OpenClaw Auto Update

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name: ayao-updater

description: Automatically update OpenClaw and all installed skills on a schedule. Use when: (1) setting up automatic updates for OpenClaw or skills, (2) running a manual update check, (3) configuring update schedule, skip lists, or pre-release filtering, (4) user says "auto update", "schedule updates", "keep openclaw updated", "update skills automatically". Handles locally-modified skill protection, conflict avoidance, pre-release filtering, and completion or failure notifications.

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# OpenClaw Auto Update

Keeps OpenClaw and installed ClawHub skills up to date automatically.

Prerequisites

Quick Start

1. Install cron job (runs daily at 2 AM by default)

bash ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/openclaw-auto-update/scripts/install-cron.sh

2. Run manually now

bash ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/openclaw-auto-update/scripts/update.sh

3. Preview what would be updated (no changes)

bash ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/openclaw-auto-update/scripts/update.sh --dry-run

Configuration

Create `~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/openclaw-auto-update/config.json`:

{
  "schedule": "0 2 * * *",
  "skipSkills": [],
  "skipPreRelease": true,
  "restartGateway": true,
  "notify": true,
  "notifyTarget": null
}

See `references/config-schema.md` for all options and examples.

What It Does

1. **Loads JSON config** — reads `config.json` with `python3` and merges defaults

2. **Updates OpenClaw** — runs `openclaw update --yes --no-restart`; in preview mode it logs the equivalent `openclaw update --dry-run --yes --no-restart` command without making changes

3. **Finds installed skills** — enumerates skills via `clawhub list`, with workspace directory fallback

4. **Checks release channel** — uses `clawhub inspect <slug>` to skip pre-releases when `skipPreRelease: true`

5. **Updates skills** — runs `clawhub update <slug> --no-input` for each eligible installed skill; in preview mode it only logs `clawhub update --all` because the installed `clawhub` CLI does not support update dry runs

6. **Protects local changes** — skips skills with uncommitted git changes

7. **Respects skip list** — never touches skills in `skipSkills`

8. **Restarts gateway** — only if OpenClaw version actually changed

9. **Notifies** — sends `openclaw message send --target <target> -m <message>` when `notifyTarget` is set, otherwise `openclaw system event --text <message> --mode now`

Change Schedule

# Change to 3 AM weekly on Sunday
bash ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/openclaw-auto-update/scripts/install-cron.sh --schedule "0 3 * * 0"

# Uninstall cron job
bash ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/openclaw-auto-update/scripts/install-cron.sh --uninstall

Logs

tail -f /tmp/openclaw-auto-update.log

Skip a Specific Skill Permanently

Add to `config.json`:

{ "skipSkills": ["my-custom-skill", "work-internal"] }