118 lines
3.7 KiB
Markdown
118 lines
3.7 KiB
Markdown
---
|
||
summary: "Clawdbot macOS companion app (menu bar + gateway broker)"
|
||
read_when:
|
||
- Implementing macOS app features
|
||
- Changing gateway lifecycle or node bridging on macOS
|
||
---
|
||
# Clawdbot macOS Companion (menu bar + gateway broker)
|
||
|
||
The macOS app is the **menu‑bar companion** for Clawdbot. It owns permissions,
|
||
manages the Gateway locally, and exposes macOS capabilities to the agent as a
|
||
node.
|
||
|
||
## What it does
|
||
|
||
- Shows native notifications and status in the menu bar.
|
||
- Owns TCC prompts (Notifications, Accessibility, Screen Recording, Microphone,
|
||
Speech Recognition, Automation/AppleScript).
|
||
- Runs or connects to the Gateway (local or remote).
|
||
- Exposes macOS‑only tools (Canvas, Camera, Screen Recording, `system.run`).
|
||
- Optionally hosts **PeekabooBridge** for UI automation.
|
||
- Installs a helper CLI (`clawdbot`) into `/usr/local/bin` and
|
||
`/opt/homebrew/bin` on request.
|
||
|
||
## Local vs remote mode
|
||
|
||
- **Local** (default): the app ensures a local Gateway is running via launchd.
|
||
- **Remote**: the app connects to a Gateway over SSH/Tailscale and never starts
|
||
a local process.
|
||
- **Attach‑only** (debug): the app connects to an already‑running local Gateway
|
||
and never spawns its own.
|
||
|
||
## Launchd control
|
||
|
||
The app manages a per‑user LaunchAgent labeled `com.clawdbot.gateway`.
|
||
|
||
```bash
|
||
launchctl kickstart -k gui/$UID/com.clawdbot.gateway
|
||
launchctl bootout gui/$UID/com.clawdbot.gateway
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
If the LaunchAgent isn’t installed, enable it from the app or run
|
||
`clawdbot daemon install`.
|
||
|
||
## Node capabilities (mac)
|
||
|
||
The macOS app presents itself as a node. Common commands:
|
||
|
||
- Canvas: `canvas.present`, `canvas.navigate`, `canvas.eval`, `canvas.snapshot`, `canvas.a2ui.*`
|
||
- Camera: `camera.snap`, `camera.clip`
|
||
- Screen: `screen.record`
|
||
- System: `system.run`, `system.notify`
|
||
|
||
The node reports a `permissions` map so agents can decide what’s allowed.
|
||
|
||
## Deep links
|
||
|
||
The app registers the `clawdbot://` URL scheme for local actions.
|
||
|
||
### `clawdbot://agent`
|
||
|
||
Triggers a Gateway `agent` request.
|
||
|
||
```bash
|
||
open 'clawdbot://agent?message=Hello%20from%20deep%20link'
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
Query parameters:
|
||
- `message` (required)
|
||
- `sessionKey` (optional)
|
||
- `thinking` (optional)
|
||
- `deliver` / `to` / `provider` (optional)
|
||
- `timeoutSeconds` (optional)
|
||
- `key` (optional unattended mode key)
|
||
|
||
Safety:
|
||
- Without `key`, the app prompts for confirmation.
|
||
- With a valid `key`, the run is unattended (intended for personal automations).
|
||
|
||
## Onboarding flow (typical)
|
||
|
||
1) Install and launch **Clawdbot.app**.
|
||
2) Complete the permissions checklist (TCC prompts).
|
||
3) Ensure **Local** mode is active and the Gateway is running.
|
||
4) Install the CLI helper if you want terminal access.
|
||
|
||
## Build & dev workflow (native)
|
||
|
||
- `cd apps/macos && swift build`
|
||
- `swift run Clawdbot` (or Xcode)
|
||
- Package app + CLI: `scripts/package-mac-app.sh`
|
||
- Switch bundled gateway runtime with `BUNDLED_RUNTIME=node|bun` (default: node).
|
||
|
||
## Debug gateway discovery (macOS CLI)
|
||
|
||
Use the debug CLI to exercise the same Bonjour + wide‑area discovery code that the
|
||
macOS app uses, without launching the app.
|
||
|
||
```bash
|
||
cd apps/macos
|
||
swift run clawdbot-mac-discovery --timeout 3000 --json
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
Options:
|
||
- `--include-local`: include gateways that would be filtered as “local”
|
||
- `--timeout <ms>`: overall discovery window (default `2000`)
|
||
- `--json`: structured output for diffing
|
||
|
||
Tip: compare against `pnpm clawdbot gateway discover --json` to see whether the
|
||
macOS app’s discovery pipeline (NWBrowser + tailnet DNS‑SD fallback) differs from
|
||
the Node CLI’s `dns-sd` based discovery.
|
||
|
||
## Related docs
|
||
|
||
- [Gateway runbook](/gateway)
|
||
- [Bundled Node Gateway](/platforms/mac/bundled-gateway)
|
||
- [macOS permissions](/platforms/mac/permissions)
|
||
- [Canvas](/platforms/mac/canvas)
|