openclaw/docs/tools/index.md

---
summary: "Agent tool surface for Clawdbot (browser, canvas, nodes, message, cron) replacing legacy `clawdbot-*` skills"
read_when:
  - Adding or modifying agent tools
  - Retiring or changing `clawdbot-*` skills
---

# Tools (Clawdbot)

Clawdbot exposes **first-class agent tools** for browser, canvas, nodes, and cron.
These replace the old `clawdbot-*` skills: the tools are typed, no shelling,
and the agent should rely on them directly.

## Disabling tools

You can globally allow/deny tools via `tools.allow` / `tools.deny` in `clawdbot.json`
(deny wins). This prevents disallowed tools from being sent to providers.

```json5
{
  tools: { deny: ["browser"] }
}
```

## Plugins + tools

Plugins can register **additional tools** (and CLI commands) beyond the core set.
See [Plugins](/plugin) for install + config, and [Skills](/tools/skills) for how
tool usage guidance is injected into prompts. Some plugins ship their own skills
alongside tools (for example, the voice-call plugin).

## Tool inventory

### `apply_patch`
Apply structured patches across one or more files. Use for multi-hunk edits.
Experimental: enable via `tools.exec.applyPatch.enabled` (OpenAI models only).

### `exec`
Run shell commands in the workspace.

Core parameters:
- `command` (required)
- `yieldMs` (auto-background after timeout, default 10000)
- `background` (immediate background)
- `timeout` (seconds; kills the process if exceeded, default 1800)
- `elevated` (bool; run on host if elevated mode is enabled/allowed; only changes behavior when the agent is sandboxed)
- Need a real TTY? Use the tmux skill.

Notes:
- Returns `status: "running"` with a `sessionId` when backgrounded.
- Use `process` to poll/log/write/kill/clear background sessions.
- If `process` is disallowed, `exec` runs synchronously and ignores `yieldMs`/`background`.
- `elevated` is gated by `tools.elevated` plus any `agents.list[].tools.elevated` override (both must allow) and runs on the host.
- `elevated` only changes behavior when the agent is sandboxed (otherwise it’s a no-op).

### `process`
Manage background exec sessions.

Core actions:
- `list`, `poll`, `log`, `write`, `kill`, `clear`, `remove`

Notes:
- `poll` returns new output and exit status when complete.
- `log` supports line-based `offset`/`limit` (omit `offset` to grab the last N lines).
- `process` is scoped per agent; sessions from other agents are not visible.

### `browser`
Control the dedicated clawd browser.

Core actions:
- `status`, `start`, `stop`, `tabs`, `open`, `focus`, `close`
- `snapshot` (aria/ai)
- `screenshot` (returns image block + `MEDIA:<path>`)
- `act` (UI actions: click/type/press/hover/drag/select/fill/resize/wait/evaluate)
- `navigate`, `console`, `pdf`, `upload`, `dialog`

Profile management:
- `profiles` — list all browser profiles with status
- `create-profile` — create new profile with auto-allocated port (or `cdpUrl`)
- `delete-profile` — stop browser, delete user data, remove from config (local only)
- `reset-profile` — kill orphan process on profile's port (local only)

Common parameters:
- `controlUrl` (defaults from config)
- `profile` (optional; defaults to `browser.defaultProfile`)
Notes:
- Requires `browser.enabled=true` (default is `true`; set `false` to disable).
- Uses `browser.controlUrl` unless `controlUrl` is passed explicitly.
- All actions accept optional `profile` parameter for multi-instance support.
- When `profile` is omitted, uses `browser.defaultProfile` (defaults to "clawd").
- Profile names: lowercase alphanumeric + hyphens only (max 64 chars).
- Port range: 18800-18899 (~100 profiles max).
- Remote profiles are attach-only (no start/stop/reset).
- `snapshot` defaults to `ai` when Playwright is installed; use `aria` for the accessibility tree.
- `snapshot` also supports role-snapshot options (`interactive`, `compact`, `depth`, `selector`) which return refs like `e12`.
- `act` requires `ref` from `snapshot` (numeric `12` from AI snapshots, or `e12` from role snapshots); use `evaluate` for rare CSS selector needs.
- Avoid `act` → `wait` by default; use it only in exceptional cases (no reliable UI state to wait on).
- `upload` can optionally pass a `ref` to auto-click after arming.
- `upload` also supports `inputRef` (aria ref) or `element` (CSS selector) to set `<input type="file">` directly.

### `canvas`
Drive the node Canvas (present, eval, snapshot, A2UI).

Core actions:
- `present`, `hide`, `navigate`, `eval`
- `snapshot` (returns image block + `MEDIA:<path>`)
- `a2ui_push`, `a2ui_reset`

Notes:
- Uses gateway `node.invoke` under the hood.
- If no `node` is provided, the tool picks a default (single connected node or local mac node).
- A2UI is v0.8 only (no `createSurface`); the CLI rejects v0.9 JSONL with line errors.
- Quick smoke: `clawdbot nodes canvas a2ui push --node <id> --text "Hello from A2UI"`.

### `nodes`
Discover and target paired nodes; send notifications; capture camera/screen.

Core actions:
- `status`, `describe`
- `pending`, `approve`, `reject` (pairing)
- `notify` (macOS `system.notify`)
- `run` (macOS `system.run`)
- `camera_snap`, `camera_clip`, `screen_record`
- `location_get`

Notes:
- Camera/screen commands require the node app to be foregrounded.
- Images return image blocks + `MEDIA:<path>`.
- Videos return `FILE:<path>` (mp4).
- Location returns a JSON payload (lat/lon/accuracy/timestamp).
- `run` params: `command` argv array; optional `cwd`, `env` (`KEY=VAL`), `commandTimeoutMs`, `invokeTimeoutMs`, `needsScreenRecording`.

