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clawdbot/docs/configuration.md
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---
summary: "All configuration options for ~/.clawdbot/clawdbot.json with examples"
read_when:
- Adding or modifying config fields
---
# Configuration 🔧
CLAWDBOT reads an optional **JSON5** config from `~/.clawdbot/clawdbot.json` (comments + trailing commas allowed).
If the file is missing, CLAWDBOT uses safe-ish defaults (embedded Pi agent + per-sender sessions + workspace `~/clawd`). You usually only need a config to:
- restrict who can trigger the bot (`whatsapp.allowFrom`, `telegram.allowFrom`, etc.)
- control group allowlists + mention behavior (`whatsapp.groups`, `telegram.groups`, `discord.guilds`, `routing.groupChat`)
- customize message prefixes (`messages`)
- set the agent's workspace (`agent.workspace`)
- tune the embedded agent (`agent`) and session behavior (`session`)
- set the agent's identity (`identity`)
## Schema + UI hints
The Gateway exposes a JSON Schema representation of the config via `config.schema` for UI editors.
The Control UI renders a form from this schema, with a **Raw JSON** editor as an escape hatch.
Hints (labels, grouping, sensitive fields) ship alongside the schema so clients can render
better forms without hard-coding config knowledge.
## Minimal config (recommended starting point)
```json5
{
agent: { workspace: "~/clawd" },
whatsapp: { allowFrom: ["+15555550123"] }
}
```
Build the default image once with:
```bash
scripts/sandbox-setup.sh
```
## Self-chat mode (recommended for group control)
To prevent the bot from responding to WhatsApp @-mentions in groups (only respond to specific text triggers):
```json5
{
agent: { workspace: "~/clawd" },
whatsapp: {
// Allowlist is DMs only; including your own number enables self-chat mode.
allowFrom: ["+15555550123"],
groups: { "*": { requireMention: true } }
},
routing: {
groupChat: {
mentionPatterns: ["@clawd", "reisponde"]
}
}
}
```
## Common options
### Env vars + `.env`
CLAWDBOT reads env vars from the parent process (shell, launchd/systemd, CI, etc.).
Additionally, it loads:
- `.env` from the current working directory (if present)
- a global fallback `.env` from `~/.clawdbot/.env` (aka `$CLAWDBOT_STATE_DIR/.env`)
Neither `.env` file overrides existing env vars.
### `env.shellEnv` (optional)
Opt-in convenience: if enabled and none of the expected keys are set yet, CLAWDBOT runs your login shell and imports only the missing expected keys (never overrides).
This effectively sources your shell profile.
```json5
{
env: {
shellEnv: {
enabled: true,
timeoutMs: 15000
}
}
}
```
Env var equivalent:
- `CLAWDBOT_LOAD_SHELL_ENV=1`
- `CLAWDBOT_SHELL_ENV_TIMEOUT_MS=15000`
### Auth storage (OAuth + API keys)
Clawdbot stores **per-agent** auth profiles (OAuth + API keys) in:
- `<agentDir>/auth-profiles.json` (default: `~/.clawdbot/agents/<agentId>/agent/auth-profiles.json`)
Legacy OAuth imports:
- `~/.clawdbot/credentials/oauth.json` (or `$CLAWDBOT_STATE_DIR/credentials/oauth.json`)
The embedded Pi agent maintains a runtime cache at:
- `<agentDir>/auth.json` (managed automatically; dont edit manually)
Legacy agent dir (pre multi-agent):
- `~/.clawdbot/agent/*` (migrated by `clawdbot doctor` into `~/.clawdbot/agents/<defaultAgentId>/agent/*`)
Overrides:
- OAuth dir (legacy import only): `CLAWDBOT_OAUTH_DIR`
- Agent dir (default agent root override): `CLAWDBOT_AGENT_DIR` (preferred), `PI_CODING_AGENT_DIR` (legacy)
On first use, Clawdbot imports `oauth.json` entries into `auth-profiles.json`.
### `auth`
Optional metadata for auth profiles. This does **not** store secrets; it maps
profile IDs to a provider + mode (and optional email) and defines the provider
rotation order used for failover.
```json5
{
auth: {
profiles: {
"anthropic:default": { provider: "anthropic", mode: "oauth", email: "me@example.com" },
"anthropic:work": { provider: "anthropic", mode: "api_key" }
},
order: {
anthropic: ["anthropic:default", "anthropic:work"]
}
}
}
```
### `identity`
Optional agent identity used for defaults and UX. This is written by the macOS onboarding assistant.
If set, CLAWDBOT derives defaults (only when you havent set them explicitly):
- `messages.ackReaction` from `identity.emoji` (falls back to 👀)
- `routing.groupChat.mentionPatterns` from `identity.name` (so “@Samantha” works in groups across Telegram/Slack/Discord/iMessage/WhatsApp)
```json5
{
identity: { name: "Samantha", theme: "helpful sloth", emoji: "🦥" }
}
```
### `wizard`
Metadata written by CLI wizards (`onboard`, `configure`, `doctor`, `update`).
```json5
{
wizard: {
lastRunAt: "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
lastRunVersion: "2026.1.4",
lastRunCommit: "abc1234",
lastRunCommand: "configure",
lastRunMode: "local"
}
}
```
### `logging`
- Default log file: `/tmp/clawdbot/clawdbot-YYYY-MM-DD.log`
- If you want a stable path, set `logging.file` to `/tmp/clawdbot/clawdbot.log`.
- Console output can be tuned separately via:
- `logging.consoleLevel` (defaults to `info`, bumps to `debug` when `--verbose`)
- `logging.consoleStyle` (`pretty` | `compact` | `json`)
- Tool summaries can be redacted to avoid leaking secrets:
- `logging.redactSensitive` (`off` | `tools`, default: `tools`)
- `logging.redactPatterns` (array of regex strings; overrides defaults)
```json5
{
logging: {
level: "info",
file: "/tmp/clawdbot/clawdbot.log",
consoleLevel: "info",
consoleStyle: "pretty",
redactSensitive: "tools",
redactPatterns: [
// Example: override defaults with your own rules.
