openclaw/docs/tools/steer.md
Jason 70df2b8fe2
Some checks failed
CI / preflight (push) Waiting to run
CI / security-scm-fast (push) Waiting to run
CI / security-dependency-audit (push) Waiting to run
CI / security-fast (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / build-artifacts (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / -1 (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / checks-fast-contracts-plugins (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / -2 (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / checks-fast-contracts-channels (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / checks-fast-protocol (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / -3 (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / checks-node-compat-node22 (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / -4 (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / -5 (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / checks-node-core (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / check-dependencies (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / check-lint (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / check-policy-guards (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / check-preflight-guards (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / check-prod-types (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / check-strict-smoke (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / check-test-types (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / check (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / check-additional-boundaries-a (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / check-additional-boundaries-b (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / check-additional-boundaries-c (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / check-additional-boundaries-d (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / check-additional-extension-bundled (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / check-additional-extension-channels (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / check-additional-extension-package-boundary (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / check-additional-runtime-topology-architecture (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / check-additional (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / build-smoke (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / check-docs (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / skills-python (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / -6 (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / -7 (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / macos-swift (push) Blocked by required conditions
CI / -8 (push) Blocked by required conditions
ClawSweeper Dispatch / dispatch (push) Waiting to run
Docs Sync Publish Repo / sync-publish-repo (push) Waiting to run
Docs / docs (push) Waiting to run
Plugin NPM Release / preview_plugins_npm (push) Waiting to run
Plugin NPM Release / preview_plugin_pack (push) Blocked by required conditions
Plugin NPM Release / publish_plugins_npm (push) Blocked by required conditions
Workflow Sanity / no-tabs (push) Waiting to run
Workflow Sanity / actionlint (push) Waiting to run
Workflow Sanity / generated-doc-baselines (push) Waiting to run
Website Installer Sync / static (push) Has been cancelled
Website Installer Sync / linux-docker (push) Has been cancelled
Website Installer Sync / macos-installer (push) Has been cancelled
Website Installer Sync / windows-installer (push) Has been cancelled
Website Installer Sync / sync-website (push) Has been cancelled
feat: steer mid-turn prompts by default (#77023)
Summary:
- Default active-run queueing to steer while preserving explicit followup/collect modes.
- Keep `/steer` fallback behavior and migrate retired queue steering config.
- Await Codex app-server steering acceptance so rejected/aborted steering can fall back safely.
- Route active subagent announcements through intentional acceptance-aware steering, with legacy queue helpers deprecated for delivery decisions.

Verification:
- git diff --check
- rg -n "^(<<<<<<<|=======|>>>>>>>|\|\|\|\|\|\|\|)" CHANGELOG.md docs src extensions || true
- pnpm test src/agents/subagent-announce-dispatch.test.ts src/agents/subagent-announce-delivery.test.ts src/agents/pi-embedded-runner/runs.test.ts src/agents/subagent-announce.format.e2e.test.ts src/agents/subagent-announce.test.ts
- pnpm test src/auto-reply/reply/commands-steer.test.ts src/auto-reply/reply/queue/settings.test.ts src/auto-reply/reply/queue-policy.test.ts src/auto-reply/reply/agent-runner.runreplyagent.e2e.test.ts src/auto-reply/reply/get-reply-run.media-only.test.ts extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.test.ts -- -t "queued steering|explicit all-mode steering|flushes pending default queued steering|rejects queued steering|resolveActiveRunQueueAction|resolveQueueSettings|handleSteerCommand"

Co-authored-by: fuller-stack-dev <263060202+fuller-stack-dev@users.noreply.github.com>
2026-05-13 14:00:11 +01:00

2.7 KiB

summary read_when title sidebarTitle
Steer an active run without changing queue mode
Using /steer or /tell while an agent is already running
Comparing /steer with /queue modes
Deciding whether to steer the current run, a sub-agent, or an ACP session
Steer Steer

/steer first tries to send guidance to an already-active run. It is for "adjust this run while it is still working" moments. If the current runtime cannot accept steering, OpenClaw sends the message as a normal prompt instead of dropping it.

Current session

Use top-level /steer to target the active run for the current session:

/steer prefer the smaller patch and keep the tests focused
/tell summarize before making the next tool call

Behavior:

  • Targets only the current session's active run.
  • Works independently of the session's /queue mode.
  • Starts a normal turn with the same message when the session is idle or the active run cannot accept steering.
  • Uses the active runtime's steering path, so the model sees the guidance at the next supported runtime boundary.

Steer vs queue

/queue steer makes normal inbound messages try to steer the active run when they arrive while a run is active. /steer <message> is an explicit command that tries to inject that command's message into the active run at the next supported runtime boundary, regardless of the stored /queue setting. When that injection is not available, the command prefix is stripped and <message> continues as a normal prompt.

Use:

  • /steer <message> when you want to guide the active run right now.
  • /queue steer when you want future normal messages to steer active runs by default.
  • /queue collect or /queue followup when future normal messages should wait for a later turn instead of steering the active run.
  • /queue interrupt when the newest message should replace the active run instead of steering it.

For queue modes and steering boundaries, see Command queue and Steering queue.

Sub-agents

Use /subagents steer when the target is a child run:

/subagents steer 2 focus only on the API surface

Top-level /steer does not select a sub-agent by id or list index. It always targets the current session's active run. See Sub-agents for sub-agent ids, labels, and control commands.

ACP sessions

Use /acp steer when the target is an ACP harness session:

/acp steer --session agent:main:acp:codex tighten the repro

See ACP agents for ACP session selection and runtime behavior.