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CLI commands

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:

bash
openclaw devices join-code

The command prints the URL and a pasteable command:

bash
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:

bash
npx openclaw connect https://gateway.example/j/<shortcode>

Set the device name during enrollment when useful:

bash
npx openclaw connect https://gateway.example/j/<shortcode> --display-name "Build Node"

The node stays in the foreground until you stop it.

Install as a service

Pass --service to redeem the bootstrap credential and install the node host as the platform user service:

bash
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. Use openclaw node status to inspect the installed service.

Accepted targets

openclaw connect <target> accepts:

  • an https://<gateway>/j/<shortcode> join URL;
  • an oc-pair://<setup-code> URL;
  • a bare base64url setup code.

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. No additional openclaw.json keys are created.

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 an enrolled machine, remove its paired device with openclaw devices remove <deviceId>.

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.

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