How to Debug OpenClaw Issues from the Command Line

Start with gateway status, then move to models, channels, logs, and doctor so you narrow the failure instead of restarting blindly.

The fastest OpenClaw debugging flow is layered. First verify the gateway. Then verify models. Then verify channels. Then tail logs. Then run doctor if the config or service layer looks damaged.

Quick answer

Use openclaw gateway status --require-rpc, openclaw models status --check, openclaw channels status --probe, and openclaw logs --follow in that order before you escalate to repair steps.

Command line steps

1. Check the gateway first

If the gateway is not healthy, model or channel fixes are just noise.

2. Check model auth and channel probes separately

Keep provider failures and channel failures in different buckets.

3. Follow the logs while reproducing the bug

This gives you the highest-signal failure point to work from.

What to check if it still fails

• If models status --check exits non-zero, fix auth before you blame the channel.
• If the logs show unauthorized responses, regenerate or resolve the gateway token instead of restarting repeatedly.
• If doctor wants to repair config or service state, let it do that before you keep layering new config changes.