feat(config): add openclaw config validate and improve startup error messages (#31220)

Merged via squash.

Prepared head SHA: 4598f2a541f0bde300a096ef51638408d273c4bd
Co-authored-by: Sid-Qin <201593046+Sid-Qin@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: gumadeiras <5599352+gumadeiras@users.noreply.github.com>
Reviewed-by: @gumadeiras

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
 
 ### Changes
 
+- CLI/Config validation: add `openclaw config validate` (with `--json`) to validate config files before gateway startup, and include detailed invalid-key paths in startup invalid-config errors. (#31220) thanks @Sid-Qin.
 - Sessions/Attachments: add inline file attachment support for `sessions_spawn` (subagent runtime only) with base64/utf8 encoding, transcript content redaction, lifecycle cleanup, and configurable limits via `tools.sessions_spawn.attachments`. (#16761) Thanks @napetrov.
 - Agents/Thinking defaults: set `adaptive` as the default thinking level for Anthropic Claude 4.6 models (including Bedrock Claude 4.6 refs) while keeping other reasoning-capable models at `low` unless explicitly configured.
 - Gateway/Container probes: add built-in HTTP liveness/readiness endpoints (`/health`, `/healthz`, `/ready`, `/readyz`) for Docker/Kubernetes health checks, with fallback routing so existing handlers on those paths are not shadowed. (#31272) Thanks @vincentkoc.

docs/cli/config.md

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ---
-summary: "CLI reference for `openclaw config` (get/set/unset values and config file path)"
+summary: "CLI reference for `openclaw config` (get/set/unset/file/validate)"
 read_when:
   - You want to read or edit config non-interactively
 title: "config"
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ title: "config"
 
 # `openclaw config`
 
-Config helpers: get/set/unset values by path and print the active config file.
+Config helpers: get/set/unset/validate values by path and print the active
-Run without a subcommand to open
+config file. Run without a subcommand to open
 the configure wizard (same as `openclaw configure`).
 
