First 60 seconds
Check that the server is running
clawboo in a terminal (npx clawboo@latest if you use npx). It finds the Clawboo server that is already running, or starts one, then opens your browser and prints the address after Clawboo opened at. Use that address. It is http://localhost:18790 unless that port was taken.If the command prints a message instead, look it up under Install and launch.Read the server log
~/.clawboo/server.log (to the folder in CLAWBOO_HOME, if you set it). Show the last lines:- macOS and Linux
- Windows
node logs to its terminal instead. After an update from the dashboard, the restarted server writes no log until you run clawboo restart.Open System Health
Cmd+, on a Mac and Ctrl+, elsewhere), then System Health. Each startup check reads OK, Degraded or Fatal, with a line on what it found. A failed check does not stop the server: it keeps serving and reports the problem here. Fix what the check names, then click Re-run probe. See System Health.Check that a provider is connected
Read the notice, then look in Needs you
Install and launch
Clawboo requires Node.js 22.12 or newer
What it means: your Node.js is older than Clawboo needs. The message names the version you have. Fix: install a current Node.js from nodejs.org, or switch with a version manager (nvm install 22 or fnm use 22). Then run clawboo again.
Prevent it: if you plan to add OpenClaw, choose a Node.js version in OpenClaw’s narrower range, listed under Before you begin.
Dashboard is taking too long to start.
What it means:clawboo started the server but did not hear back from it within 45 seconds. Below the message it prints the last lines of the server log and the log’s full path.
Fix: read those log lines. They point to one of three cases:
- An error. For example “CLAWBOO_API_PORT=18800 is already in use.”, “No free port available in range 18790-18809.” or a line that starts with “SECURITY: refusing to start”. Find the message on this page, fix it, then run
clawbooagain. - You set
STUDIO_ACCESS_TOKEN, and the log has a line containingClawboo ready. The server is running. The command cannot confirm a server protected by an access token, so it gives up after 45 seconds and exits with an error. Openhttp://localhost:<port>/?access_token=<your token>in your browser; the port is in~/.clawboo/api-port.txt. - No error, on a first start on Windows. Antivirus software scanning the new files can slow the first start. Run
clawbooagain.
clawboo. Run the Clawboo server and Reach Clawboo from another machine show how.
A Clawboo server is running on port N, but it requires an access token.
What it means: this install setsSTUDIO_ACCESS_TOKEN, so the server answers only browsers that carry its access cookie, and the command cannot use it. It does not start a second server.
Fix: open http://localhost:<port>/?access_token=<your token> once in your browser, with the port the message names. clawboo stop and clawboo restart refuse to touch this server too; they print a command that stops it by its port.
Prevent it: manage a token-protected server with its own terminal or a service manager. See Token-gated installs.
Could not find the Clawboo server.
What it means: the command could not find the server files that come with it, so the install is incomplete. Fix: reinstall withnpm install -g clawboo, or run npx clawboo@latest.
More install messages
CLAWBOO_API_PORT=N is already in use.
CLAWBOO_API_PORT=N is already in use.
CLAWBOO_API_PORT, and another program already uses that port. With this variable set, Clawboo uses exactly that port and does not look for another.Fix: free the port, choose another one, or unset CLAWBOO_API_PORT so Clawboo picks a free port from 18790 to 18809. If an older Clawboo holds the port, run clawboo stop first. A PORT variable set by a hosting platform works the same way and fails with “PORT=N is already in use (set by hosting platform).”No free port available in range 18790-18809.
No free port available in range 18790-18809.
clawboo stop, or set CLAWBOO_API_PORT to a port you know is free.The dashboard opened on an unexpected port
The dashboard opened on an unexpected port
PORT variable, and Clawboo uses it in place of 18790.Fix: unset PORT, or choose a port with CLAWBOO_API_PORT. The address that clawboo prints is always the right one.The browser didn't open
The browser didn't open
http://localhost:18790.No Gateway detected
No Gateway detected
clawboo checks whether an OpenClaw Gateway answers on its default port, 18789.Fix: nothing to fix. You need a Gateway only for OpenClaw agents; see OpenClaw.The previous server was stopped and could not be replaced.
