OpenClaw Pre-Release Plugin Testing

Use this skill when the user asks for plugin release confidence, plugin lifecycle sweeps, package-artifact plugin proof, or "what else should we test before release?" It complements

openclaw-testing

; use that skill too when choosing the cheapest safe runner or debugging a failing lane.

Goal

Prove the plugin system as a product surface, not just as source tests:

bundled plugin lifecycle: install, inspect, enable, disable, uninstall
package artifact behavior from a clean
```
HOME
```
doctor/fix/config validation and idempotence
config discovery and config round-trip
status/log visibility and diagnostics
gateway startup/bootstrap with plugin metadata snapshots
public SDK compatibility for real external plugins
live-ish provider/channel probes only when safe credentials exist

First Checks

From the OpenClaw repo root:

bash

pnpm docs:list
git status --short --branch
readlink node_modules
pnpm changed:lanes --json

In Codex worktrees under

.codex/worktrees

node_modules

must be a symlink to the main OpenClaw checkout. Do not run

pnpm install

there. For broad or package-heavy proof, use Blacksmith Testbox or GitHub Actions.

Runner Choice

Prefer this order:

GitHub Package Acceptance for installable-package product proof.
ci-build-artifacts-testbox.yml
Testbox when Docker/package lanes need seeded
```
dist
```
,
```
dist-runtime
```
, and package caches.
ci-check-testbox.yml
Testbox for source checks, targeted Vitest, package-boundary checks, or focused Docker lanes.
Local targeted commands only for small format/static/unit probes.

Avoid long package Docker runs from a stale sparse worktree. If Testbox sync reports hundreds of changed files or starts deleting package inputs, stop and warm a fresh box from current

main

, or switch to Package Acceptance.

Existing Baseline

Run or verify these before inventing new coverage:

bash

OPENCLAW_TESTBOX=1 pnpm check:changed
pnpm run test:extensions:package-boundary:canary
pnpm run test:extensions:package-boundary:compile
pnpm test:docker:plugins
OPENCLAW_PLUGINS_E2E_CLAWHUB=0 pnpm test:docker:plugins
pnpm test:docker:plugin-update
pnpm test:docker:bundled-channel-deps:fast

For full bundled install/uninstall proof, shard the packaged sweep:

bash

OPENCLAW_BUNDLED_PLUGIN_SWEEP_TOTAL=8 \
OPENCLAW_BUNDLED_PLUGIN_SWEEP_INDEX=<0-7> \
pnpm test:docker:bundled-plugin-install-uninstall

Expected current packaged scope: 116 public bundled plugins over shards

0-7

. Private QA plugins are source-mode only unless a package explicitly includes them.

Confidence Matrix

Use this matrix for pre-release signoff. Record pass/fail, run URL/Testbox ID, package SHA/version, and skipped-live reason.

Surface	Proof	Preferred runner
Package artifact	Package Acceptance `suite_profile=package` or custom lanes	GitHub Actions
Bundled lifecycle	8-shard `test:docker:bundled-plugin-install-uninstall`	Testbox or release Docker
External plugins	`test:docker:plugins` and `plugins-offline`	Testbox/package acceptance
Update no-op	`test:docker:plugin-update`	Testbox/package acceptance
Channel runtime deps	`test:docker:bundled-channel-deps:fast` plus key channels	Testbox/package acceptance
Doctor/fix	seeded bad configs + `doctor --fix --non-interactive`	new Docker/Testbox harness
Config round-trip	`config set/get` , inspect, doctor, reload, diff hash	new Docker/Testbox harness
Gateway bootstrap	clean `HOME` , plugin groups enabled/disabled, status JSON	new Docker/Testbox harness
SDK compatibility	directory, tgz, and `file:` external plugins using SDK subpaths	`test:docker:plugins` plus new smoke
Live-ish	redacted provider/channel probes only for present env	Testbox live lanes

Package Acceptance Plan

Use this when validating a release branch, beta, or candidate package:

bash

gh workflow run package-acceptance.yml \
  --repo openclaw/openclaw \
  --ref main \
  -f workflow_ref=main \
  -f source=ref \
  -f package_ref=<branch-or-sha> \
  -f suite_profile=custom \
  -f docker_lanes='plugins-offline plugin-update bundled-channel-deps-compat doctor-switch update-channel-switch config-reload mcp-channels npm-onboard-channel-agent' \
  -f telegram_mode=mock-openai

Use

source=npm -f package_spec=openclaw@beta

for published beta proof. Keep

workflow_ref

as trusted current harness code unless the release process says otherwise.