 ## Examples
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ openclaw config set browser.executablePath "/usr/bin/google-chrome"
 openclaw config set agents.defaults.heartbeat.every "2h"
 openclaw config set agents.list[0].tools.exec.node "node-id-or-name"
 openclaw config unset tools.web.search.apiKey
+openclaw config validate
+openclaw config validate --json
 ```
 
 ## Paths
@@ -54,3 +56,13 @@ openclaw config set channels.whatsapp.groups '["*"]' --strict-json
 - `config file`: Print the active config file path (resolved from `OPENCLAW_CONFIG_PATH` or default location).
 
 Restart the gateway after edits.
+
+## Validate
+
+Validate the current config against the active schema without starting the
+gateway.
+
+```bash
+openclaw config validate
+openclaw config validate --json
+```

docs/cli/index.md

@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ Interactive configuration wizard (models, channels, skills, gateway).
 
 ### `config`
 
-Non-interactive config helpers (get/set/unset/file). Running `openclaw config` with no
+Non-interactive config helpers (get/set/unset/file/validate). Running `openclaw config` with no
 subcommand launches the wizard.
 
 Subcommands:
@@ -389,6 +389,8 @@ Subcommands:
 - `config set <path> <value>`: set a value (JSON5 or raw string).
 - `config unset <path>`: remove a value.
 - `config file`: print the active config file path.
+- `config validate`: validate the current config against the schema without starting the gateway.
+- `config validate --json`: emit machine-readable JSON output.
 
 ### `doctor`
 

src/cli/config-cli.test.ts

@@ -56,6 +56,10 @@ function setSnapshot(resolved: OpenClawConfig, config: OpenClawConfig) {
   mockReadConfigFileSnapshot.mockResolvedValueOnce(buildSnapshot({ resolved, config }));
 }
 
+function setSnapshotOnce(snapshot: ConfigFileSnapshot) {
+  mockReadConfigFileSnapshot.mockResolvedValueOnce(snapshot);
+}
+
 let registerConfigCli: typeof import("./config-cli.js").registerConfigCli;
 
 async function runConfigCommand(args: string[]) {
@@ -178,6 +182,99 @@ describe("config cli", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  describe("config validate", () => {
+    it("prints success and exits 0 when config is valid", async () => {
+      const resolved: OpenClawConfig = {
+        gateway: { port: 18789 },
+      };
+      setSnapshot(resolved, resolved);
+
+      await runConfigCommand(["config", "validate"]);
+
+      expect(mockExit).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(mockError).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(mockLog).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.stringContaining("Config valid:"));
+    });
+
+    it("prints issues and exits 1 when config is invalid", async () => {
+      setSnapshotOnce({
+        path: "/tmp/custom-openclaw.json",
+        exists: true,
+        raw: "{}",
+        parsed: {},
+        resolved: {},
+        valid: false,
+        config: {},
+        issues: [
+          {
+            path: "agents.defaults.suppressToolErrorWarnings",
+            message: "Unrecognized key(s) in object",
+          },
+        ],
+        warnings: [],
+        legacyIssues: [],
+      });
+
+      await expect(runConfigCommand(["config", "validate"])).rejects.toThrow("__exit__:1");
+
+      expect(mockError).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.stringContaining("Config invalid at"));
+      expect(mockError).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        expect.stringContaining("agents.defaults.suppressToolErrorWarnings"),
+      );
+      expect(mockLog).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it("returns machine-readable JSON with --json for invalid config", async () => {
+      setSnapshotOnce({
+        path: "/tmp/custom-openclaw.json",
+        exists: true,
+        raw: "{}",
+        parsed: {},
+        resolved: {},
+        valid: false,
+        config: {},
+        issues: [{ path: "gateway.bind", message: "Invalid enum value" }],
+        warnings: [],
+        legacyIssues: [],
+      });
+
+      await expect(runConfigCommand(["config", "validate", "--json"])).rejects.toThrow(
+        "__exit__:1",
+      );
+
+      const raw = mockLog.mock.calls.at(0)?.[0];
+      expect(typeof raw).toBe("string");
+      const payload = JSON.parse(String(raw)) as {
+        valid: boolean;
+        path: string;
+        issues: Array<{ path: string; message: string }>;
+      };
+      expect(payload.valid).toBe(false);
+      expect(payload.path).toBe("/tmp/custom-openclaw.json");
+      expect(payload.issues).toEqual([{ path: "gateway.bind", message: "Invalid enum value" }]);
+      expect(mockError).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it("prints file-not-found and exits 1 when config file is missing", async () => {
+      setSnapshotOnce({
+        path: "/tmp/openclaw.json",
+        exists: false,
+        raw: null,
+        parsed: {},
+        resolved: {},
+        valid: true,
+        config: {},
+        issues: [],
+        warnings: [],
+        legacyIssues: [],
+      });
+
+      await expect(runConfigCommand(["config", "validate"])).rejects.toThrow("__exit__:1");
+      expect(mockError).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.stringContaining("Config file not found:"));
+      expect(mockLog).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+  });
+
   describe("config set parsing flags", () => {
     it("falls back to raw string when parsing fails and strict mode is off", async () => {
       const resolved: OpenClawConfig = { gateway: { port: 18789 } };

src/cli/config-cli.ts

@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 import type { Command } from "commander";
 import JSON5 from "json5";
 import { readConfigFileSnapshot, writeConfigFile } from "../config/config.js";
+import { CONFIG_PATH } from "../config/paths.js";
 import { isBlockedObjectKey } from "../config/prototype-keys.js";
 import { redactConfigObject } from "../config/redact-snapshot.js";
-import { danger, info } from "../globals.js";
+import { danger, info, success } from "../globals.js";
 import type { RuntimeEnv } from "../runtime.js";
 import { defaultRuntime } from "../runtime.js";
 import { formatDocsLink } from "../terminal/links.js";
@@ -15,6 +16,10 @@ type PathSegment = string;
 type ConfigSetParseOpts = {
   strictJson?: boolean;
 };
+type ConfigIssue = {
+  path: string;
+  message: string;
+};
 
 const OLLAMA_API_KEY_PATH: PathSegment[] = ["models", "providers", "ollama", "apiKey"];
 const OLLAMA_PROVIDER_PATH: PathSegment[] = ["models", "providers", "ollama"];
