openclaw/apps/linux

OpenClaw for Linux

The Linux companion is a Tauri v2 desktop shell for local and remote OpenClaw Gateways. It discovers nearby Gateways over Bonjour, installs the CLI when local setup needs it, delegates local Gateway service management to openclaw gateway, opens the selected Gateway's Control UI, and stays available in the system tray.

Dashboard widgets and browser panels load inside the app. Browser tabs belong to their conversation and support back, forward, reload, stop, snapshots, element inspection, and saving the current page or asset. Opening the same address in a conversation reuses its tab; other conversations keep their own tabs. Popups opened by a browser tab stay in that conversation.

Reading tabs share a private browser session, isolated from the dashboard's native commands and authentication scripts. Closing every reading tab, switching Gateways, or quitting the app ends that private session. Reloading the dashboard retains its tabs. Sign-in links and Open in browser continue to use your system browser.

The tray's Stop Gateway and Restart Gateway actions request graceful shutdown. Running work can delay completion; Start Gateway brings a stopped local Gateway back online.

After a connection drops, the companion keeps reconnecting while the service state is unknown. Start Gateway remains available only for a confirmed stopped service.

The companion uses a unified title bar that blends into the dashboard. Drag the empty header space, a session title, or the thin strip below the top resize edge to move the window. Double-click those areas to maximize or restore it; buttons and editable content keep their normal behavior. The window edges still resize. Linux and Windows builds place minimize, maximize/restore, and close at the top right. macOS test builds retain native traffic lights at the top left. Closing the main window keeps the companion in the tray; closing a separate discovered Gateway window closes that window. While a page loads, redirects outside the dashboard, or opens a modal dialog, Linux and Windows keep the system title bar available until the companion's controls can receive input again. Dashboards opt into the unified title bar only when their UI supports its layout and modal handling. Older Gateways keep the system title bar and their existing dashboard controls; update the Gateway to enable the unified layout.

Published AMD64 AppImages are built on Ubuntu 22.04 and require glibc 2.35 or newer plus a libstdc++ that provides GLIBCXX_3.4.30. Ubuntu 22.04 and Debian 12 meet that ABI floor. RHEL 9 and Rocky Linux 9 ship glibc 2.34, so they cannot run the published AppImage. Extraction does not bypass this requirement.

Omarchy

The optional Omarchy 4 bar plugin provides agents, sessions, and quick prompts. With the matching desktop app running, it uses the app’s selected Gateway and keeps a single visible OpenClaw icon. See Omarchy support for installation, app handoff, shortcuts, and troubleshooting.

Linux prerequisites

Debian and Ubuntu development packages:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install libwebkit2gtk-4.1-dev build-essential curl wget file \
  libxdo-dev libssl-dev libayatana-appindicator3-dev librsvg2-dev \
  patchelf xdg-utils

Install a current stable Rust toolchain with rustup.

Media codecs

The companion uses GStreamer plugins for audio and video playback. WebM/VP9, Opus, Vorbis, and WAV normally work through plugins-good. H.264/MP4, AAC, and MP3 require the libav and/or plugins-bad packages. The .deb uses the host's plugins and declares all three packages as dependencies. The AppImage bundles the GStreamer media framework and the plugins required for the formats above. For a source build or when rebuilding either Linux bundle, install the packages and inspection tool explicitly:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install gstreamer1.0-libav gstreamer1.0-plugins-good \
  gstreamer1.0-plugins-bad gstreamer1.0-tools patchelf xdg-utils

The packaging script stages only that media capability set before Tauri invokes linuxdeploy. This prevents optional host plugins from adding unrelated system libraries to the AppImage dependency closure.

The packaging flow provisions Tauri's five AppImage tools into a clean, digest-pinned cache. After Tauri builds the AppImage, the finalizer re-verifies that cache, removes bundled Wayland client libraries from the retained AppDir, and rebuilds the artifact. WebKitGTK and Mesa then use one compatible host stack.

Develop and build

The companion frontend is static HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Install repository dependencies once before building:

pnpm install
cd apps/linux/src-tauri
cargo run
cargo build

The app uses OPENCLAW_DESKTOP_CLI when set. Otherwise it checks ~/.openclaw/bin/openclaw, then openclaw on PATH.

