags, node state, and exec approval behavior.