coderClaw

Onboarding Wizard (CLI)

The onboarding wizard is the recommended way to set up CoderClaw on macOS, Linux, or Windows (via WSL2; strongly recommended). It configures a local Gateway or a remote Gateway connection, plus channels, skills, and workspace defaults in one guided flow.

coderclaw onboard

Fastest first chat: open the Control UI (no channel setup needed). Run `coderclaw dashboard` and chat in the browser. Docs: [Dashboard](/web/dashboard).

To reconfigure later:

coderclaw configure
coderclaw agents add <name>

`--json` does not imply non-interactive mode. For scripts, use `--non-interactive`. Recommended: set up a Brave Search API key so the agent can use `web_search` (`web_fetch` works without a key). Easiest path: `coderclaw configure --section web` which stores `tools.web.search.apiKey`. Docs: [Web tools](/tools/web).

QuickStart vs Advanced

The wizard starts with QuickStart (defaults) vs Advanced (full control).

- Local gateway (loopback) - Workspace default (or existing workspace) - Gateway port **18789** - Gateway auth **Token** (auto‑generated, even on loopback) - Tailscale exposure **Off** - Telegram + WhatsApp DMs default to **allowlist** (you'll be prompted for your phone number) - Exposes every step (mode, workspace, gateway, channels, daemon, skills).

What the wizard configures

Local mode (default) walks you through these steps:

1. Model/Auth — Anthropic API key (recommended), OpenAI, or Custom Provider (OpenAI-compatible, Anthropic-compatible, or Unknown auto-detect). Pick a default model.
2. Workspace — Location for agent files (default ~/.coderclaw/workspace). Seeds bootstrap files.
3. Gateway — Port, bind address, auth mode, Tailscale exposure.
4. Channels — WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Google Chat, Mattermost, Signal, BlueBubbles, or iMessage.
5. Daemon — Installs a LaunchAgent (macOS) or systemd user unit (Linux/WSL2).
6. Health check — Starts the Gateway and verifies it’s running.
7. Skills — Installs recommended skills and optional dependencies.

Re-running the wizard does **not** wipe anything unless you explicitly choose **Reset** (or pass `--reset`). If the config is invalid or contains legacy keys, the wizard asks you to run `coderclaw doctor` first.

Remote mode only configures the local client to connect to a Gateway elsewhere. It does not install or change anything on the remote host.

Add another agent

Use coderclaw agents add <name> to create a separate agent with its own workspace, sessions, and auth profiles. Running without --workspace launches the wizard.

What it sets:

• agents.list[].name
• agents.list[].workspace
• agents.list[].agentDir

Notes:

• Default workspaces follow ~/.coderclaw/workspace-<agentId>.
• Add bindings to route inbound messages (the wizard can do this).
• Non-interactive flags: --model, --agent-dir, --bind, --non-interactive.

Full reference

For detailed step-by-step breakdowns, non-interactive scripting, Signal setup, RPC API, and a full list of config fields the wizard writes, see the Wizard Reference.

Related docs

• CLI command reference: coderclaw onboard
• Onboarding overview: Onboarding Overview
• macOS app onboarding: Onboarding
• Agent first-run ritual: Agent Bootstrapping

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