<!-- source: https://deepwiki.com/openclaw/openclaw/10-glossary -->

# Glossary

- .agents/skills/crabbox/SKILL.md
- .agents/skills/openclaw-testing/SKILL.md
- .crabbox.yaml
- .github/actions/ensure-base-commit/action.yml
- .github/actions/setup-node-env/action.yml
- .github/actions/setup-pnpm-store-cache/action.yml
- .github/actions/setup-pnpm-store-cache/ensure-node.sh
- .github/workflows/ci-build-artifacts-testbox.yml
- .github/workflows/ci-check-testbox.yml
- .github/workflows/ci.yml
- .github/workflows/crabbox-hydrate.yml
- .github/workflows/openclaw-cross-os-release-checks-reusable.yml
- .github/workflows/windows-blacksmith-testbox.yml
- AGENTS.md
- CHANGELOG.md
- CONTRIBUTING.md
- docs/.generated/plugin-sdk-api-baseline.sha256
- docs/ci.md
- docs/gateway/openai-http-api.md
- docs/gateway/openresponses-http-api.md
- docs/plugins/codex-harness-reference.md
- docs/plugins/codex-harness-runtime.md
- docs/plugins/codex-harness.md
- docs/plugins/sdk-migration.md
- docs/plugins/sdk-subpaths.md
- docs/reference/full-release-validation.md
- docs/tools/btw.md
- extensions/acpx/npm-shrinkwrap.json
- extensions/acpx/src/process-reaper.test.ts
- extensions/acpx/src/process-reaper.ts
- extensions/amazon-bedrock-mantle/npm-shrinkwrap.json
- extensions/amazon-bedrock/npm-shrinkwrap.json
- extensions/anthropic-vertex/npm-shrinkwrap.json
- extensions/codex/harness.ts
- extensions/codex/index.test.ts
- extensions/codex/npm-shrinkwrap.json
- extensions/codex/src/app-server/dynamic-tools.test.ts
- extensions/codex/src/app-server/dynamic-tools.ts
- extensions/codex/src/app-server/event-projector.test.ts
- extensions/codex/src/app-server/event-projector.ts
- extensions/codex/src/app-server/local-runtime-attribution.ts
- extensions/codex/src/app-server/outcome-fallback-runtime-contract.test.ts
- extensions/codex/src/app-server/protocol-validators.ts
- extensions/codex/src/app-server/protocol.ts
- extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.test.ts
- extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.ts
- extensions/codex/src/app-server/side-question.test.ts
- extensions/codex/src/app-server/side-question.ts
- extensions/codex/src/app-server/thread-lifecycle.test.ts
- extensions/codex/src/app-server/thread-lifecycle.ts
- extensions/codex/src/app-server/trajectory.test.ts
- extensions/codex/src/app-server/trajectory.ts
- extensions/codex/test-api.ts
- extensions/diagnostics-otel/npm-shrinkwrap.json
- extensions/discord/index.ts
- extensions/discord/npm-shrinkwrap.json
- extensions/google-meet/src/realtime-node.ts
- extensions/google-meet/src/realtime.ts
- extensions/memory-core/src/dreaming-phases.test.ts
- extensions/memory-core/src/memory/index.test.ts
- extensions/memory-core/src/memory/manager-embedding-errors.ts
- extensions/memory-core/src/memory/manager-embedding-ops.ts
- extensions/memory-core/src/memory/manager-embedding-policy.test.ts
- extensions/memory-core/src/memory/manager-embedding-policy.ts
- extensions/memory-core/src/memory/manager-embedding-timeout.test.ts
- extensions/memory-core/src/memory/manager-local-worker-errors.ts
- extensions/memory-core/src/memory/manager-provider-state.ts
- extensions/memory-core/src/memory/manager-session-sync-state.test.ts
- extensions/memory-core/src/memory/manager-session-sync-state.ts
- extensions/memory-core/src/memory/manager-source-state.test.ts