@@ -97,6 +102,21 @@ function hasOwnPathKey(value: Record<string, unknown>, key: string): boolean {
   return Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(value, key);
 }
 
+function normalizeConfigIssues(issues: ReadonlyArray<ConfigIssue>): ConfigIssue[] {
+  return issues.map((issue) => ({
+    path: issue.path || "<root>",
+    message: issue.message,
+  }));
+}
+
+function formatConfigIssueLines(issues: ReadonlyArray<ConfigIssue>, marker: string): string[] {
+  return normalizeConfigIssues(issues).map((issue) => `${marker} ${issue.path}: ${issue.message}`);
+}
+
+function formatDoctorHint(message: string): string {
+  return `Run \`${formatCliCommand("openclaw doctor")}\` ${message}`;
+}
+
 function validatePathSegments(path: PathSegment[]): void {
   for (const segment of path) {
     if (!isIndexSegment(segment) && isBlockedObjectKey(segment)) {
@@ -229,10 +249,10 @@ async function loadValidConfig(runtime: RuntimeEnv = defaultRuntime) {
     return snapshot;
   }
   runtime.error(`Config invalid at ${shortenHomePath(snapshot.path)}.`);
-  for (const issue of snapshot.issues) {
+  for (const line of formatConfigIssueLines(snapshot.issues, "-")) {
-    runtime.error(`- ${issue.path || "<root>"}: ${issue.message}`);
+    runtime.error(line);
   }
-  runtime.error(`Run \`${formatCliCommand("openclaw doctor")}\` to repair, then retry.`);
+  runtime.error(formatDoctorHint("to repair, then retry."));
   runtime.exit(1);
   return snapshot;
 }
@@ -335,11 +355,62 @@ export async function runConfigFile(opts: { runtime?: RuntimeEnv }) {
   }
 }
 
+export async function runConfigValidate(opts: { json?: boolean; runtime?: RuntimeEnv } = {}) {
+  const runtime = opts.runtime ?? defaultRuntime;
+  let outputPath = CONFIG_PATH ?? "openclaw.json";
+
+  try {
+    const snapshot = await readConfigFileSnapshot();
+    outputPath = snapshot.path;
+    const shortPath = shortenHomePath(outputPath);
+
+    if (!snapshot.exists) {
+      if (opts.json) {
+        runtime.log(JSON.stringify({ valid: false, path: outputPath, error: "file not found" }));
+      } else {
+        runtime.error(danger(`Config file not found: ${shortPath}`));
+      }
+      runtime.exit(1);
+      return;
+    }
+
+    if (!snapshot.valid) {
+      const issues = normalizeConfigIssues(snapshot.issues);
+
+      if (opts.json) {
+        runtime.log(JSON.stringify({ valid: false, path: outputPath, issues }, null, 2));
+      } else {
+        runtime.error(danger(`Config invalid at ${shortPath}:`));
+        for (const line of formatConfigIssueLines(issues, danger("×"))) {
+          runtime.error(`  ${line}`);
+        }
+        runtime.error("");
+        runtime.error(formatDoctorHint("to repair, or fix the keys above manually."));
+      }
+      runtime.exit(1);
+      return;
+    }
+
+    if (opts.json) {
+      runtime.log(JSON.stringify({ valid: true, path: outputPath }));
+    } else {
+      runtime.log(success(`Config valid: ${shortPath}`));
+    }
+  } catch (err) {
+    if (opts.json) {
+      runtime.log(JSON.stringify({ valid: false, path: outputPath, error: String(err) }));
+    } else {
+      runtime.error(danger(`Config validation error: ${String(err)}`));
+    }
+    runtime.exit(1);
+  }
+}
+
 export function registerConfigCli(program: Command) {
   const cmd = program
     .command("config")
     .description(
-      "Non-interactive config helpers (get/set/unset/file). Run without subcommand for the setup wizard.",
+      "Non-interactive config helpers (get/set/unset/file/validate). Run without subcommand for the setup wizard.",
     )
     .addHelpText(
       "after",
@@ -408,4 +479,12 @@ export function registerConfigCli(program: Command) {
     .action(async () => {
       await runConfigFile({});
     });
+
+  cmd
+    .command("validate")
+    .description("Validate the current config against the schema without starting the gateway")
+    .option("--json", "Output validation result as JSON", false)
+    .action(async (opts) => {
+      await runConfigValidate({ json: Boolean(opts.json) });
+    });
 }

src/cli/program/command-registry.ts

@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ const coreEntries: CoreCliEntry[] = [
       {
         name: "config",
         description:
-          "Non-interactive config helpers (get/set/unset/file). Default: starts setup wizard.",
+          "Non-interactive config helpers (get/set/unset/file/validate). Default: starts setup wizard.",
         hasSubcommands: true,
       },
     ],

src/config/io.compat.test.ts

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import fs from "node:fs/promises";
 import os from "node:os";
 import path from "node:path";
-import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import { createConfigIO } from "./io.js";
 
 async function withTempHome(run: (home: string) => Promise<void>): Promise<void> {
@@ -137,4 +137,33 @@ describe("config io paths", () => {
       expect(cfg.agents?.list?.[0]?.tools?.exec?.safeBinTrustedDirs).toEqual(["/ops/bin"]);
     });
   });
+
+  it("logs invalid config path details and returns empty config", async () => {
+    await withTempHome(async (home) => {
+      const configDir = path.join(home, ".openclaw");
+      await fs.mkdir(configDir, { recursive: true });
+      const configPath = path.join(configDir, "openclaw.json");
+      await fs.writeFile(
+        configPath,
+        JSON.stringify({ gateway: { port: "not-a-number" } }, null, 2),
+      );
+
+      const logger = {
+        warn: vi.fn(),
+        error: vi.fn(),
+      };
+
+      const io = createConfigIO({
+        env: {} as NodeJS.ProcessEnv,
+        homedir: () => home,
+        logger,
+      });
+
+      expect(io.loadConfig()).toEqual({});
+      expect(logger.error).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        expect.stringContaining(`Invalid config at ${configPath}:\\n`),
+      );
+      expect(logger.error).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.stringContaining("- gateway.port:"));
+    });
+  });
 });

src/config/io.ts

@@ -720,7 +720,7 @@ export function createConfigIO(overrides: ConfigIoDeps = {}) {
           loggedInvalidConfigs.add(configPath);
           deps.logger.error(`Invalid config at ${configPath}:\\n${details}`);
         }
-        const error = new Error("Invalid config");
+        const error = new Error(`Invalid config at ${configPath}:\n${details}`);
         (error as { code?: string; details?: string }).code = "INVALID_CONFIG";
         (error as { code?: string; details?: string }).details = details;
         throw error;