"\\bTOKEN\\b\\s*[=:]\\s*([\"']?)([^\\s\"']+)\\1",
"/\\bsk-[A-Za-z0-9_-]{8,}\\b/gi"
]
}
}
```
### `whatsapp.dmPolicy`
Controls how WhatsApp direct chats (DMs) are handled:
- `"pairing"` (default): unknown senders get a pairing code; owner must approve
- `"allowlist"`: only allow senders in `whatsapp.allowFrom` (or paired allow store)
- `"open"`: allow all inbound DMs (**requires** `whatsapp.allowFrom` to include `"*"`)
- `"disabled"`: ignore all inbound DMs
Pairing approvals:
- `clawdbot pairing list --provider whatsapp`
- `clawdbot pairing approve --provider whatsapp <code>`
### `whatsapp.allowFrom`
Allowlist of E.164 phone numbers that may trigger WhatsApp auto-replies (**DMs only**).
If empty and `whatsapp.dmPolicy="pairing"`, unknown senders will receive a pairing code.
For groups, use `whatsapp.groupPolicy` + `whatsapp.groupAllowFrom`.
```json5
{
whatsapp: {
dmPolicy: "pairing", // pairing | allowlist | open | disabled
allowFrom: ["+15555550123", "+447700900123"],
textChunkLimit: 4000 // optional outbound chunk size (chars)
}
}
```
### `whatsapp.accounts` (multi-account)
Run multiple WhatsApp accounts in one gateway:
```json5
{
whatsapp: {
accounts: {
default: {}, // optional; keeps the default id stable
personal: {},
biz: {
// Optional override. Default: ~/.clawdbot/credentials/whatsapp/biz
// authDir: "~/.clawdbot/credentials/whatsapp/biz",
}
}
}
}
```
Notes:
- Outbound commands default to account `default` if present; otherwise the first configured account id (sorted).
- The legacy single-account Baileys auth dir is migrated by `clawdbot doctor` into `whatsapp/default`.
### `routing.groupChat`
Group messages default to **require mention** (either metadata mention or regex patterns). Applies to WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, and iMessage group chats.
**Mention types:**
- **Metadata mentions**: Native platform @-mentions (e.g., WhatsApp tap-to-mention). Ignored in WhatsApp self-chat mode (see `whatsapp.allowFrom`).
- **Text patterns**: Regex patterns defined in `mentionPatterns`. Always checked regardless of self-chat mode.
- Mention gating is enforced only when mention detection is possible (native mentions or at least one `mentionPattern`).
```json5
{
routing: {
groupChat: {
mentionPatterns: ["@clawd", "clawdbot", "clawd"],
historyLimit: 50
}
}
}
```
Mention gating defaults live per provider (`whatsapp.groups`, `telegram.groups`, `imessage.groups`, `discord.guilds`). When `*.groups` is set, it also acts as a group allowlist; include `"*"` to allow all groups.
To respond **only** to specific text triggers (ignoring native @-mentions):
```json5
{
whatsapp: {
// Include your own number to enable self-chat mode (ignore native @-mentions).
allowFrom: ["+15555550123"],
groups: { "*": { requireMention: true } }
},
routing: {
groupChat: {
// Only these text patterns will trigger responses
mentionPatterns: ["reisponde", "@clawd"]
}
}
}
```
### Group policy (per provider)
Use `*.groupPolicy` to control whether group/room messages are accepted at all:
```json5
{
whatsapp: {
groupPolicy: "allowlist",
groupAllowFrom: ["+15551234567"]
},
telegram: {
groupPolicy: "allowlist",
groupAllowFrom: ["tg:123456789", "@alice"]
},
signal: {
groupPolicy: "allowlist",
groupAllowFrom: ["+15551234567"]
},
imessage: {
groupPolicy: "allowlist",
groupAllowFrom: ["chat_id:123"]
},
discord: {
groupPolicy: "allowlist",
guilds: {
"GUILD_ID": {
channels: { help: { allow: true } }
}
}
},
slack: {
groupPolicy: "allowlist",
channels: { "#general": { allow: true } }
}
}
```
Notes:
- `"open"` (default): groups bypass allowlists; mention-gating still applies.
- `"disabled"`: block all group/room messages.
- `"allowlist"`: only allow groups/rooms that match the configured allowlist.
- WhatsApp/Telegram/Signal/iMessage use `groupAllowFrom` (fallback: explicit `allowFrom`).
- Discord/Slack use channel allowlists (`discord.guilds.*.channels`, `slack.channels`).
- Group DMs (Discord/Slack) are still controlled by `dm.groupEnabled` + `dm.groupChannels`.
### Multi-agent routing (`routing.agents` + `routing.bindings`)
Run multiple isolated agents (separate workspace, `agentDir`, sessions) inside one Gateway. Inbound messages are routed to an agent via bindings.
- `routing.defaultAgentId`: fallback when no binding matches (default: `main`).
- `routing.agents.<agentId>`: per-agent overrides.
- `workspace`: default `~/clawd-<agentId>` (for `main`, falls back to legacy `agent.workspace`).
- `agentDir`: default `~/.clawdbot/agents/<agentId>/agent`.
- `routing.bindings[]`: routes inbound messages to an `agentId`.
- `match.provider` (required)
- `match.accountId` (optional; `*` = any account; omitted = default account)
- `match.peer` (optional; `{ kind: dm|group|channel, id }`)
- `match.guildId` / `match.teamId` (optional; provider-specific)
Deterministic match order:
1) `match.peer`
2) `match.guildId`
3) `match.teamId`
4) `match.accountId` (exact, no peer/guild/team)
5) `match.accountId: "*"` (provider-wide, no peer/guild/team)
6) `routing.defaultAgentId`
Within each match tier, the first matching entry in `routing.bindings` wins.
Example: two WhatsApp accounts → two agents:
```json5
{
routing: {
defaultAgentId: "home",
agents: {
home: { workspace: "~/clawd-home" },
work: { workspace: "~/clawd-work" },
},
bindings: [
{ agentId: "home", match: { provider: "whatsapp", accountId: "personal" } },
{ agentId: "work", match: { provider: "whatsapp", accountId: "biz" } },
],
},
whatsapp: {
accounts: {
personal: {},
biz: {},
}
}
}
```
### `routing.agentToAgent` (optional)
Agent-to-agent messaging is opt-in:
```json5
{
routing: {
agentToAgent: {
enabled: false,
allow: ["home", "work"]
}
}
}
```
### `routing.queue`
Controls how inbound messages behave when an agent run is already active.