- extensions/memory-core/src/memory/manager-source-state.ts
- extensions/memory-core/src/memory/manager-sync-ops.archive-delta-bypass.test.ts
- extensions/memory-core/src/memory/manager-sync-ops.interval.test.ts
- extensions/memory-core/src/memory/manager-sync-ops.startup-catchup.test.ts
- extensions/memory-core/src/memory/manager-sync-ops.ts
- extensions/memory-core/src/memory/manager-sync-yield.test.ts
- extensions/memory-core/src/memory/manager.fts-only-reindex.test.ts
- extensions/memory-core/src/memory/manager.ts
- extensions/memory-core/src/memory/manager.watcher-config.test.ts
- extensions/memory-core/src/memory/provider-adapters.ts
- extensions/memory-core/src/memory/qmd-manager.test.ts
- extensions/memory-core/src/memory/qmd-manager.ts
- extensions/memory-core/src/memory/watch-settle.ts
- extensions/memory-lancedb/npm-shrinkwrap.json
- extensions/qa-matrix/src/cli.runtime.test.ts
- extensions/telegram/src/api-fetch.test.ts
- extensions/telegram/src/send.test-harness.ts
- extensions/twitch/npm-shrinkwrap.json
- extensions/voice-call/src/cli.test.ts
- extensions/voice-call/src/cli.ts
- extensions/voice-call/src/gateway-continue-operation.test.ts
- extensions/voice-call/src/gateway-continue-operation.ts
- extensions/whatsapp/npm-shrinkwrap.json
- npm-shrinkwrap.json
- package.json
- packages/memory-host-sdk/src/host/embeddings.test.ts
- packages/memory-host-sdk/src/host/embeddings.ts
- packages/memory-host-sdk/src/host/embeddings.types.ts
- pnpm-lock.yaml
- pnpm-workspace.yaml
- qa/scenarios/memory/thread-memory-isolation.md
- scripts/AGENTS.md
- scripts/ci-run-timings.mjs
- scripts/crabbox-wrapper.mjs
- scripts/generate-prompt-snapshots.ts
- scripts/lib/ci-node-test-plan.mjs
- scripts/lib/docker-build.sh
- scripts/lib/plugin-sdk-entrypoints.json
- scripts/lib/plugin-sdk-private-local-only-subpaths.json
- scripts/prompt-snapshot-files.ts
- src/acp/control-plane/manager.cancel-session.test.ts
- src/acp/control-plane/manager.cancel-session.ts
- src/acp/control-plane/manager.close-session.ts
- src/acp/control-plane/manager.core.ts
- src/acp/control-plane/manager.initialize-session.test.ts
- src/acp/control-plane/manager.initialize-session.ts
- src/acp/control-plane/manager.runtime-config.test.ts
- src/acp/control-plane/manager.runtime-controls.ts
- src/acp/control-plane/manager.runtime-handle-cache.ts
- src/acp/control-plane/manager.runtime-handle-ensure.ts
- src/acp/control-plane/manager.runtime-options-commands.ts
- src/acp/control-plane/manager.runtime-resume-state.ts
- src/acp/control-plane/manager.startup-identity-reconcile.test.ts
- src/acp/control-plane/manager.startup-identity-reconcile.ts
- src/acp/control-plane/manager.status.ts
- src/acp/control-plane/manager.test.ts
- src/acp/control-plane/manager.turn-runner.ts
- src/acp/control-plane/manager.types.ts
- src/acp/control-plane/runtime-cache.test.ts
- src/acp/control-plane/runtime-cache.ts
- src/agents/agent-command.live-model-switch.test.ts
- src/agents/agent-command.ts
- src/agents/agent-scope.test.ts
- src/agents/agent-scope.ts
- src/agents/auth-profile-runtime-contract.test.ts
- src/agents/btw.test.ts
- src/agents/btw.ts
- src/agents/cli-runner.runtime.ts
- src/agents/command/shared-types.ts
- src/agents/embedded-agent-runner/model.static-catalog.test.ts
- src/agents/harness/types.ts
- src/agents/openai-transport-stream.test.ts
- src/agents/openai-transport-stream.ts
