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openclaw agent runs a single agent turn from the command line without an inbound chat message. Use it for scripted workflows, testing, and programmatic delivery. Full flag and behavior reference: Agent CLI reference.

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Quick start

1

Run a simple agent turn

openclaw agent --agent main --message "What is the weather today?"
Sends the message through the Gateway and prints the reply.
2

Send a multiline prompt from a file

openclaw agent --agent ops --message-file ./task.md
Reads a valid UTF-8 file as the agent message body.
3

Target a specific agent or session

# Target a specific agent
openclaw agent --agent ops --message "Summarize logs"

# Target a phone number (derives session key)
openclaw agent --to +15555550123 --message "Status update"

# Reuse an existing session
openclaw agent --session-id abc123 --message "Continue the task"

# Target an exact session key
openclaw agent --session-key agent:ops:incident-42 --message "Summarize status"
4

Deliver the reply to a channel

# Deliver to WhatsApp (default channel)
openclaw agent --to +15555550123 --message "Report ready" --deliver

# Deliver to Slack
openclaw agent --agent ops --message "Generate report" \
  --deliver --reply-channel slack --reply-to "#reports"

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Flags

FlagDescription
--message <text>Inline message to send
--message-file <path>Read the message from a valid UTF-8 file
--to <dest>Derive session key from a target (phone, chat id)
--session-key <key>Use an explicit session key
--agent <id>Target a configured agent (uses its main session)
--session-id <id>Reuse an existing session by id
--model <id>Model override for this run (provider/model or model id)
--localForce local embedded runtime (skip Gateway)
--deliverSend the reply to a chat channel
--channel <name>Delivery channel (discord, slack, telegram, whatsapp, etc.)
--reply-to <target>Delivery target override
--reply-channel <name>Delivery channel override
--reply-account <id>Delivery account id override
--thinking <level>Set thinking level for the selected model profile
--verbose <on|full|off>Persist verbose level for the session (full also logs tool output)
--timeout <seconds>Override agent timeout (default 600, or config value)
--jsonOutput structured JSON

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Behavior

  • By default, the CLI goes through the Gateway. Add --local to force the embedded runtime on the current machine.
  • Pass exactly one of --message or --message-file. File messages preserve multiline content after removing an optional UTF-8 BOM.
  • If the Gateway request fails, the CLI falls back to the local embedded run; a Gateway timeout falls back with a fresh session instead of racing the original transcript.
  • Session selection: --to derives the session key (group/channel targets preserve isolation; direct chats collapse to main).
  • --session-key selects an explicit key. Agent-prefixed keys must use agent:<agent-id>:<session-key>, and --agent must match that agent id when both are supplied. Bare non-sentinel keys are scoped to --agent when supplied; for example, --agent ops --session-key incident-42 routes to agent:ops:incident-42. Without --agent, bare non-sentinel keys are scoped to the configured default agent. Literal global and unknown remain unscoped only when no --agent is supplied; the embedded fallback path resolves those sentinel sessions to the configured default agent.
  • --channel, --reply-channel, and --reply-account affect reply delivery, not session routing.
  • Thinking and verbose flags persist into the session store.
  • Output: plain text by default, or --json for structured payload + metadata.
  • With --json --deliver, the JSON includes delivery status for sent, suppressed, partial, and failed sends. See JSON delivery status.

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Examples

# Simple turn with JSON output
openclaw agent --to +15555550123 --message "Trace logs" --verbose on --json

# Turn with a model override
openclaw agent --agent ops --model openai/gpt-5.4 --message "Summarize logs"

# Turn with thinking level
openclaw agent --session-id 1234 --message "Summarize inbox" --thinking medium

# Multiline prompt from a file
openclaw agent --agent ops --message-file ./task.md

# Exact session key
openclaw agent --session-key agent:ops:incident-42 --message "Summarize status"

# Legacy key scoped to an agent
openclaw agent --agent ops --session-key incident-42 --message "Summarize status"

# Deliver to a different channel than the session
openclaw agent --agent ops --message "Alert" --deliver --reply-channel telegram --reply-to "@admin"

Agent CLI reference

Full openclaw agent flag and option reference.

Sub-agents

Background sub-agent spawning.

Sessions

How session keys work and how --to, --agent, and --session-id resolve them.

Slash commands

Native command catalog used inside agent sessions.