```json5
{
routing: {
queue: {
mode: "collect", // steer | followup | collect | steer-backlog (steer+backlog ok) | interrupt (queue=steer legacy)
debounceMs: 1000,
cap: 20,
drop: "summarize", // old | new | summarize
byProvider: {
whatsapp: "collect",
telegram: "collect",
discord: "collect",
imessage: "collect",
webchat: "collect"
}
}
}
}
```
### `commands` (chat command handling)
Controls how chat commands are enabled across connectors.
```json5
{
commands: {
native: false, // register native commands when supported
text: true, // parse slash commands in chat messages
useAccessGroups: true // enforce access-group allowlists/policies for commands
}
}
```
Notes:
- Text commands must be sent as a **standalone** message and use the leading `/` (no plain-text aliases).
- `commands.text: false` disables parsing chat messages for commands.
- `commands.native: true` registers native commands on supported connectors (Discord/Slack/Telegram). Platforms without native commands still rely on text commands.
- `commands.native: false` skips native registration; Discord/Telegram clear previously registered commands on startup. Slack commands are managed in the Slack app.
- `commands.useAccessGroups: false` allows commands to bypass access-group allowlists/policies.
### `web` (WhatsApp web provider)
WhatsApp runs through the gateways web provider. It starts automatically when a linked session exists.
Set `web.enabled: false` to keep it off by default.
```json5
{
web: {
enabled: true,
heartbeatSeconds: 60,
reconnect: {
initialMs: 2000,
maxMs: 120000,
factor: 1.4,
jitter: 0.2,
maxAttempts: 0
}
}
}
```
### `telegram` (bot transport)
Clawdbot starts Telegram only when a `telegram` config section exists. The bot token is resolved from `TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN` or `telegram.botToken`.
Set `telegram.enabled: false` to disable automatic startup.
```json5
{
telegram: {
enabled: true,
botToken: "your-bot-token",
dmPolicy: "pairing", // pairing | allowlist | open | disabled
allowFrom: ["tg:123456789"], // optional; "open" requires ["*"]
groups: { "*": { requireMention: true } },
mediaMaxMb: 5,
proxy: "socks5://localhost:9050",
webhookUrl: "https://example.com/telegram-webhook",
webhookSecret: "secret",
webhookPath: "/telegram-webhook"
}
}
```
### `discord` (bot transport)
Configure the Discord bot by setting the bot token and optional gating:
```json5
{
discord: {
enabled: true,
token: "your-bot-token",
mediaMaxMb: 8, // clamp inbound media size
actions: { // tool action gates (false disables)
reactions: true,
stickers: true,
polls: true,
permissions: true,
messages: true,
threads: true,
pins: true,
search: true,
memberInfo: true,
roleInfo: true,
roles: false,
channelInfo: true,
voiceStatus: true,
events: true,
moderation: false
},
replyToMode: "off", // off | first | all
dm: {
enabled: true, // disable all DMs when false
policy: "pairing", // pairing | allowlist | open | disabled
allowFrom: ["1234567890", "steipete"], // optional DM allowlist ("open" requires ["*"])
groupEnabled: false, // enable group DMs
groupChannels: ["clawd-dm"] // optional group DM allowlist
},
guilds: {
"123456789012345678": { // guild id (preferred) or slug
slug: "friends-of-clawd",
requireMention: false, // per-guild default
reactionNotifications: "own", // off | own | all | allowlist
users: ["987654321098765432"], // optional per-guild user allowlist
channels: {
general: { allow: true },
help: { allow: true, requireMention: true }
}
}
},
historyLimit: 20 // include last N guild messages as context
}
}
```
Clawdbot starts Discord only when a `discord` config section exists. The token is resolved from `DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN` or `discord.token` (unless `discord.enabled` is `false`). Use `user:<id>` (DM) or `channel:<id>` (guild channel) when specifying delivery targets for cron/CLI commands.
Guild slugs are lowercase with spaces replaced by `-`; channel keys use the slugged channel name (no leading `#`). Prefer guild ids as keys to avoid rename ambiguity.
Reaction notification modes:
- `off`: no reaction events.
- `own`: reactions on the bot's own messages (default).
- `all`: all reactions on all messages.
- `allowlist`: reactions from `guilds.<id>.users` on all messages (empty list disables).
### `slack` (socket mode)
Slack runs in Socket Mode and requires both a bot token and app token:
```json5
{
slack: {
enabled: true,
botToken: "xoxb-...",
appToken: "xapp-...",
dm: {
enabled: true,
policy: "pairing", // pairing | allowlist | open | disabled
allowFrom: ["U123", "U456", "*"], // optional; "open" requires ["*"]
groupEnabled: false,
groupChannels: ["G123"]
},
channels: {
C123: { allow: true, requireMention: true },
"#general": { allow: true, requireMention: false }
},
reactionNotifications: "own", // off | own | all | allowlist
reactionAllowlist: ["U123"],
actions: {
reactions: true,
messages: true,
pins: true,
memberInfo: true,
emojiList: true
},
slashCommand: {
enabled: true,
name: "clawd",
sessionPrefix: "slack:slash",
ephemeral: true
},
textChunkLimit: 4000,
mediaMaxMb: 20
}
}
```
Clawdbot starts Slack when the provider is enabled and both tokens are set (via config or `SLACK_BOT_TOKEN` + `SLACK_APP_TOKEN`). Use `user:<id>` (DM) or `channel:<id>` when specifying delivery targets for cron/CLI commands.
Reaction notification modes:
- `off`: no reaction events.
- `own`: reactions on the bot's own messages (default).
- `all`: all reactions on all messages.
- `allowlist`: reactions from `slack.reactionAllowlist` on all messages (empty list disables).
Slack action groups (gate `slack` tool actions):
| Action group | Default | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| reactions | enabled | React + list reactions |
| messages | enabled | Read/send/edit/delete |
| pins | enabled | Pin/unpin/list |
| memberInfo | enabled | Member info |
| emojiList | enabled | Custom emoji list |
### `imessage` (imsg CLI)
Clawdbot spawns `imsg rpc` (JSON-RPC over stdio). No daemon or port required.
