Agent coordination
Agent send
openclaw agent runs a single agent turn from the command line without needing
an inbound chat message. Use it for scripted workflows, testing, and
programmatic delivery.
Quick start
Run a simple agent turn
openclaw agent --message "What is the weather today?"
This sends the message through the Gateway and prints the reply.
Target a specific agent or session
# Target a specific agent
openclaw agent --agent ops --message "Summarize logs"
# Target a phone number (derives session key)
openclaw agent --to +15555550123 --message "Status update"
# Reuse an existing session
openclaw agent --session-id abc123 --message "Continue the task"
Deliver the reply to a channel
# Deliver to WhatsApp (default channel)
openclaw agent --to +15555550123 --message "Report ready" --deliver
# Deliver to Slack
openclaw agent --agent ops --message "Generate report" \
--deliver --reply-channel slack --reply-to "#reports"
Flags
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
--message \<text\> |
Message to send (required) |
--to \<dest\> |
Derive session key from a target (phone, chat id) |
--agent \<id\> |
Target a configured agent (uses its main session) |
--session-id \<id\> |
Reuse an existing session by id |
--local |
Force local embedded runtime (skip Gateway) |
--deliver |
Send the reply to a chat channel |
--channel \<name\> |
Delivery channel (whatsapp, telegram, discord, slack, etc.) |
--reply-to \<target\> |
Delivery target override |
--reply-channel \<name\> |
Delivery channel override |
--reply-account \<id\> |
Delivery account id override |
--thinking \<level\> |
Set thinking level for the selected model profile |
--verbose \<on|full|off\> |
Set verbose level |
--timeout \<seconds\> |
Override agent timeout |
--json |
Output structured JSON |
Behavior
- By default, the CLI goes through the Gateway. Add
--localto force the embedded runtime on the current machine. - If the Gateway is unreachable, the CLI falls back to the local embedded run.
- Session selection:
--toderives the session key (group/channel targets preserve isolation; direct chats collapse tomain). - Thinking and verbose flags persist into the session store.
- Output: plain text by default, or
--jsonfor structured payload + metadata.
Examples
# Simple turn with JSON output
openclaw agent --to +15555550123 --message "Trace logs" --verbose on --json
# Turn with thinking level
openclaw agent --session-id 1234 --message "Summarize inbox" --thinking medium
# Deliver to a different channel than the session
openclaw agent --agent ops --message "Alert" --deliver --reply-channel telegram --reply-to "@admin"