Refactor bootstrap to use a managed web runtime lifecycle instead of
ad-hoc standalone server spawning. The managed runtime copies packaged
Next.js assets into ~/.openclaw-dench/web-runtime/, tracks deployment
state via manifest/process metadata, and cleanly separates Dench-owned
processes from foreign listeners on the target port.
- Fix false-negative web readiness when /api/profiles returns null
activeProfile (first-run regression).
- Add `dench start` (start without updating assets), `dench stop`
(terminate only Dench-managed web server), and `dench update`
(refresh web runtime with major-version OpenClaw update gate).
- Major-version transitions (e.g. v2->v3) require mandatory OpenClaw
update; non-interactive mode fails closed without --yes.
- All lifecycle commands show the ASCII banner/logo animation.
- Deploy smoke checks now verify update/stop/start --help paths.
BREAKING CHANGE: Convert repository to IronClaw-only package with strict
external dependency on globally installed `openclaw` runtime.
### Changes
- Remove entire OpenClaw core source from repository (src/agents/*, src/acp/*,
src/commands/*, and related modules)
- Implement CLI delegation: non-bootstrap commands now delegate to global
`openclaw` binary via external contract
- Remove local OpenClaw path resolution from web app; always spawn global
`openclaw` binary instead of local scripts
- Rename package.json scripts: `pnpm openclaw` → `pnpm ironclaw`,
`openclaw:rpc` → `ironclaw:rpc`
- Update bootstrap flow to verify and install global OpenClaw when missing
- Migrate web workspace/profile logic to align with OpenClaw state paths
- Add migration contract tests for stream-json, session subscribe, and profile
resolution behaviors
- Update build/release pipeline for IronClaw-only artifacts
- Update documentation for new peer + global installation model
### Architecture
IronClaw is now strictly a frontend/UI/bootstrap layer:
- `npx ironclaw` bootstraps OpenClaw (if missing), runs guided onboarding
- IronClaw UI serves on localhost:3100
- OpenClaw Gateway runs on standard port 18789
- Communication via stable CLI contracts and Gateway WebSocket protocol only
### Migration
Users must have `openclaw` installed globally:
npm install -g openclaw
Existing IronClaw profiles and sessions remain compatible through gateway
protocol stability.
Refs: bootstrap_dev_testing, ironclaw_frontend_split, strict-external-openclaw
- Add standalone-hoist-pnpm.sh to hoist .pnpm packages to top-level
node_modules so require('next') resolves in global npm installs
(the pnpm symlinks don't survive npm tarball packing)
- Add startup probe (waitForStartupOrCrash) to detect child process
crashes within 3s instead of silently returning a handle to a dead
server — logs clear error with stderr output
- Gate "Open the Web UI" onboarding hatch option on web app build
availability so users aren't offered a dead URL
- Add post-publish sanity check in deploy.sh for standalone server.js
Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
- Remove standalone Next.js output; gateway now installs deps and builds
on first start, skips if .next/BUILD_ID already exists
- Rename openclaw→ironclaw workspace refs in all 30 extensions + clawdbot/moltbot
- Add @tiptap/core as explicit dep in apps/web (pnpm strict mode requires it)
- Improve ensureDepsInstalled: detect pnpm workspace vs npm global install
- Remove pre-build step from deploy.sh; ship source, build on user machine
- Update package.json files to include full apps/web/ source
Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
- Add gateway.webApp config (enabled, port, dev) as the unified toggle
for both the Next.js web UI and the built-in control UI
- Spawn Next.js app alongside the gateway; stop it on shutdown
- Auto-enable webApp in config for new and existing installs
- Pre-build Next.js in deploy.sh and ship .next/ in the npm package
so installed users get instant startup (no build step)
- Gateway skips build when pre-built .next/ exists; builds on first
run for dev/git-checkout users
- Onboarding "Open the Web UI" now opens the Ironclaw web app
- Fix pre-existing Next.js build errors (ES2023 lib, Tiptap v3 types,
Suspense boundary, ReportConfig type alignment)
- Rename deploy target from openclaw-ai-sdk to ironclaw
Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>