```json5
{
imessage: {
enabled: true,
cliPath: "imsg",
dbPath: "~/Library/Messages/chat.db",
dmPolicy: "pairing", // pairing | allowlist | open | disabled
allowFrom: ["+15555550123", "user@example.com", "chat_id:123"],
includeAttachments: false,
mediaMaxMb: 16,
service: "auto",
region: "US"
}
}
```
Notes:
- Requires Full Disk Access to the Messages DB.
- The first send will prompt for Messages automation permission.
- Prefer `chat_id:<id>` targets. Use `imsg chats --limit 20` to list chats.
### `agent.workspace`
Sets the **single global workspace directory** used by the agent for file operations.
Default: `~/clawd`.
```json5
{
agent: { workspace: "~/clawd" }
}
```
If `agent.sandbox` is enabled, non-main sessions can override this with their
own per-session workspaces under `agent.sandbox.workspaceRoot`.
### `agent.skipBootstrap`
Disables automatic creation of the workspace bootstrap files (`AGENTS.md`, `SOUL.md`, `TOOLS.md`, `IDENTITY.md`, `USER.md`, and `BOOTSTRAP.md`).
Use this for pre-seeded deployments where your workspace files come from a repo.
```json5
{
agent: { skipBootstrap: true }
}
```
### `agent.userTimezone`
Sets the users timezone for **system prompt context** (not for timestamps in
message envelopes). If unset, Clawdbot uses the host timezone at runtime.
```json5
{
agent: { userTimezone: "America/Chicago" }
}
```
### `messages`
Controls inbound/outbound prefixes and optional ack reactions.
```json5
{
messages: {
messagePrefix: "[clawdbot]",
responsePrefix: "🦞",
ackReaction: "👀",
ackReactionScope: "group-mentions"
}
}
```
`responsePrefix` is applied to **all outbound replies** (tool summaries, block
streaming, final replies) across providers unless already present.
`ackReaction` sends a best-effort emoji reaction to acknowledge inbound messages
on providers that support reactions (Slack/Discord/Telegram). Defaults to the
configured `identity.emoji` when set, otherwise `"👀"`. Set it to `""` to disable.
`ackReactionScope` controls when reactions fire:
- `group-mentions` (default): only when a group/room requires mentions **and** the bot was mentioned
- `group-all`: all group/room messages
- `direct`: direct messages only
- `all`: all messages
### `talk`
Defaults for Talk mode (macOS/iOS/Android). Voice IDs fall back to `ELEVENLABS_VOICE_ID` or `SAG_VOICE_ID` when unset.
`apiKey` falls back to `ELEVENLABS_API_KEY` (or the gateways shell profile) when unset.
`voiceAliases` lets Talk directives use friendly names (e.g. `"voice":"Clawd"`).
```json5
{
talk: {
voiceId: "elevenlabs_voice_id",
voiceAliases: {
Clawd: "EXAVITQu4vr4xnSDxMaL",
Roger: "CwhRBWXzGAHq8TQ4Fs17"
},
modelId: "eleven_v3",
outputFormat: "mp3_44100_128",
apiKey: "elevenlabs_api_key",
interruptOnSpeech: true
}
}
```
### `agent`
Controls the embedded agent runtime (model/thinking/verbose/timeouts).
`agent.models` defines the configured model catalog (and acts as the allowlist for `/model`).
`agent.model.primary` sets the default model; `agent.model.fallbacks` are global failovers.
`agent.imageModel` is optional and is **only used if the primary model lacks image input**.
Clawdbot also ships a few built-in alias shorthands. Defaults only apply when the model
is already present in `agent.models`:
- `opus` -> `anthropic/claude-opus-4-5`
- `sonnet` -> `anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-5`
- `gpt` -> `openai/gpt-5.2`
- `gpt-mini` -> `openai/gpt-5-mini`
- `gemini` -> `google/gemini-3-pro-preview`
- `gemini-flash` -> `google/gemini-3-flash-preview`
If you configure the same alias name (case-insensitive) yourself, your value wins (defaults never override).
```json5
{
agent: {
models: {
"anthropic/claude-opus-4-5": { alias: "Opus" },
"anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-1": { alias: "Sonnet" },
"openrouter/deepseek/deepseek-r1:free": {}
},
model: {
primary: "anthropic/claude-opus-4-5",
fallbacks: [
"openrouter/deepseek/deepseek-r1:free",
"openrouter/meta-llama/llama-3.3-70b-instruct:free"
]
},
imageModel: {
primary: "openrouter/qwen/qwen-2.5-vl-72b-instruct:free",
fallbacks: [
"openrouter/google/gemini-2.0-flash-vision:free"
]
},
thinkingDefault: "low",
verboseDefault: "off",
elevatedDefault: "on",
timeoutSeconds: 600,
mediaMaxMb: 5,
heartbeat: {
every: "30m",
target: "last"
},
maxConcurrent: 3,
bash: {
backgroundMs: 10000,
timeoutSec: 1800,
cleanupMs: 1800000
},
contextTokens: 200000
}
}
```
Block streaming:
- `agent.blockStreamingDefault`: `"on"`/`"off"` (default on).
- `agent.blockStreamingBreak`: `"text_end"` or `"message_end"` (default: text_end).
- `agent.blockStreamingChunk`: soft chunking for streamed blocks. Defaults to
8001200 chars, prefers paragraph breaks (`\n\n`), then newlines, then sentences.
Example:
```json5
{
agent: {
blockStreamingChunk: { minChars: 800, maxChars: 1200 }
}
}
```
`agent.model.primary` should be set as `provider/model` (e.g. `anthropic/claude-opus-4-5`).
Aliases come from `agent.models.*.alias` (e.g. `Opus`).
If you omit the provider, CLAWDBOT currently assumes `anthropic` as a temporary
deprecation fallback.
Z.AI models are available as `zai/<model>` (e.g. `zai/glm-4.7`) and require
`ZAI_API_KEY` (or legacy `Z_AI_API_KEY`) in the environment.