The previous server was stopped and could not be replaced.
clawboo or clawboo restart stopped an older server to start a newer one, and the new one did not start. No server is running.Fix: read the server log for the reason, then run clawboo.The update chip says the update failed
The update chip says the update failed
npm install -g clawboo@latest, then clawboo restart), or install Node.js with a version manager such as nvm or fnm, which keeps global packages in your home folder. If the update installed but the page did not come back, run clawboo restart. See Update Clawboo.Onboarding and providers
Clawboo checks a key before it saves one, with a single request to the provider’s list of models. During setup, a failed check reads Key didn’t verify, followed by one of the reasons below.Invalid API key.
What it means: the provider turned the key down. Fix:- Copy the key again from the provider’s key page, or create a new one.
- Check that you picked the provider the key belongs to.
- Paste it again and save.
Could not reach openai (timed out).
What it means: this computer could not reach the provider within 8 seconds. The message names the provider; without “(timed out)” the connection failed outright. A proxy, a firewall or no network is the usual cause. Fix: fix the connection and try again. If you are sure the key is right, save it without the check: Continue anyway during setup, Save anyway under Settings > Providers, or Connect anyway on a runtime’s row.Clawboo Native has no provider key connected.
What it means: a Clawboo Native agent tried to run, and its provider has no key Clawboo can use. The full notice reads “Open Settings → Runtimes → Clawboo Native to connect a provider.” The agent’s page header also reads Disconnected or No provider key. Fix: save a key for that provider under Settings > Providers, or open Settings > Runtimes > Clawboo Native and connect a provider. If you disconnected Clawboo Native earlier, click Connect on its row and choose a saved key with Use. Prevent it: a runtime’s Disconnect also deletes keys that other runtimes share; see Disconnect a key or a runtime.Ollama isn’t answering on this machine. Start it (ollama serve) and try again.
What it means: Clawboo could not reach Ollama, athttp://localhost:11434 unless you set OLLAMA_BASE_URL. During setup, the same problem reads “Ollama isn’t answering.”
Fix: open the Ollama app, or run ollama serve, then try again. Don’t have Ollama? The setup screen links to its download.
Ollama doesn’t have llama3.2 yet, so this run couldn’t start.
What it means: the agent’s model is not pulled into your Ollama. The message names the model and the command that pulls it. Fix: run the command, for exampleollama pull llama3.2, then send your message again. Or pick a model you have pulled in the agent’s model control. Check again on the Ollama row refreshes the list of models.
This model can’t use tools, and this agent needs them
What it means: the message starts with the model’s name. Agents need tools to hand off work, use the board and reach apps, and this model has none. In the model list, Clawboo marks such models (can’t use tools). Fix: pick a model that can use tools, or pull one, for example withollama pull llama3.2.
Prevent it: pull a model that supports tools before you deploy a team on Ollama. See Run Clawboo without an API key.
More provider messages
Provider returned 429.
Provider returned 429.
Ollama is running, but has no chat model yet.
Ollama is running, but has no chat model yet.
ollama pull llama3.2, then click Check again.The codex CLI isn't installed yet. Install it first, then sign in.
The codex CLI isn't installed yet. Install it first, then sign in.
Sign-in timed out. Try again.
Sign-in timed out. Try again.
codex login in a terminal, then click Re-check on the Codex row.My team stopped working after I disconnected another runtime
My team stopped working after I disconnected another runtime
The Marketplace shows only 5 teams and 15 agents
The Marketplace shows only 5 teams and 15 agents
Runtimes and the OpenClaw Gateway
Approve this device
What it means: OpenClaw asks you to approve each new device once before it lets Clawboo connect. The setup shows this card; an error that mentionsNOT_PAIRED means the same thing.
Fix:
- Click Approve this device on the card.
- If the setup then says “OpenClaw still needs this device approved. Retry to approve it again.”, click Retry for a fresh card.
- If the card keeps failing, approve from a terminal, as Approve from a terminal instead shows. Then click Set up OpenClaw or Reconnect OpenClaw again.
OpenClaw Gateway is offline
What it means: the OpenClaw Gateway stopped, or Clawboo cannot reach it (“OpenClaw Gateway is unreachable”). Your OpenClaw agents are paused; agents on other runtimes keep working. Fix: click Reconnect on the banner, or Reconnect OpenClaw in Settings > Runtimes. If the banner offers Restart Gateway instead, the Gateway turned down Clawboo’s token, which it reads only when it starts; click it.Could not reach your OpenClaw agents
What it means: a team-chat message for an OpenClaw agent could not be delivered, because the Gateway is not running. Clawboo reconnects and retries once before it shows this notice. Fix: bring the Gateway back with Reconnect OpenClaw in Settings > Runtimes (or Reconnect on the banner), then send the message again.The Claude Code runtime needs @anthropic-ai/claude-agent-sdk
What it means: a Claude Code run failed because the Claude Agent SDK is missing. Theclawboo package leaves it out because it would add about 210 MB to every install. The Claude Code row can still read Connected, because that checks only the claude program and your key.