- src/agents/tools/image-tool.providers.live.test.ts
- src/auto-reply/get-reply-options.types.ts
- src/auto-reply/reply/agent-runner-cli-dispatch.test.ts
- src/auto-reply/reply/agent-runner-cli-dispatch.ts
- src/auto-reply/reply/agent-runner-execution.test.ts
- src/auto-reply/reply/agent-runner-execution.ts
- src/auto-reply/reply/commands-export-session.test.ts
- src/auto-reply/reply/commands-export-session.ts
- src/auto-reply/reply/current-turn-images.ts
- src/auto-reply/reply/followup-runner.test.ts
- src/auto-reply/reply/followup-runner.ts
- src/auto-reply/reply/get-reply-directives.ts
- src/auto-reply/reply/get-reply-run.media-only.test.ts
- src/auto-reply/reply/get-reply-run.ts
- src/auto-reply/reply/get-reply.ts
- src/auto-reply/reply/model-selection.test.ts
- src/auto-reply/reply/model-selection.ts
- src/auto-reply/reply/queue/types.ts
- src/channels/plugins/setup-helpers.test.ts
- src/commands/agent.test.ts
- src/commands/agent/session.test.ts
- src/config/sessions.ts
- src/config/sessions/session-file-rotation.ts
- src/config/sessions/store-entry-shape.ts
- src/cron/isolated-agent/run.cron-model-override-forwarding.test.ts
- src/gateway/open-responses.schema.ts
- src/gateway/openai-compat-errors.ts
- src/gateway/openai-http.image-budget.test.ts
- src/gateway/openai-http.test.ts
- src/gateway/openai-http.ts
- src/gateway/openai-tool-choice.ts
- src/gateway/openresponses-http.test.ts
- src/gateway/openresponses-http.ts
- src/gateway/server.sessions.reset-models.test.ts
- src/llm/providers/openai-completions.test.ts
- src/llm/providers/openai-completions.ts
- src/plugin-sdk/entrypoints.ts
- src/plugin-sdk/memory-core-host-embedding-registry.ts
- src/plugin-sdk/realtime-voice.ts
- src/plugins/contracts/run-context-lifecycle.contract.test.ts
- src/plugins/memory-embedding-providers.ts
- src/plugins/runtime/runtime-tasks.test.ts
- src/plugins/status.registry-snapshot.test.ts
- src/plugins/web-provider-runtime-shared.test.ts
- src/shared/text/reasoning-tag-text-partitioner.test.ts
- src/shared/text/reasoning-tag-text-partitioner.ts
- src/talk/output-activity-tracker.test.ts
- src/talk/output-activity-tracker.ts
- test/fixtures/agents/prompt-snapshots/codex-runtime-happy-path/README.md
- test/fixtures/agents/prompt-snapshots/codex-runtime-happy-path/codex-dynamic-tools.discord-group.json
- test/fixtures/agents/prompt-snapshots/codex-runtime-happy-path/codex-dynamic-tools.heartbeat-turn.json
- test/fixtures/agents/prompt-snapshots/codex-runtime-happy-path/codex-dynamic-tools.telegram-direct.json
- test/fixtures/agents/prompt-snapshots/codex-runtime-happy-path/discord-group-codex-message-tool.md
- test/fixtures/agents/prompt-snapshots/codex-runtime-happy-path/telegram-direct-codex-message-tool.md
- test/fixtures/agents/prompt-snapshots/codex-runtime-happy-path/telegram-heartbeat-codex-tool.md
- test/helpers/agents/happy-path-prompt-snapshots.ts
- test/helpers/agents/prompt-snapshot-paths.ts
- test/scripts/ci-node-test-plan.test.ts
- test/scripts/ci-run-timings.test.ts
- test/scripts/ci-workflow-guards.test.ts
- test/scripts/crabbox-wrapper.test.ts
- test/scripts/openclaw-cross-os-release-workflow.test.ts
- test/scripts/package-acceptance-workflow.test.ts
- test/scripts/prompt-snapshots.test.ts
- test/scripts/setup-pnpm-store-cache-ensure-node.test.ts
- test/vitest/vitest.unit-support.config.ts