`agent.heartbeat` configures periodic heartbeat runs:
- `every`: duration string (`ms`, `s`, `m`, `h`); default unit minutes. Default:
`30m`. Set `0m` to disable.
- `model`: optional override model for heartbeat runs (`provider/model`).
- `target`: optional delivery provider (`last`, `whatsapp`, `telegram`, `discord`, `slack`, `signal`, `imessage`, `none`). Default: `last`.
- `to`: optional recipient override (provider-specific id, e.g. E.164 for WhatsApp, chat id for Telegram).
- `prompt`: optional override for the heartbeat body (default: `Read HEARTBEAT.md if exists. Consider outstanding tasks. Checkup sometimes on your human during (user local) day time.`). Overrides are sent verbatim; include a `Read HEARTBEAT.md if exists` line if you still want the file read.
- `ackMaxChars`: max chars allowed after `HEARTBEAT_OK` before delivery (default: 30).
Heartbeats run full agent turns. Shorter intervals burn more tokens; be mindful
of `every`, keep `HEARTBEAT.md` tiny, and/or choose a cheaper `model`.
`agent.bash` configures background bash defaults:
- `backgroundMs`: time before auto-background (ms, default 10000)
- `timeoutSec`: auto-kill after this runtime (seconds, default 1800)
- `cleanupMs`: how long to keep finished sessions in memory (ms, default 1800000)
`agent.tools` configures a global tool allow/deny policy (deny wins).
This is applied even when the Docker sandbox is **off**.
Example (disable browser/canvas everywhere):
```json5
{
agent: {
tools: {
deny: ["browser", "canvas"]
}
}
}
```
`agent.elevated` controls elevated (host) bash access:
- `enabled`: allow elevated mode (default true)
- `allowFrom`: per-provider allowlists (empty = disabled)
- `whatsapp`: E.164 numbers
- `telegram`: chat ids or usernames
- `discord`: user ids or usernames (falls back to `discord.dm.allowFrom` if omitted)
- `signal`: E.164 numbers
- `imessage`: handles/chat ids
- `webchat`: session ids or usernames
Example:
```json5
{
agent: {
elevated: {
enabled: true,
allowFrom: {
whatsapp: ["+15555550123"],
discord: ["steipete", "1234567890123"]
}
}
}
}
```
`agent.maxConcurrent` sets the maximum number of embedded agent runs that can
execute in parallel across sessions. Each session is still serialized (one run
per session key at a time). Default: 1.
### `agent.sandbox`
Optional per-session **Docker sandboxing** for the embedded agent. Intended for
non-main sessions so they cannot access your host system.
Defaults (if enabled):
- one container per session
- Debian bookworm-slim based image
- workspace per session under `~/.clawdbot/sandboxes`
- auto-prune: idle > 24h OR age > 7d
- tools: allow only `bash`, `process`, `read`, `write`, `edit`, `sessions_list`, `sessions_history`, `sessions_send`, `sessions_spawn` (deny wins)
- optional sandboxed browser (Chromium + CDP, noVNC observer)
- hardening knobs: `network`, `user`, `pidsLimit`, `memory`, `cpus`, `ulimits`, `seccompProfile`, `apparmorProfile`
Warning: `perSession: false` means a shared container and shared workspace. No
cross-session isolation.
```json5
{
agent: {
sandbox: {
mode: "non-main", // off | non-main | all
perSession: true, // recommended for isolation (false = shared container/workspace)
workspaceRoot: "~/.clawdbot/sandboxes",
docker: {
image: "clawdbot-sandbox:bookworm-slim",
containerPrefix: "clawdbot-sbx-",
workdir: "/workspace",
readOnlyRoot: true,
tmpfs: ["/tmp", "/var/tmp", "/run"],
network: "none",
user: "1000:1000",
capDrop: ["ALL"],
env: { LANG: "C.UTF-8" },
setupCommand: "apt-get update && apt-get install -y git curl jq",
pidsLimit: 256,
memory: "1g",
memorySwap: "2g",
cpus: 1,
ulimits: {
nofile: { soft: 1024, hard: 2048 },
nproc: 256
},
seccompProfile: "/path/to/seccomp.json",
apparmorProfile: "clawdbot-sandbox",
dns: ["1.1.1.1", "8.8.8.8"],
extraHosts: ["internal.service:10.0.0.5"]
},
browser: {
enabled: false,
image: "clawdbot-sandbox-browser:bookworm-slim",
containerPrefix: "clawdbot-sbx-browser-",
cdpPort: 9222,
vncPort: 5900,
noVncPort: 6080,
headless: false,
enableNoVnc: true
},
tools: {
allow: ["bash", "process", "read", "write", "edit", "sessions_list", "sessions_history", "sessions_send", "sessions_spawn"],
deny: ["browser", "canvas", "nodes", "cron", "discord", "gateway"]
},
prune: {
idleHours: 24, // 0 disables idle pruning
maxAgeDays: 7 // 0 disables max-age pruning
}
}
}
}
```
Build the default sandbox image once with:
```bash
scripts/sandbox-setup.sh
```
Note: sandbox containers default to `network: "none"`; set `agent.sandbox.docker.network`
to `"bridge"` (or your custom network) if the agent needs outbound access.
Build the optional browser image with:
```bash
scripts/sandbox-browser-setup.sh
```
When `agent.sandbox.browser.enabled=true`, the browser tool uses a sandboxed
Chromium instance (CDP). If noVNC is enabled (default when headless=false),
the noVNC URL is injected into the system prompt so the agent can reference it.
This does not require `browser.enabled` in the main config; the sandbox control
URL is injected per session.
### `models` (custom providers + base URLs)
Clawdbot uses the **pi-coding-agent** model catalog. You can add custom providers
(LiteLLM, local OpenAI-compatible servers, Anthropic proxies, etc.) by writing
`~/.clawdbot/agents/<agentId>/agent/models.json` or by defining the same schema inside your
Clawdbot config under `models.providers`.
When `models.providers` is present, Clawdbot writes/merges a `models.json` into
`~/.clawdbot/agents/<agentId>/agent/` on startup:
- default behavior: **merge** (keeps existing providers, overrides on name)
- set `models.mode: "replace"` to overwrite the file contents
Select the model via `agent.model.primary` (provider/model).