Desktop notifications use each platform's system notification service. macOS 13+ uses Apple's User Notifications framework; Windows uses native system toasts and Linux uses the desktop notification service through notify-rust. On macOS, test notifications from a signed .app bundle: a direct cargo run stays unbundled, so the app disables notifications instead of initializing Apple's framework with no bundle identity.

Inline browser live regression on Linux

The existing first-run driver also exercises real native WebKit browser views against a synthetic Gateway. In addition to the driver's AT-SPI, Xvfb, and D-Bus packages, install xdotool for pointer input. With an unbundled development binary:

xvfb-run -a -s '-screen 0 1280x1024x24' dbus-run-session -- \
  /usr/bin/python3 apps/linux/tests/first_run.py \
  apps/linux/src-tauri/target/debug/openclaw-desktop --inline-browser

This scenario checks real pointer input to the dashboard and native child, element inspection, PNG snapshots, navigation history, and dashboard reload persistence. It then uses the app's dashboard deep link to replace the dashboard in the same process and verifies that a new browser tab works, saves the fixture bytes through the native chooser, and cancels a second save. The driver owns an isolated temporary HOME, loopback fixture, and read-only fixture CLI; no real Gateway or account is used. Add --artifacts-dir DIRECTORY to retain native screenshots and JSON results outside the repository. Screenshot capture also requires ImageMagick.

Inline browser live regression on Windows

Start an isolated candidate app with a loopback WebView2 debugging endpoint and load its loopback Gateway dashboard. Once the dashboard is ready, run this from the repository root using the repository's supported Node version:

node apps/linux/scripts/test-inline-browser.mjs --endpoint http://127.0.0.1:9223

The script uses the real dashboard bridge and native child WebViews. It serves synthetic pages on a separate loopback port and checks navigation, SPA history, conversation ownership and deduplication, popups, shared browser cookies, presentation scopes, snapshots, element inspection, dashboard reload persistence, and cleanup. It does not launch the app, change Gateway settings, or contact external sites. It closes only the tabs and scopes created by its run.

Use --dashboard-url http://127.0.0.1:PORT/ to select the candidate dashboard when multiple local dashboards are open. JSON results and PNG snapshots go to a unique OS temporary directory; --output DIRECTORY selects another proof location. Keep these generated proofs outside the repository.

Add --hold to retain the synthetic pages for native screenshots and save-dialog checks. Create the printed continue file or press Ctrl+C to finish cleanup. Native visibility and download dialogs still need this UI verification; the automated scope checks verify the child viewport dimensions and retained tabs. The script exits nonzero on assertion or cleanup failure. --help describes all options without connecting to the app.

Native title bar regression on Linux

The first-run driver can exercise window movement and controls through real X11 pointer input. Install openbox, wmctrl, xdotool, x11-utils, and ImageMagick alongside the driver's Xvfb, D-Bus, and AT-SPI dependencies, then run:

xvfb-run -a -s '-screen 0 1440x1000x24' dbus-run-session -- \
  /usr/bin/python3 apps/linux/tests/first_run.py \
  apps/linux/src-tauri/target/debug/openclaw-desktop --window-chrome \
  --artifacts-dir /tmp/openclaw-window-chrome-proof

The driver creates an isolated HOME and desktop session. It checks drag geometry, double-click maximize/restore, caption buttons, corner resizing, and closing to the tray. Screenshots and observed window geometry remain in the artifact directory. This X11 proof does not replace testing a Wayland compositor.

First-run setup

The welcome screen explains what OpenClaw can do and asks where your assistant should live:

• On this computer installs the CLI and managed Node runtime when needed, then starts the Gateway as a systemd user service. Release builds install the stable channel automatically; development builds ask for a release channel and preselect Development.
• On another computer connects to an existing Gateway without installing or starting a local Gateway service. Select a nearby discovered Gateway, enter a Gateway URL directly, or choose SSH tunnel and enter user@gateway-host. Expand Gateway authentication to provide either the Gateway token or its password when the remote host requires one.

Public direct connections must use HTTPS or secure WebSockets. Plain HTTP or WebSockets are appropriate only for loopback, trusted private networks, or a Tailnet. If the Gateway configuration specifies a TLS certificate fingerprint, choose SSH tunnel: the embedded browser cannot enforce certificate pins, so the app safely refuses direct connections instead of exposing your credentials. Saved remote credentials support literal values and environment- or file-backed secret references; exec and shared-store references must be resolved on their owning Gateway host. SSH connections use your existing OpenSSH configuration and host-key verification; keep the remote Gateway bound to loopback when possible. See the remote access guide for Gateway authentication and network requirements.

