Connect Your Own OpenClaw

You can use your own OpenClaw runtime to power Sidekick. Type provides the workspace, conversations, permissions, connections, skills, and automations while OpenClaw runs on infrastructure you control.

OpenClaw is not an option when creating a Space.

Set up OpenClaw for Sidekick

Open Sidekick setup.
Name your Sidekick.
Select Use your OpenClaw instead.
Review the generated OpenClaw identity.
Confirm or edit the username.
Copy the setup instructions.
Apply them on the machine running OpenClaw.
Select Start chatting.

The username becomes the OpenClaw account key in the generated openclaw.json snippet. You can edit it during setup. It is locked afterward because changing it would also require a gateway configuration change.

What Type gives you

Agent token authenticates OpenClaw with Type. The full token appears only once.
Agent ID identifies Sidekick to the runtime.
WebSocket URL is the Type endpoint the gateway connects to.
Setup instructions include a configuration snippet with the right values.

Keep the token private. Do not put it in instructions, conversations, public docs, or source control.

Configure OpenClaw

Install the Type plugin:

mkdir -p ~/.openclaw/plugins/type
cd ~/.openclaw/plugins/type
npm init -y && npm install @type-dot-com/type-openclaw-plugin

Merge the generated configuration into ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json. It follows this shape:

{
  "plugins": {
    "allow": ["type"],
    "load": {
      "paths": [
        "~/.openclaw/plugins/type/node_modules/@type-dot-com/type-openclaw-plugin"
      ]
    },
    "entries": {
      "type": {
        "enabled": true
      }
    }
  },
  "channels": {
    "type": {
      "accounts": {
        "<account-key-from-type>": {
          "enabled": true,
          "token": "<agent-token-from-type>",
          "wsUrl": "<websocket-url-from-type>",
          "agentId": "<agent-id-from-type>",
          "capabilities": ["media"]
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Add ownerAllowFrom if you want owner-only OpenClaw tools in Type:

"ownerAllowFrom": ["user_123"]

Make sure OpenClaw uses full verbose output:

{
  "agents": {
    "defaults": {
      "verboseDefault": "full"
    }
  }
}

Restart the gateway and check its status:

openclaw gateway restart
openclaw channels status

Manage the connection

Open Sidekick settings and find OpenClaw Connection. You can copy the agent ID and WebSocket URL again, but Type only shows the token prefix after setup.

If the token is lost or exposed, select Regenerate, update openclaw.json with the new instructions, and restart the gateway. The old connection stops working after rotation.

Troubleshooting

If Sidekick does not respond:

Confirm the gateway was restarted after the configuration changed.
Check that the plugin path matches plugins.load.paths.
Compare the token, agent ID, WebSocket URL, and account key with the latest instructions.
Set agents.defaults.verboseDefault to "full" so Type receives full tool output.
Remove an old token after regenerating it.
Run openclaw channels status and check the gateway logs.

You are responsible for runtime uptime, model credentials, environment variables, file and network access, tool permissions, updates, and logs. Type manages the Sidekick identity and collaboration surface.

Report a bug