```json5
{
agent: {
model: { primary: "custom-proxy/llama-3.1-8b" },
models: {
"custom-proxy/llama-3.1-8b": {}
}
},
models: {
mode: "merge",
providers: {
"custom-proxy": {
baseUrl: "http://localhost:4000/v1",
apiKey: "LITELLM_KEY",
api: "openai-completions",
models: [
{
id: "llama-3.1-8b",
name: "Llama 3.1 8B",
reasoning: false,
input: ["text"],
cost: { input: 0, output: 0, cacheRead: 0, cacheWrite: 0 },
contextWindow: 128000,
maxTokens: 32000
}
]
}
}
}
}
```
### Local models (LM Studio) — recommended setup
Best current local setup (what were running): **MiniMax M2.1** on a beefy Mac Studio
via **LM Studio** using the **Responses API**.
```json5
{
agent: {
model: { primary: "lmstudio/minimax-m2.1-gs32" },
models: {
"anthropic/claude-opus-4-5": { alias: "Opus" },
"lmstudio/minimax-m2.1-gs32": { alias: "Minimax" }
}
},
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
}
]
}
}
}
}
```
Notes:
- LM Studio must have the model loaded and the local server enabled (default URL above).
- Responses API enables clean reasoning/output separation; WhatsApp sees only final text.
- Adjust `contextWindow`/`maxTokens` if your LM Studio context length differs.
Notes:
- Supported APIs: `openai-completions`, `openai-responses`, `anthropic-messages`,
`google-generative-ai`
- Use `authHeader: true` + `headers` for custom auth needs.
- Override the agent config root with `CLAWDBOT_AGENT_DIR` (or `PI_CODING_AGENT_DIR`)
if you want `models.json` stored elsewhere (default: `~/.clawdbot/agents/main/agent`).
### `session`
Controls session scoping, idle expiry, reset triggers, and where the session store is written.
```json5
{
session: {
scope: "per-sender",
idleMinutes: 60,
resetTriggers: ["/new", "/reset"],
// Default is already per-agent under ~/.clawdbot/agents/<agentId>/sessions/sessions.json
// You can override with {agentId} templating:
store: "~/.clawdbot/agents/{agentId}/sessions/sessions.json",
// Direct chats collapse to agent:<agentId>:<mainKey> (default: "main").
mainKey: "main",
agentToAgent: {
// Max ping-pong reply turns between requester/target (05).
maxPingPongTurns: 5
},
sendPolicy: {
rules: [
{ action: "deny", match: { provider: "discord", chatType: "group" } }
],
default: "allow"
}
}
}
```
Fields:
- `mainKey`: direct-chat bucket key (default: `"main"`). Useful when you want to “rename” the primary DM thread without changing `agentId`.
- `agentToAgent.maxPingPongTurns`: max reply-back turns between requester/target (05, default 5).
- `sendPolicy.default`: `allow` or `deny` fallback when no rule matches.
- `sendPolicy.rules[]`: match by `provider`, `chatType` (`direct|group|room`), or `keyPrefix` (e.g. `cron:`). First deny wins; otherwise allow.
### `skills` (skills config)
Controls bundled allowlist, install preferences, extra skill folders, and per-skill
overrides. Applies to **bundled** skills and `~/.clawdbot/skills` (workspace skills
still win on name conflicts).
Fields:
- `allowBundled`: optional allowlist for **bundled** skills only. If set, only those
bundled skills are eligible (managed/workspace skills unaffected).
- `load.extraDirs`: additional skill directories to scan (lowest precedence).
- `install.preferBrew`: prefer brew installers when available (default: true).
- `install.nodeManager`: node installer preference (`npm` | `pnpm` | `yarn`, default: npm).
- `entries.<skillKey>`: per-skill config overrides.
Per-skill fields:
- `enabled`: set `false` to disable a skill even if its bundled/installed.
- `env`: environment variables injected for the agent run (only if not already set).
- `apiKey`: optional convenience for skills that declare a primary env var (e.g. `nano-banana-pro` → `GEMINI_API_KEY`).
Example:
```json5
{
skills: {
allowBundled: ["brave-search", "gemini"],
load: {
extraDirs: [
"~/Projects/agent-scripts/skills",
"~/Projects/oss/some-skill-pack/skills"
]
},
install: {
preferBrew: true,
nodeManager: "npm"
},
entries: {
"nano-banana-pro": {
apiKey: "GEMINI_KEY_HERE",
env: {
GEMINI_API_KEY: "GEMINI_KEY_HERE"
}
},
peekaboo: { enabled: true },
sag: { enabled: false }
}
}
}
```
### `browser` (clawd-managed Chrome)
Clawdbot can start a **dedicated, isolated** Chrome/Chromium instance for clawd and expose a small loopback control server.
Profiles can point at a **remote** Chrome via `profiles.<name>.cdpUrl`. Remote
profiles are attach-only (start/stop/reset are disabled).
`browser.cdpUrl` remains for legacy single-profile configs and as the base
scheme/host for profiles that only set `cdpPort`.
Defaults:
- enabled: `true`
- control URL: `http://127.0.0.1:18791` (CDP uses `18792`)
- CDP URL: `http://127.0.0.1:18792` (control URL + 1, legacy single-profile)
- profile color: `#FF4500` (lobster-orange)
- Note: the control server is started by the running gateway (Clawdbot.app menubar, or `clawdbot gateway`).
```json5
{
browser: {
enabled: true,
controlUrl: "http://127.0.0.1:18791",
// cdpUrl: "http://127.0.0.1:18792", // legacy single-profile override
defaultProfile: "clawd",
profiles: {
clawd: { cdpPort: 18800, color: "#FF4500" },
work: { cdpPort: 18801, color: "#0066CC" },
remote: { cdpUrl: "http://10.0.0.42:9222", color: "#00AA00" }
},
color: "#FF4500",
// Advanced:
// headless: false,
// noSandbox: false,
// executablePath: "/usr/bin/chromium",
// attachOnly: false, // set true when tunneling a remote CDP to localhost
}
}
```
### `ui` (Appearance)
Optional accent color used by the native apps for UI chrome (e.g. Talk Mode bubble tint).