Use Connection Settings in the native tray menu to edit a remote connection. Opening settings reads only the saved address and transport settings; it does not resolve credentials, and token and password fields stay empty. Retry reconnects to the saved remote Gateway with freshly resolved credentials without rewriting configuration or installing or starting a local service. Opening the remote dashboard does not prove Gateway availability or successful authentication; check the dashboard for HTTP errors, authentication prompts, and Gateway readiness.

After connecting, Model Setup discovers AI access available to the selected Gateway and shows it as a choice. Discovery never imports or copies an account, and the companion never selects, tests, installs, or saves a provider until you click its action. The list includes supported installed providers and official provider plugins available from OpenClaw's managed plugin catalog. Installing a official provider plugin continues directly to that provider's authentication form without a capability approval prompt. Other plugins require capability review before installation. Successful verification may require a Gateway restart before the new model becomes available.

The custom endpoint option supports OpenAI- and Anthropic-compatible services. For a local Gateway, it opens the canonical guided endpoint setup. For a remote Gateway, run openclaw onboard --auth-choice custom-api-key on the Gateway host as directed by the setup message; custom-provider secrets must be entered on their owning host. The desktop companion does not copy remote provider secrets to this computer.

On a fresh install, setup also asks whether existing native Claude and Codex conversations should appear in OpenClaw. This is discovery only, not an import or copy. The option starts unchecked; declining disables both native session catalogs. Existing installations keep their current catalog behavior during an upgrade.

Once you choose AI access, Model Setup follows the provider's normal review and verification flow. A temporary connection loss resumes the admitted setup wizard on the same Gateway and account without repeating installation or the last answer. After a completed activation requests a restart, setup can resume verification of that same model. If an unfinished wizard is no longer available, setup shows a recovery message instead of repeating authentication automatically. Check again refreshes the current setup; if a model was saved, you can explicitly verify and use it. Gateway failures retain their detailed recovery message so setup can identify authentication, network, service, or restart problems.

For OpenAI, ChatGPT Login uses a ChatGPT or Codex subscription, while OpenAI API Key uses API billing. When the Gateway runs on another host and its browser callback is not reachable, choose ChatGPT Device Pairing from the additional sign-in options.

Updates

The companion checks the latest GitHub release shortly after launch and from Check for Updates in the tray menu. AppImage installs download and verify the signed update in place, then wait for Restart to update. Package-managed installs such as .deb stay owned by the system package manager and link to the release download page instead of replacing installed files. The macOS and Windows test builds use a separate opt-in desktop-test update channel; macOS self-updates like the AppImage build, while Windows downloads the update first and runs its installer only after Restart to update.

While a newer Gateway release waits for its Linux app, the latest release keeps the previous published Linux updater manifest. Its original version, signature, and download URL stay intact. Successful Linux publication advances that manifest without letting an older build replace a newer available update.

Quick Chat widgets

Quick Chat advertises the Gateway inline-widgets capability and renders hosted show_widget results in isolated child WebViews. The parent Quick Chat WebView is the only one granted Tauri commands; widget WebViews match no capability and therefore have no IPC access. Quick Chat accepts only assistant-message widget previews under the capability-scoped /__openclaw__/canvas/documents/ route, blocks navigation away from the original document, uses nonpersistent WebViews, and keeps stable widget instances while switching among multiple previews. Connections that require a custom Gateway TLS leaf pin remain text-only because the platform WebView cannot bind that pin. Like the other native clients, Quick Chat does not expose the Control UI sendPrompt bridge.

Installer resource

tauri.conf.json bundles the repository's canonical scripts/install-cli.sh directly as install-cli.sh. The app never keeps a forked copy. Stable, beta, and dev installs select latest, beta, and a managed Git main checkout respectively, always under ~/.openclaw.