This page provides a comprehensive reference for codebase-specific terms, architectural components, and technical jargon used within the OpenClaw system. It serves as a foundational guide for onboarding engineers to understand the relationships between system concepts and their underlying code implementations.

## Core System Entities

### Gateway

The Gateway is the central control plane of OpenClaw. It manages the lifecycle of messaging channels, agent runtimes, and the WebSocket-based RPC protocol. It is responsible for routing messages from external platforms (e.g., Telegram, WhatsApp) to the appropriate agent sessions.

- Implementation : The Gateway runs as a Node.js process that serves the Control UI and processes Gateway protocol v3 WebSocket frames. It handles authentication, session lifecycle management, and dynamically loads configuration state.
- Key Functions/Classes : The main Gateway entrypoint binary is openclaw as defined in package.json package.json 16-18 It exports a comprehensive Plugin SDK through various subpaths such as plugin-sdk/agent-harness-runtime and plugin-sdk/diagnostic-runtime package.json 152-194
- Data Flow : Incoming platform messages are processed via inbound queues, often backed by SQLite for persistence CHANGELOG.md 43
- Sources: package.json 16-194 CHANGELOG.md 43

### Agent

An autonomous AI runtime that processes conversational input, manages stateful sessions, invokes external AI models and tools, and executes directives.

- Implementation : OpenClaw supports multiple agent runtimes, including embedded PI agents and CLI-backed runtimes like the GitHub Copilot plugin CHANGELOG.md 9 CHANGELOG.md 30
- Key Classes/Functions : Execution is often handled via runEmbeddedPiAgent lifecycle or for coding tasks, via the Codex app-server harness runCodexAppServerAttempt extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.ts 52
- Data Flow : Receives normalized messages and constructs prompts using context builders like buildCodexOpenClawPromptContext extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.ts 57
- Sources: CHANGELOG.md 9-30 extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.ts 52-57

### Channel

Channels are adapter integrations connecting OpenClaw to external messaging platforms such as Telegram, Discord, Slack, or WhatsApp.

- Implementation : Each channel is implemented as an extension. They handle message normalization and event processing across platforms like iMessage, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams CHANGELOG.md 10
- Key Concepts : Channel state, such as inbound queues and monitor state, is increasingly moved to SQLite-backed storage for reliability CHANGELOG.md 18
- Sources: CHANGELOG.md 10-18

### Node

A Node refers to a device running a native OpenClaw client (iOS, Android, macOS). It provides access to local device capabilities such as camera, screen capture, and notification APIs.

- Role : Native clients communicate with the Gateway using the Device Node RPC protocol. The Node exposes platform-specific features.
- Codebase : The iOS client supports native iPad layouts and features like realtime Talk playback CHANGELOG.md 31-32
- Sources: CHANGELOG.md 31-32

### Session

A Session represents a persistent conversational context scoped by a unique combination of user, agent, and channel.

- Identification & Storage : Sessions are managed by SessionManager extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.test.ts 7 Session metadata and state writes are optimized for hot paths CHANGELOG.md 12
- Key Code : writeCodexAppServerBinding handles persisting session-to-thread mappings extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.test.ts 116-123
- Sources: extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.test.ts 7-123 CHANGELOG.md 12

### Workspace

A Workspace is a dedicated filesystem sandbox tied to an agent session, used to load skills, system prompts, and store runtime state.