If unset, clients fall back to a muted light-blue.
```json5
{
ui: {
seamColor: "#FF4500" // hex (RRGGBB or #RRGGBB)
}
}
```
### `gateway` (Gateway server mode + bind)
Use `gateway.mode` to explicitly declare whether this machine should run the Gateway.
Defaults:
- mode: **unset** (treated as “do not auto-start”)
- bind: `loopback`
- port: `18789` (single port for WS + HTTP)
```json5
{
gateway: {
mode: "local", // or "remote"
port: 18789, // WS + HTTP multiplex
bind: "loopback",
// controlUi: { enabled: true, basePath: "/clawdbot" }
// auth: { mode: "token", token: "your-token" } // token is for multi-machine CLI access
// tailscale: { mode: "off" | "serve" | "funnel" }
}
}
```
Control UI base path:
- `gateway.controlUi.basePath` sets the URL prefix where the Control UI is served.
- Examples: `"/ui"`, `"/clawdbot"`, `"/apps/clawdbot"`.
- Default: root (`/`) (unchanged).
Notes:
- `clawdbot gateway` refuses to start unless `gateway.mode` is set to `local` (or you pass the override flag).
- `gateway.port` controls the single multiplexed port used for WebSocket + HTTP (control UI, hooks, A2UI).
- Precedence: `--port` > `CLAWDBOT_GATEWAY_PORT` > `gateway.port` > default `18789`.
Auth and Tailscale:
- `gateway.auth.mode` sets the handshake requirements (`token` or `password`).
- `gateway.auth.token` stores the shared token for token auth (used by the CLI on the same machine).
- When `gateway.auth.mode` is set, only that method is accepted (plus optional Tailscale headers).
- `gateway.auth.password` can be set here, or via `CLAWDBOT_GATEWAY_PASSWORD` (recommended).
- `gateway.auth.allowTailscale` controls whether Tailscale identity headers can satisfy auth.
- `gateway.tailscale.mode: "serve"` uses Tailscale Serve (tailnet only, loopback bind).
- `gateway.tailscale.mode: "funnel"` exposes the dashboard publicly; requires auth.
- `gateway.tailscale.resetOnExit` resets Serve/Funnel config on shutdown.
Remote client defaults (CLI):
- `gateway.remote.url` sets the default Gateway WebSocket URL for CLI calls when `gateway.mode = "remote"`.
- `gateway.remote.token` supplies the token for remote calls (leave unset for no auth).
- `gateway.remote.password` supplies the password for remote calls (leave unset for no auth).
macOS app behavior:
- Clawdbot.app watches `~/.clawdbot/clawdbot.json` and switches modes live when `gateway.mode` or `gateway.remote.url` changes.
- If `gateway.mode` is unset but `gateway.remote.url` is set, the macOS app treats it as remote mode.
- When you change connection mode in the macOS app, it writes `gateway.mode` (and `gateway.remote.url` in remote mode) back to the config file.
```json5
{
gateway: {
mode: "remote",
remote: {
url: "ws://gateway.tailnet:18789",
token: "your-token",
password: "your-password"
}
}
}
```
### `gateway.reload` (Config hot reload)
The Gateway watches `~/.clawdbot/clawdbot.json` (or `CLAWDBOT_CONFIG_PATH`) and applies changes automatically.
Modes:
- `hybrid` (default): hot-apply safe changes; restart the Gateway for critical changes.
- `hot`: only apply hot-safe changes; log when a restart is required.
- `restart`: restart the Gateway on any config change.
- `off`: disable hot reload.
```json5
{
gateway: {
reload: {
mode: "hybrid",
debounceMs: 300
}
}
}
```
#### Hot reload matrix (files + impact)
Files watched:
- `~/.clawdbot/clawdbot.json` (or `CLAWDBOT_CONFIG_PATH`)
Hot-applied (no full gateway restart):
- `hooks` (webhook auth/path/mappings) + `hooks.gmail` (Gmail watcher restarted)
- `browser` (browser control server restart)
- `cron` (cron service restart + concurrency update)
- `agent.heartbeat` (heartbeat runner restart)
- `web` (WhatsApp web provider restart)
- `telegram`, `discord`, `signal`, `imessage` (provider restarts)
- `agent`, `models`, `routing`, `messages`, `session`, `whatsapp`, `logging`, `skills`, `ui`, `talk`, `identity`, `wizard` (dynamic reads)
Requires full Gateway restart:
- `gateway` (port/bind/auth/control UI/tailscale)
- `bridge`
- `discovery`
- `canvasHost`
- Any unknown/unsupported config path (defaults to restart for safety)
### Multi-instance isolation
To run multiple gateways on one host, isolate per-instance state + config and use unique ports:
- `CLAWDBOT_CONFIG_PATH` (per-instance config)
- `CLAWDBOT_STATE_DIR` (sessions/creds)
- `agent.workspace` (memories)
- `gateway.port` (unique per instance)
Convenience flags (CLI):
- `clawdbot --dev …` → uses `~/.clawdbot-dev` + shifts ports from base `19001`
- `clawdbot --profile <name> …` → uses `~/.clawdbot-<name>` (port via config/env/flags)
See [`docs/gateway.md`](/gateway) for the derived port mapping (gateway/bridge/browser/canvas).
Example:
```bash
CLAWDBOT_CONFIG_PATH=~/.clawdbot/a.json \
CLAWDBOT_STATE_DIR=~/.clawdbot-a \
clawdbot gateway --port 19001
```
### `hooks` (Gateway webhooks)
Enable a simple HTTP webhook endpoint on the Gateway HTTP server.