Icons

The icon sources of truth live next to the PNGs: icons/icon.svg (transparent claw mark, used by the tray) and icons/icon-tile.svg (claw mark on the dark brand tile, used for the app and package icons). Regenerate the committed PNGs with librsvg:

cd apps/linux/src-tauri/icons
rsvg-convert -w 32 --keep-aspect-ratio icon.svg -o 32x32.png
magick 32x32.png -background none -gravity center -extent 32x32 PNG32:32x32.png
rsvg-convert -w 128 -h 128 icon-tile.svg -o 128x128.png
rsvg-convert -w 256 -h 256 icon-tile.svg -o 128x128@2x.png
rsvg-convert -w 512 -h 512 icon-tile.svg -o icon.png
magick icon.png -define icon:auto-resize=256,128,64,48,32,16 icon.ico
rsvg-convert -w 36 -h 36 tray-template.svg -o tray-template.png

macOS gets its own tray asset, icons/tray-template.svg. AppKit template images are drawn from the alpha channel alone, so a colored or edge-to-edge opaque icon arrives in the menu bar as a featureless blob; the template source is a silhouette with the eyes knocked back out of it. Its geometry mirrors the native macOS app's CritterIconRenderer at rest so both clients wear the same face, and the 36px render is the 2× backing store for the 18pt slot tray-icon scales menu bar images into. Non-Apple platforms keep the full-color 32x32.png.

Packaging

Build a .deb and AppImage locally (the same command manual CI runs):

plugins=$(mktemp -d)
cache=$(mktemp -d)
trap 'rm -rf "$plugins" "$cache"' EXIT
export XDG_CACHE_HOME="$cache"
apps/linux/scripts/stage-appimage-gstreamer.sh "$plugins"
apps/linux/scripts/tauri-appimage-tools.sh prepare
apps/linux/scripts/tauri-appimage-tools.sh verify pre-build
export LDAI_RUNTIME_FILE="$(apps/linux/scripts/tauri-appimage-tools.sh runtime-path)"
(
  cd apps/linux/src-tauri
  GSTREAMER_PLUGINS_DIR="$plugins" \
    pnpm dlx @tauri-apps/cli@2.11.4 build --bundles deb,appimage \
      --config '{"bundle":{"createUpdaterArtifacts":false,"useLocalToolsDir":false}}'
)
apps/linux/scripts/finalize-appimage.sh \
  apps/linux/src-tauri/target/release/bundle/appimage

Bundles land in target/release/bundle/{deb,appimage}/.

The Linux App workflow checks affected pull requests with Rust formatting, cargo test --locked --all-targets on Linux and macOS, and the packaged runtime ABI scanner's unit tests. It also runs the native Linux inline browser smoke under Xvfb, including pointer input, snapshots, dashboard replacement, and native save/cancel, and uploads the synthetic screenshots and JSON results as the linux-inline-browser proof artifact. Bundles, the full graphical first-run scenarios, and AppImage runtime checks remain manual dispatch checks.

Manually dispatch Linux App on the branch to validate packaging before a release. It retains all pull-request checks, builds the .deb and AppImage, runs both native first-run cases and the packaged AppImage runtime smoke, and uploads the bundles as the openclaw-linux-companion workflow artifact. This validation does not publish a release.

Releases

Regular stable publication automatically requests Linux bundles after the GitHub release becomes visible. OpenClaw Release Publish and OpenClaw Release Button both use the same Linux release owner; the request can finish before the build, signing, and publication do. Their summaries report Linux as pending until its own assets verify. Beta and alpha prereleases, and extended-stable publication, do not request Linux bundles.

For independent recovery, manually dispatch Linux App Release Request from main. Provide the existing stable release tag in tag; prerelease tags are rejected because their semver suffix breaks Debian upgrade ordering. Enable the optional desktop-test-bundles input only when unsigned macOS and Windows test bundles are needed.

A successful request automatically triggers Linux App Release. It builds from the validated release tag SHA and attaches the bundles to that tag's GitHub release with a SHA256SUMS.linux-app.txt checksum file. The tag commit must be reachable from main or its matching release/YYYY.M.PATCH branch; numeric correction tags use the base version's release branch.

Linux release requests run one at a time. Default Linux-only retries verify and reuse an existing complete AppImage, Debian package, signed updater manifest, and checksum set. Partial or mismatched existing assets require targeted publication recovery; the workflow does not rebuild or overwrite them. An optional desktop-test run also refuses to replace published Linux bytes, so recover missing desktop assets separately when Linux has already published.

The website selects desktop assets at build time. After publication, rebuild openclaw.ai through its existing deployment owner and verify the deployed Apps card's Linux version and both download links.