openclaw/docs/web/webchat.md

---
summary: "Loopback WebChat static host and Gateway WS usage for chat UI"
read_when:
  - Debugging or configuring WebChat access
title: "WebChat"
---

# WebChat (Gateway WebSocket UI)

Status: the macOS/iOS SwiftUI chat UI talks directly to the Gateway WebSocket.

## What it is

- A native chat UI for the gateway (no embedded browser and no local static server).
- Uses the same sessions and routing rules as other channels.
- Deterministic routing: replies always go back to WebChat.

## Quick start

1. Start the gateway.
2. Open the WebChat UI (macOS/iOS app) or the Control UI chat tab.
3. Ensure gateway auth is configured (required by default, even on loopback).

## How it works (behavior)

- The UI connects to the Gateway WebSocket and uses `chat.history`, `chat.send`, and `chat.inject`.
- `chat.history` is bounded for stability: Gateway may truncate long text fields, omit heavy metadata, and replace oversized entries with `[chat.history omitted: message too large]`.
- `chat.inject` appends an assistant note directly to the transcript and broadcasts it to the UI (no agent run).
- Aborted runs can keep partial assistant output visible in the UI.
- Gateway persists aborted partial assistant text into transcript history when buffered output exists, and marks those entries with abort metadata.
- History is always fetched from the gateway (no local file watching).
- If the gateway is unreachable, WebChat is read-only.

## Control UI agents tools panel

- The Control UI `/agents` Tools panel fetches a runtime catalog via `tools.catalog` and labels each
  tool as `core` or `plugin:<id>` (plus `optional` for optional plugin tools).
- If `tools.catalog` is unavailable, the panel falls back to a built-in static list.
- The panel edits profile and override config, but effective runtime access still follows policy
  precedence (`allow`/`deny`, per-agent and provider/channel overrides).

## Remote use

- Remote mode tunnels the gateway WebSocket over SSH/Tailscale.
- You do not need to run a separate WebChat server.

## Configuration reference (WebChat)

Full configuration: [Configuration](/gateway/configuration)

Channel options:

- No dedicated `webchat.*` block. WebChat uses the gateway endpoint + auth settings below.

Related global options:

- `gateway.port`, `gateway.bind`: WebSocket host/port.
- `gateway.auth.mode`, `gateway.auth.token`, `gateway.auth.password`: WebSocket auth (token/password).
- `gateway.auth.mode: "trusted-proxy"`: reverse-proxy auth for browser clients (see [Trusted Proxy Auth](/gateway/trusted-proxy-auth)).
- `gateway.remote.url`, `gateway.remote.token`, `gateway.remote.password`: remote gateway target.
- `session.*`: session storage and main key defaults.