Defaults:
- enabled: `false`
- path: `/hooks`
- maxBodyBytes: `262144` (256 KB)
```json5
{
hooks: {
enabled: true,
token: "shared-secret",
path: "/hooks",
presets: ["gmail"],
transformsDir: "~/.clawdbot/hooks",
mappings: [
{
match: { path: "gmail" },
action: "agent",
wakeMode: "now",
name: "Gmail",
sessionKey: "hook:gmail:{{messages[0].id}}",
messageTemplate:
"From: {{messages[0].from}}\nSubject: {{messages[0].subject}}\n{{messages[0].snippet}}",
},
],
}
}
```
Requests must include the hook token:
- `Authorization: Bearer <token>` **or**
- `x-clawdbot-token: <token>` **or**
- `?token=<token>`
Endpoints:
- `POST /hooks/wake` → `{ text, mode?: "now"|"next-heartbeat" }`
- `POST /hooks/agent` → `{ message, name?, sessionKey?, wakeMode?, deliver?, provider?, to?, thinking?, timeoutSeconds? }`
- `POST /hooks/<name>` → resolved via `hooks.mappings`
`/hooks/agent` always posts a summary into the main session (and can optionally trigger an immediate heartbeat via `wakeMode: "now"`).
Mapping notes:
- `match.path` matches the sub-path after `/hooks` (e.g. `/hooks/gmail` → `gmail`).
- `match.source` matches a payload field (e.g. `{ source: "gmail" }`) so you can use a generic `/hooks/ingest` path.
- Templates like `{{messages[0].subject}}` read from the payload.
- `transform` can point to a JS/TS module that returns a hook action.
Gmail helper config (used by `clawdbot hooks gmail setup` / `run`):
```json5
{
hooks: {
gmail: {
account: "clawdbot@gmail.com",
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 auto-start:
- If `hooks.enabled=true` and `hooks.gmail.account` is set, the Gateway starts
`gog gmail watch serve` on boot and auto-renews the watch.
- Set `CLAWDBOT_SKIP_GMAIL_WATCHER=1` to disable the auto-start (for manual runs).
- Avoid running a separate `gog gmail watch serve` alongside the Gateway; it will
fail with `listen tcp 127.0.0.1:8788: bind: address already in use`.
Note: when `tailscale.mode` is on, Clawdbot defaults `serve.path` to `/` so
Tailscale can proxy `/gmail-pubsub` correctly (it strips the set-path prefix).
### `canvasHost` (LAN/tailnet Canvas file server + live reload)
The Gateway serves a directory of HTML/CSS/JS over HTTP so iOS/Android nodes can simply `canvas.navigate` to it.
Default root: `~/clawd/canvas`
Default port: `18793` (chosen to avoid the clawd browser CDP port `18792`)
The server listens on the **bridge bind host** (LAN or Tailnet) so nodes can reach it.
The server:
- serves files under `canvasHost.root`
- injects a tiny live-reload client into served HTML
- watches the directory and broadcasts reloads over a WebSocket endpoint at `/__clawdbot/ws`
- auto-creates a starter `index.html` when the directory is empty (so you see something immediately)
- also serves A2UI at `/__clawdbot__/a2ui/` and is advertised to nodes as `canvasHostUrl`
(always used by nodes for Canvas/A2UI)
Disable live reload (and file watching) if the directory is large or you hit `EMFILE`:
- config: `canvasHost: { liveReload: false }`
```json5
{
canvasHost: {
root: "~/clawd/canvas",
port: 18793,
liveReload: true
}
}
```
Changes to `canvasHost.*` require a gateway restart (config reload will restart).
Disable with:
- config: `canvasHost: { enabled: false }`
- env: `CLAWDBOT_SKIP_CANVAS_HOST=1`
### `bridge` (node bridge server)
The Gateway can expose a simple TCP bridge for nodes (iOS/Android), typically on port `18790`.
Defaults:
- enabled: `true`
- port: `18790`
- bind: `lan` (binds to `0.0.0.0`)
Bind modes:
- `lan`: `0.0.0.0` (reachable on any interface, including LAN/WiFi and Tailscale)
- `tailnet`: bind only to the machines Tailscale IP (recommended for Vienna ⇄ London)
- `loopback`: `127.0.0.1` (local only)
- `auto`: prefer tailnet IP if present, else `lan`
```json5
{
bridge: {
enabled: true,
port: 18790,
bind: "tailnet"
}
}
```
### `discovery.wideArea` (Wide-Area Bonjour / unicast DNSSD)
When enabled, the Gateway writes a unicast DNS-SD zone for `_clawdbot-bridge._tcp` under `~/.clawdbot/dns/` using the standard discovery domain `clawdbot.internal.`
To make iOS/Android discover across networks (Vienna ⇄ London), pair this with:
- a DNS server on the gateway host serving `clawdbot.internal.` (CoreDNS is recommended)
- Tailscale **split DNS** so clients resolve `clawdbot.internal` via that server
One-time setup helper (gateway host):
```bash
clawdbot dns setup --apply
```
```json5
{
discovery: { wideArea: { enabled: true } }
}
```
## Template variables
Template placeholders are expanded in `routing.transcribeAudio.command` (and any future templated command fields).
| Variable | Description |
|----------|-------------|
| `{{Body}}` | Full inbound message body |
| `{{BodyStripped}}` | Body with group mentions stripped (best default for agents) |
| `{{From}}` | Sender identifier (E.164 for WhatsApp; may differ per provider) |
| `{{To}}` | Destination identifier |
| `{{MessageSid}}` | Provider message id (when available) |
| `{{SessionId}}` | Current session UUID |
| `{{IsNewSession}}` | `"true"` when a new session was created |
| `{{MediaUrl}}` | Inbound media pseudo-URL (if present) |
| `{{MediaPath}}` | Local media path (if downloaded) |
| `{{MediaType}}` | Media type (image/audio/document/…) |
| `{{Transcript}}` | Audio transcript (when enabled) |
| `{{ChatType}}` | `"direct"` or `"group"` |
| `{{GroupSubject}}` | Group subject (best effort) |
| `{{GroupMembers}}` | Group members preview (best effort) |
| `{{SenderName}}` | Sender display name (best effort) |
| `{{SenderE164}}` | Sender phone number (best effort) |
| `{{Provider}}` | Provider hint (whatsapp|telegram|discord|imessage|webchat|…) |
## Cron (Gateway scheduler)
Cron is a Gateway-owned scheduler for wakeups and scheduled jobs. See [Cron jobs](/cron-jobs) for the feature overview and CLI examples.
```json5
{
cron: {
enabled: true,
maxConcurrentRuns: 2
}
}
```
---
*Next: [Agent Runtime](/agent)* 🦞