Fix:
npx run cannot load the SDK, so switch to the global install first. See Claude Code.
The Hermes install fails with (from versions: none)
What it means: pip found no Hermes release for the Python it used. Hermes needs Python 3.11, 3.12 or 3.13. Clawboo picks the newest Python 3.11 or later that it finds, so a Python 3.14 wins over a 3.12 you also have, and the install fails. Fix: install Hermes yourself with a supported Python, then click Refresh at the top of Settings > Runtimes:More runtime messages
Claude Code reads Needs key, but my claude CLI is signed in
Claude Code reads Needs key, but my claude CLI is signed in
claude program’s own sign-in does not count.Fix: connect a key on the Claude Code row, or save one under Settings > Providers.Codex reads Needs login after I signed in from a terminal
Codex reads Needs login after I signed in from a terminal
Hermes needs Python 3.11 or newer, but the Python on this machine is 3.9
Hermes needs Python 3.11 or newer, but the Python on this machine is 3.9
brew install python@3.12) or pipx (brew install pipx), then click Retry. If Clawboo finds no Python at all, the message reads “Python 3.11+ (with pip or pipx) not found.”; the fix is the same.Permission denied. A global install may require elevated permissions.
Permission denied. A global install may require elevated permissions.
sudo, then click Retry. The message also names the sudo command if you prefer it.Gateway did not become reachable within 60s
Gateway did not become reachable within 60s
~/.clawboo/gateway.log, fix what it reports, then click Retry. OpenClaw’s troubleshooting guide covers its own errors.OpenClaw needs openclaw doctor --fix, and running it failed
OpenClaw needs openclaw doctor --fix, and running it failed
openclaw doctor --fix that Clawboo ran for it failed.Fix: run openclaw doctor --fix in a terminal to see the whole report, then click Retry or Reconnect OpenClaw.An action fails with gateway_disconnected
An action fails with gateway_disconnected
Team chat and delegation
An agent does not reply
What it means: the message reached no agent that could run, or the run is waiting on something. Fix: check these in order.- A notice in the chat. When a run fails before the agent writes anything, the chat shows the reason. Look it up on this page.
- The runtime is connected. In Settings > Runtimes, the agent’s runtime reads Connected. An OpenClaw agent also needs the OpenClaw Gateway online.
- Needs you. A command, an app call or a risky hand-off may be waiting for your answer on the Board.
- The agent is busy. An agent works on one thing at a time, so new work waits until it is free. A waiting task stays in To do.
- A budget. A budget in hard cap mode that reached its limit refuses new runs, with a notice in the chat; see Budgets and costs.
No response from the delegate for 8 minutes.
What it means: a teammate took a hand-off and then reported nothing for 8 minutes, so Clawboo ended its run and failed the task. The leader is told. A teammate inside one long tool call, such as a build, gets 24 minutes: “The delegate has been inside one tool call for over 24 minutes with no result.” Fix: open the task in Needs you on the Board (it reads Timed out) and click Retry. If the teammate keeps timing out, check its runtime and model.The run ended without reporting a result.
What it means: the connection to the agent’s runtime dropped before the run finished, so there is no reason to report. The notice goes on: “The connection to the runtime may have dropped; try sending again.” Fix: send the message again. If it happens every time, read the server log, and check the runtime in Settings > Runtimes.The agent ignored my file
What it means: either the agent’s runtime does not read that agent file, or the agent could not reach a file on your computer. Fix:- Agent files. Only OpenClaw reads AGENTS.md, IDENTITY.md and TOOLS.md as instructions, and OpenClaw 2026.9 and later skips TOOLS.md, so put tool notes in AGENTS.md. On the other runtimes the agent follows SOUL.md: all of it on Clawboo Native, the first 4,000 characters on Claude Code, Codex and Hermes. See Edit the agent files.
