The Ultimate OpenClaw CLI Cheat Sheet (2026 Edition)

The OpenClaw Command Line Interface (CLI) is the control center for your AI agent. While you can interact with your agent through Telegram, WhatsApp, or the Chrome Extension, the CLI is where you manage the underlying infrastructure.

Bookmark this cheat sheet to master the essential openclaw commands.

1. Gateway Management

The Gateway is the core WebSocket server that handles all agent logic, routing, and tool execution.

# Start the gateway in the background
openclaw gateway start

# Check gateway status and uptime
openclaw gateway status

# Stop the gateway
openclaw gateway stop

# Restart the gateway (useful after config changes)
openclaw gateway restart

# Open the Web Control UI in your browser
openclaw dashboard

# View live logs from the gateway
openclaw logs

2. Cron & Automation

OpenClaw isn't just a chatbot; it's an autonomous worker. You can schedule tasks using standard cron syntax.

# List all active cron jobs
openclaw cron list

# Add a new scheduled task (Interactive)
openclaw cron add

# Example: Schedule a daily 9 AM email summary
openclaw cron add --schedule "0 9 * * *" --task "Summarize my unread emails and send to Telegram"

# Remove a specific cron job by ID
openclaw cron remove <job_id>

3. Chat Channels & Messaging

Manage how OpenClaw communicates with the outside world.

# Check the health of connected channels (Telegram, Discord, etc.)
openclaw status

# Send a message directly from the CLI
openclaw message send --channel telegram --target @username --message "Hello from the terminal!"

# Re-authenticate or add a new chat channel
openclaw channels login

# List all paired devices (like the Chrome Extension)
openclaw devices list

4. Skills & Capabilities

Skills are modular plugins (like Python scripts or Puppeteer automations) that give your agent new abilities.

# List all installed skills
openclaw skills list

# Audit your skills for missing dependencies
openclaw skills audit

5. Configuration & Setup

Manage your openclaw.json safely from the command line.

# Run the interactive setup wizard
openclaw configure

# Set a specific config value (e.g., enable Tailscale mode)
openclaw config set gateway.tailscale.mode on

# Read a specific config value
openclaw config get gateway.port

# Run a system health check and auto-fix config errors
openclaw doctor --fix

6. Agent Workspace & Memory

Your agent maintains long-term memory in the ~/.openclaw/workspace/ directory.

# Reindex the agent's memory files (useful after manual edits)
openclaw memory reindex

# Search the agent's memory from the terminal
openclaw memory search "What is my API key?"

Pro Tip: The Help Command

If you ever forget a command, OpenClaw has excellent built-in documentation. Just append --help to any command.

# Get global help
openclaw help

# Get specific help for a command
openclaw message --help

Master these commands, and you'll go from chatting with your agent to truly orchestrating it. Happy building!