New Testbox Harness Plan

If more certainty is needed, add or run a

plugin-lifecycle-matrix

Docker lane that uses one package tarball and sharded plugin lists. Per plugin:

Start with a clean
```
HOME
```
.
Capture
```
plugins list --json
```
.
```
plugins install <id>
```
.
```
plugins inspect <id> --json
```
.
```
plugins disable <id>
```
, then assert disabled visibility.
```
plugins enable <id>
```
, except config-required plugins without config.
```
plugins registry --refresh
```
.
```
doctor --non-interactive
```
.
```
plugins uninstall <id> --force
```
.
Assert no config entry, allow/deny residue, install record, managed dir, or bundled
```
dist/extensions/...
```
load path remains.
Assert diagnostics contain no
```
level: "error"
```
and output redacts secret-looking values.

Keep

memory-lancedb

special: it is config-required. First assert install does not enable it without embedding config, then run a second configured case.

Doctor/Fix Matrix

Seed bad states and require

doctor --fix --non-interactive

to repair them, then run doctor again and require idempotence:

stale
```
plugins.allow
```
stale
```
plugins.entries
```
stale channel config for missing channel plugin
invalid
```
plugins.entries.<id>.config
```
packaged bundled path in
```
plugins.load.paths
```
legacy
```
plugins.installs
```
disabled channel/plugin config that must not stage runtime deps
root-owned global package tree that must remain unmodified

Gateway Bootstrap Matrix

Start packaged OpenClaw in Docker with clean state:

provider plugins enabled, no credentials: ready with warnings, no crash
channel plugins configured disabled: no runtime deps staged
startup-activation plugins enabled: ready and reflected in status
invalid single plugin config: bad plugin skipped/quarantined, others remain

Assert:

gateway reaches ready
```
openclaw status --json
```
includes plugin diagnostics
```
openclaw plugins inspect --all --json
```
is parseable
package tree is not mutated
logs contain no raw tokens

Config Round-Trip Representatives

Use representative plugin families instead of every plugin for deep config round-trip:

providers:
```
openai
```
,
```
anthropic
```
,
```
mistral
```
,
```
openrouter
```
channels:
```
telegram
```
,
```
discord
```
,
```
slack
```
,
```
whatsapp
```
memory:
```
memory-lancedb
```
feature/runtime:
```
browser
```
,
```
acpx
```
,
```
tokenjuice
```

For each representative:

Write config through CLI when possible.
Read it back through
```
config get
```
or JSON.
Run
```
plugins inspect
```
.
Run
```
doctor --non-interactive
```
.
Trigger gateway config reload if applicable.
Compare config hash before/after no-op commands.

External SDK Smoke

In a package Docker lane, create tiny external plugins and install them from:

local directory
```
.tgz
```
```
file:
```
npm spec

Cover CJS and ESM shapes, plus at least one plugin importing focused

openclaw/plugin-sdk/*

subpaths. Assert

plugins inspect

sees its tool, gateway method, CLI command, or service.

Live-Ish Probe Rules

Before live-ish work, source allowed env in Testbox and generate a redacted availability matrix: present/missing only, never values.

Only run probes for credentials that exist. Prefer auth/catalog/status probes over sending user-visible messages. If a probe might contact an external user, channel, or workspace, stop and ask the user.

Reporting

Report in this shape:

text

package/ref:
tbx ids / run urls:
matrix:
  bundled lifecycle:
  package acceptance:
  doctor/fix:
  gateway bootstrap:
  config round-trip:
  sdk external:
  live-ish:
failures:
skips:
next highest-value gap:

Say clearly when a failure is Testbox sync/env damage rather than product behavior, and prove that with a clean rerun or current-main comparison.

openclaw-pre-release-plugin-testing

NPX Install

Tags

SKILL.md Content

OpenClaw Pre-Release Plugin Testing

Goal

First Checks

Runner Choice

Existing Baseline

Confidence Matrix

Package Acceptance Plan

New Testbox Harness Plan

Doctor/Fix Matrix

Gateway Bootstrap Matrix

Config Round-Trip Representatives

External SDK Smoke

Live-Ish Probe Rules

Reporting