auto-updater

name	auto-updater
description	Automatically update OpenClaw and selected skills once daily. Runs via cron, checks for updates, applies them, and messages the user with a summary of what changed.
metadata	{"version":"1.1.0","openclaw":{"emoji":"🔄","os":["darwin","linux"]}}

Auto-Updater Skill

Keep OpenClaw and skills up to date automatically with daily update checks.

What It Does

This skill sets up a daily cron job that:

1. Updates OpenClaw itself (via package manager)
2. Updates installed ClawHub skills (via clawhub update --all)
3. Sends a summary of what changed

Setup

Quick Start

Ask OpenClaw to set up the auto-updater:

Set up daily auto-updates for OpenClaw and installed skills.

Or manually add the cron job:

openclaw cron add \
  --name "Daily Auto-Update" \
  --cron "0 4 * * *" \
  --tz "America/Los_Angeles" \
  --session isolated \
  --wake now \
  --deliver \
  --message "Run daily auto-updates: check for OpenClaw updates and update installed skills. Report what changed."

How Updates Work

OpenClaw Updates

For npm installs:

npm update -g openclaw@latest

After update, run health checks:

openclaw --profile default doctor --fix
openclaw gateway restart

Skill Updates

clawhub update --all

This checks installed ClawHub skills and updates to latest versions.

Manual Commands

Run a manual skill update:

clawhub update --all --no-input --force

List installed ClawHub skills:

clawhub list

Check OpenClaw version:

openclaw --version

Troubleshooting

Updates Not Running

1. Verify cron is enabled (openclaw cron list)
2. Ensure gateway is running continuously (openclaw gateway status)
3. Confirm cron entry exists and timezone is correct

Common Failures

• Permission errors: ensure the OpenClaw user can write to install paths
• Network errors: verify internet connectivity
• Broken plugin/provider state: run openclaw --profile default doctor --fix

Disable Auto-Updates

openclaw cron remove "Daily Auto-Update"

Resources

• https://docs.openclaw.ai
• https://clawhub.com