> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.openclaw.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# apply_patch tool

Apply file changes using a structured patch format. This is ideal for multi-file
or multi-hunk edits where a single `edit` call would be brittle.

The tool accepts a single `input` string that wraps one or more file operations:

```
*** Begin Patch
*** Add File: path/to/file.txt
+line 1
+line 2
*** Update File: src/app.ts
@@
-old line
+new line
*** Delete File: obsolete.txt
*** End Patch
```

## Parameters

* `input` (required): Full patch contents including `*** Begin Patch` and `*** End Patch`.

## Notes

* Patch paths support relative paths (from the workspace directory) and absolute paths.
* `tools.exec.applyPatch.workspaceOnly` defaults to `true` (workspace-contained). Set it to `false` only if you intentionally want `apply_patch` to write/delete outside the workspace directory.
* Use `*** Move to:` within an `*** Update File:` hunk to rename files.
* `*** End of File` marks an EOF-only insert when needed.
* Available by default for OpenAI and OpenAI Codex models. Set
  `tools.exec.applyPatch.enabled: false` to disable it.
* Optionally gate by model via
  `tools.exec.applyPatch.allowModels`.
* Config is only under `tools.exec`.

## Example

```json theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
{
  "tool": "apply_patch",
  "input": "*** Begin Patch\n*** Update File: src/index.ts\n@@\n-const foo = 1\n+const foo = 2\n*** End Patch"
}
```

## Related

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  </Card>

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