- Functionality : Agents operate within a cwd (current working directory) mapped to a workspace extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.test.ts 118 Sandboxing can be configured for various levels of access, such as workspace-write extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.test.ts 139
- Sources: extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.test.ts 118-139

## Architecture & Data Flow

### Natural Language Space to Code Entity Space Mapping

This diagram bridges natural language user interaction to the codebase entities that implement OpenClaw's response logic.

```

```

- OpenAI-compatible Endpoint : Gateway surface for external clients to interact with OpenClaw agents.
- Codex Run Attempt : The core logic for managing a turn in the Codex environment extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.ts 52
- Dynamic Tool Bridge : Facilitates the execution of tools within the agent's context extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.ts 170

**Sources:** [extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.ts26-170](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/fbdf5937/extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.ts#L26-L170) [src/agents/openai-transport-stream.ts1-100](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/fbdf5937/src/agents/openai-transport-stream.ts#L1-L100)

### Provider Transport Pipeline

This diagram illustrates how model requests are normalized and streamed through the system.

```

```

- Transport Stream : Normalizes different API formats (Completions vs Responses) into a unified internal stream src/agents/openai-transport-stream.ts 7-21
- Payload Policy : Applies security and content policies to model inputs and outputs src/agents/openai-transport-stream.ts 59-60
- Cooperative Scheduler : Ensures long-running streams do not block the Node.js event loop src/agents/openai-transport-stream.ts 147-171

**Sources:** [src/agents/openai-transport-stream.ts7-171](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/fbdf5937/src/agents/openai-transport-stream.ts#L7-L171)

## Technical Jargon & Abbreviations

### ACP (Agent Control Protocol)

A protocol for orchestrating sub-agents. It allows a "parent" agent to spawn and control isolated sub-agent sessions. Metadata for ACP is preserved in SQLite [CHANGELOG.md52](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/fbdf5937/CHANGELOG.md?plain=1#L52-L52)

### ClawHub

The official plugin and externalized component registry for OpenClaw. It hosts metadata for plugins like `@openclaw/copilot` and `@openclaw/tokenjuice` [CHANGELOG.md29-30](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/fbdf5937/CHANGELOG.md?plain=1#L29-L30)

### Codex

A specialized native app-server harness for high-performance coding agents. It supports a dedicated JSON-RPC protocol and dynamic tool injection [extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.ts31-33](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/fbdf5937/extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.ts#L31-L33)

### Dreaming

A background process where agents perform memory sweeps, consolidation, or "diary" actions. The Control UI includes a dedicated Dreaming-tab for monitoring these activities [CHANGELOG.md37](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/fbdf5937/CHANGELOG.md?plain=1#L37-L37)

### SecretRef

A secure way to reference credentials in configuration files. Plugins can define SecretRef manifests to handle sensitive data like API keys without hardcoding them [CHANGELOG.md14](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/fbdf5937/CHANGELOG.md?plain=1#L14-L14) [CHANGELOG.md39](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/fbdf5937/CHANGELOG.md?plain=1#L39-L39)

### Skill Workshop

A governed workflow for creating, reviewing, and approving agent skills. It includes proposal lists, revision handoffs, and searchable file previews [CHANGELOG.md15](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/fbdf5937/CHANGELOG.md?plain=1#L15-L15) [CHANGELOG.md23-28](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/fbdf5937/CHANGELOG.md?plain=1#L23-L28)

### Workboard

An orchestration primitive for multi-agent planning and run tracking. It allows agents to coordinate tasks and track execution boards [CHANGELOG.md33-34](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/fbdf5937/CHANGELOG.md?plain=1#L33-L34)

## Summary Table

**Sources:**
[CHANGELOG.md1-62](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/fbdf5937/CHANGELOG.md?plain=1#L1-L62) [package.json1-194](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/fbdf5937/package.json#L1-L194) [extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.ts1-190](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/fbdf5937/extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.ts#L1-L190) [src/agents/openai-transport-stream.ts1-171](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/fbdf5937/src/agents/openai-transport-stream.ts#L1-L171) [extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.test.ts1-190](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/fbdf5937/extensions/codex/src/app-server/run-attempt.test.ts#L1-L190)
