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Plugin install overrides let maintainers point setup-time plugin installs at a specific npm package or local npm-pack tarball instead of the catalog, bundled, or default npm source. They exist for E2E and package validation only; normal users install plugins with openclaw plugins install.
Overrides execute plugin code from the source you provide. Use them only in an isolated state directory or disposable test machine.

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Environment

Overrides are disabled unless both variables are set: 
export OPENCLAW_ALLOW_PLUGIN_INSTALL_OVERRIDES=1
export OPENCLAW_PLUGIN_INSTALL_OVERRIDES='{
  "codex": "npm-pack:/tmp/openclaw-codex-2026.5.8.tgz",
  "openclaw-web-search": "npm:@openclaw/web-search@2026.5.8"
}'
The override map is JSON keyed by plugin id. Values support:
PrefixSource
npm:<registry-spec>Registry packages, exact versions, or tags
npm-pack:<path.tgz>Local tarballs produced by npm pack; relative paths resolve from the current working directory

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Behavior

When a setup-time flow installs a plugin whose id appears in the map, OpenClaw uses the override source instead of the catalog, bundled, or default npm source. This applies to onboarding and any other flow using the shared setup-time plugin installer.
  • Overrides still enforce the expected plugin id: a tarball mapped to codex must install a plugin whose manifest id is codex.
  • Overrides do not inherit official trusted-source status. Even when the catalog entry normally represents an OpenClaw-owned package, an override is treated as operator-supplied test input.
  • Workspace .env files cannot enable install overrides; both env vars are on the blocked workspace dotenv list. Set them in the trusted shell, CI job, or remote test command that launches OpenClaw.

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Package E2E

Use an isolated state directory so package installs and install records do not touch your normal OpenClaw state: 
npm pack extensions/codex --pack-destination /tmp

OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR="$(mktemp -d)" \
OPENCLAW_ALLOW_PLUGIN_INSTALL_OVERRIDES=1 \
OPENCLAW_PLUGIN_INSTALL_OVERRIDES='{"codex":"npm-pack:/tmp/openclaw-codex-2026.5.8.tgz"}' \
pnpm openclaw onboard --mode local
Verify the installed package under the state directory: 
find "$OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR/npm/projects" -path '*/node_modules/@openclaw/codex/package.json' -print
grep -R '"@openclaw/codex"' "$OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR/npm/projects"/*/package-lock.json
For live provider E2E, source the real API key from a trusted shell or CI secret before launching the test command. Do not print keys; report only the source and whether the key was present.