openclaw-backups/archive/inactive-skills/openclaw-anything/references/config-schema.md

OpenClaw Configuration Reference

Reference normalized against:

• https://docs.openclaw.ai/cli/config
• https://docs.openclaw.ai/gateway/configuration

Last verified: 2026-02-17.

Config File Location

Default state directory:

• ~/.openclaw

Default config file:

• ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json5

CLI-first Config Management

Use CLI first to avoid manual syntax errors:

• openclaw config --list
• openclaw config --get gateway.bind
• openclaw config --set gateway.bind=127.0.0.1
• openclaw config --set gateway.port=18789

Minimal Config Example

{
  gateway: {
    bind: "127.0.0.1",
    port: 18789,
    auth: {
      token: "replace-with-strong-token"
    }
  },
  channels: {
    whatsapp: {
      allowFrom: ["+1234567890"],
      groups: {
        "*": { requireMention: true }
      }
    }
  },
  agents: {
    defaults: {
      workspace: "~/.openclaw/workspace"
    }
  },
  models: {
    default: "claude-3-5-sonnet-latest"
  }
}

High-impact Keys

• gateway.bind: Interface binding. Keep 127.0.0.1 unless remote access is required.
• gateway.port: Gateway port (default 18789).
• gateway.auth.token: Required when binding beyond loopback.
• channels.*: Channel-specific policy and auth settings.
• agents.defaults.workspace: Base workspace for agent tasks.
• models.default: Default model used by agents.

Environment Variables

• OPENCLAW_CONFIG_PATH: Override config file path.
• OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR: Override state directory.
• OPENCLAW_HOME: Override OpenClaw home directory.