Example (`run`):
```json
{
  "action": "run",
  "node": "office-mac",
  "command": ["echo", "Hello"],
  "env": ["FOO=bar"],
  "commandTimeoutMs": 12000,
  "invokeTimeoutMs": 45000,
  "needsScreenRecording": false
}
```

### `image`
Analyze an image with the configured image model.

Core parameters:
- `image` (required path or URL)
- `prompt` (optional; defaults to "Describe the image.")
- `model` (optional override)
- `maxBytesMb` (optional size cap)

Notes:
- Only available when `agents.defaults.imageModel` is configured (primary or fallbacks).
- Uses the image model directly (independent of the main chat model).

### `message`
Send messages and provider actions across Discord/Slack/Telegram/WhatsApp/Signal/iMessage/MS Teams.

Core actions:
- `send` (text + optional media)
- `poll` (WhatsApp/Discord/MS Teams polls)
- `react` / `reactions` / `read` / `edit` / `delete`
- `pin` / `unpin` / `list-pins`
- `permissions`
- `thread-create` / `thread-list` / `thread-reply`
- `search`
- `sticker`
- `member-info` / `role-info`
- `emoji-list` / `emoji-upload` / `sticker-upload`
- `role-add` / `role-remove`
- `channel-info` / `channel-list`
- `voice-status`
- `event-list` / `event-create`
- `timeout` / `kick` / `ban`

Notes:
- `send` routes WhatsApp via the Gateway; other providers go direct.
- `poll` uses the Gateway for WhatsApp and MS Teams; Discord polls go direct.

### `cron`
Manage Gateway cron jobs and wakeups.

Core actions:
- `status`, `list`
- `add`, `update`, `remove`, `run`, `runs`
- `wake` (enqueue system event + optional immediate heartbeat)

Notes:
- `add` expects a full cron job object (same schema as `cron.add` RPC).
- `update` uses `{ id, patch }`.

### `gateway`
Restart or apply updates to the running Gateway process (in-place).

Core actions:
- `restart` (sends `SIGUSR1` to the current process; `clawdbot gateway` restart in-place)
- `config.get` / `config.schema`
- `config.apply` (validate + write config + restart + wake)
- `update.run` (run update + restart + wake)

Notes:
- Use `delayMs` (defaults to 2000) to avoid interrupting an in-flight reply.
- `restart` is disabled by default; enable with `commands.restart: true`.

### `sessions_list` / `sessions_history` / `sessions_send` / `sessions_spawn` / `session_status`
List sessions, inspect transcript history, or send to another session.

Core parameters:
- `sessions_list`: `kinds?`, `limit?`, `activeMinutes?`, `messageLimit?` (0 = none)
- `sessions_history`: `sessionKey`, `limit?`, `includeTools?`
- `sessions_send`: `sessionKey`, `message`, `timeoutSeconds?` (0 = fire-and-forget)
- `sessions_spawn`: `task`, `label?`, `agentId?`, `model?`, `runTimeoutSeconds?`, `cleanup?`
- `session_status`: `sessionKey?` (default current), `model?` (`default` clears override)

Notes:
- `main` is the canonical direct-chat key; global/unknown are hidden.
- `messageLimit > 0` fetches last N messages per session (tool messages filtered).
- `sessions_send` waits for final completion when `timeoutSeconds > 0`.
- Delivery/announce happens after completion and is best-effort; `status: "ok"` confirms the agent run finished, not that the announce was delivered.
- `sessions_spawn` starts a sub-agent run and posts an announce reply back to the requester chat.
- `sessions_spawn` is non-blocking and returns `status: "accepted"` immediately.
- `sessions_send` runs a reply‑back ping‑pong (reply `REPLY_SKIP` to stop; max turns via `session.agentToAgent.maxPingPongTurns`, 0–5).
- After the ping‑pong, the target agent runs an **announce step**; reply `ANNOUNCE_SKIP` to suppress the announcement.

### `agents_list`
List agent ids that the current session may target with `sessions_spawn`.

Notes:
- Result is restricted to per-agent allowlists (`agents.list[].subagents.allowAgents`).
- When `["*"]` is configured, the tool includes all configured agents and marks `allowAny: true`.

## Parameters (common)

Gateway-backed tools (`canvas`, `nodes`, `cron`):
- `gatewayUrl` (default `ws://127.0.0.1:18789`)
- `gatewayToken` (if auth enabled)
- `timeoutMs`

Browser tool:
- `controlUrl` (defaults from config)

## Recommended agent flows

Browser automation:
1) `browser` → `status` / `start`
2) `snapshot` (ai or aria)
3) `act` (click/type/press)
4) `screenshot` if you need visual confirmation

Canvas render:
1) `canvas` → `present`
2) `a2ui_push` (optional)
3) `snapshot`

Node targeting:
1) `nodes` → `status`
2) `describe` on the chosen node
3) `notify` / `run` / `camera_snap` / `screen_record`

## Safety

- Avoid direct `system.run`; use `nodes` → `run` only with explicit user consent.
- Respect user consent for camera/screen capture.
- Use `status/describe` to ensure permissions before invoking media commands.

## How tools are presented to the agent

Tools are exposed in two parallel channels:

1) **System prompt text**: a human-readable list + guidance.
2) **Tool schema**: the structured function definitions sent to the model API.

That means the agent sees both “what tools exist” and “how to call them.” If a tool
doesn’t appear in the system prompt or the schema, the model cannot call it.