An automated maintenance skill that checks for version updates and upgrades the OpenClaw installation via npm.
Install & Download
1. ClawHub CLI
The fastest way to install a skill directly from the registry.
npx clawhub@latest install oc-self-update
2. Manual Installation
Copy the skill folder to one of these locations
~/.openclaw/skills/ <project>/skills/ Priority: Workspace > Local > Bundled
3. Prompt Installation
Copy this prompt to OpenClaw to install it automatically.
Help me install oc-self-update using Clawhub. If Clawhub is not installed, install it first (npm i -g clawhub).
Prefer to download?
Get the raw skill files in a ZIP archive.
What is OpenClaw Self-Update?
The OpenClaw Self-Update skill is a core maintenance utility designed to manage the lifecycle of your AI coding agent. Since OpenClaw is distributed as an npm package, this skill leverages standard package management workflows to ensure you are always running the most optimized version. It is an essential part of the Openclaw Skills library, providing a safe and user-confirmed path for system upgrades.
By using a date-based versioning scheme (YYYY.M.D), the skill makes it easy for developers to track the freshness of their installation. It bridges the gap between manual CLI management and automated agent maintenance, allowing for seamless updates through natural language prompts.
OpenClaw Self-Update Use Cases
- Verifying the currently installed version and checking for available remote updates.
- Upgrading the global OpenClaw installation to the latest stable release.
- Switching between different release channels such as Beta or Dev for testing new Openclaw Skills features.
- Troubleshooting installation mismatches or preparing for a gateway restart.
How OpenClaw Self-Update Works
- The agent triggers a check by running an internal bash script to fetch the current and latest registry versions.
- The skill compares the local date-based version against the available npm package metadata.
- If a newer version is found, the agent presents a comparison to the user and requests explicit confirmation to proceed.
- Upon approval, the skill executes the npm install command for the chosen channel (latest, beta, or dev).
- After completion, the skill reminds the user to perform a gateway restart to apply the changes.
OpenClaw Self-Update Setup
This skill requires npm to be installed on the host system. The skill handles the execution of update scripts automatically within the Openclaw Skills environment.
# Verify npm is installed
npm --version
# Basic command used by the skill to update to the latest version
npm install -g openclaw@latest
OpenClaw Self-Update Data Schema & Taxonomy
The skill organizes versioning data and update channels based on the following taxonomy:
| Attribute | Specification |
|---|---|
| Versioning Format | YYYY.M.D (e.g., 2023.10.12) |
| Channels | latest (Stable), beta (Pre-release), dev (Development) |
| CLI Dependencies | npm, bash |
| Execution Logic | User confirmation required before write operations |
OpenClaw Self-Update Advanced Features
- Multi-channel support allowing users to opt into experimental features via the dev or beta channels.
- Integrated error handling that detects network connectivity issues or npm configuration errors.
- Automated check scripts that prevent unnecessary downloads if the system is already up to date.
- Post-update guidance for daemon management to ensure the Openclaw Skills gateway is properly restarted.
SKILL.md
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