- Files on your computer. In team chat and in an agent’s own chat, a Clawboo Native agent can open files only in its team’s folder (
~/.clawboo/workspaces/<team id>). Claude Code, Codex and Hermes agents start in that folder too, so give them the file’s full path. They can reach any file your user account can; see What agents can do.
More chat messages
The message box is greyed out
The message box is greyed out
Could not reach the team right now. Please try again in a moment.
Could not reach the team right now. Please try again in a moment.
Delegation to Ada not approved (expired); skipped.
Delegation to Ada not approved (expired); skipped.
My @ mention went to the leader instead
My @ mention went to the leader instead
@Name . To reach an agent outside the room, add it to the room or talk to it in General.Gateway not connected… in an agent's own chat
Gateway not connected… in an agent's own chat
This run stopped because the runtime believed it was out of context room.
This run stopped because the runtime believed it was out of context room.
The run failed: the run went quiet for too long and was ended
The run failed: the run went quiet for too long and was ended
The board and tasks
A task waits in Needs you
What it means: the task will not move by itself. Its badge says why:A task reached Done with no check mark
What it means: this is normal for most tasks. Clawboo checks work only on a task run that worked in its own git worktree and changed files, and only the API starts those runs. Work handed off in team chat, tasks you start on the Board and all OpenClaw work reach Done without a check. Fix: review the result yourself. See How work is checked.More board messages
A task has been In progress for a long time
A task has been In progress for a long time
A reply says Not sent
A reply says Not sent
- “Not sent: the task is finished”: the task is Done or Cancelled and cannot run again. Click Send as a follow-up task to give the same agent a new task with your reply as its brief.
- “Not sent: no agent has this task”: nobody is bound to the task. Give it to an agent with Assign in Needs you, then reply again.
- “Not sent: something went wrong”: Clawboo saved the reply but could not deliver it, for example because the database was busy. Send it again, or click Retry on the task.
I cannot move a card to In progress
I cannot move a card to In progress
This task changes files, so it needs an isolated git worktree, but no repository path was provided for it.
This task changes files, so it needs an isolated git worktree, but no repository path was provided for it.
[blocked: no isolation], and the task goes back to To do.Fix: pass a repoPath that points to a git repository, or start the task as a research or review task. See Worktrees and handoff.Couldn’t load the board.
Couldn’t load the board.
Budgets and costs
Auto-paused: team budget reached. Raise the cap (or resume) to continue.
What it means: a budget in hard cap mode reached its limit, so Clawboo stopped the run, sent the task back to To do and left this comment. The word before “budget” names the budget that ran out: agent, team, or mission (a task plus everything handed off from it). “node” means a per-run limit, which only a routine set up through the API can carry. A Claude Code or Codex run whose final cost report crossed the cap had already finished, so it is not stopped; see Budget cap reached below. In team chat the stopped run’s task fails instead, and the chat can show “The run failed: the run was stopped by a budget cap”. Fix: open Settings > Insights > Governance. The budget reads paused: click Resume, or raise its limit with Set cap. If spend is still over the limit, a resumed budget pauses again at the next charge, so raise the limit to keep working. See Resume or raise a budget.The team budget is paused at its hard cap, so this run did not start.
What it means: a budget in hard cap mode reached its limit, so Clawboo refused the run before it started. The word before “budget” names the budget: agent, team, or mission (a task plus everything handed off from it). In team chat Clawboo checks the agent’s and the team’s budgets, and the mission’s for a run on a task; one-to-one chat checks only the agent’s. A handed-off task, or one you gave an agent on the Board, carries the same sentence in a comment and waits in Needs you. Fix: open Settings > Insights > Governance and raise the budget’s limit with Set cap, or click Resume. Then send your message again, or press Retry on the task. See Resume or raise a budget.My hard cap did not stop the team
What it means: a paused hard cap refuses new runs, but a run already going finishes unless it is Clawboo Native on a priced model, which stops after its next model turn. Every other run is charged when it finishes, which can take the budget past 100%. If new messages still get answers, the budget is warn only, which never pauses. Fix: press Stop in the team’s chat to halt it right away. What a hard cap stops explains what a cap can stop on each path, and Budgets and spend shows how to watch spend.A cost reads est., or a local model shows a cost
What it means: “est.” (a~ before the amount on a card) marks an estimate: the runtime reported no charge, so Clawboo priced the run itself. Models Clawboo has no price for are estimated at $3 per million input tokens and $15 per million output tokens. A model your own Ollama serves costs nothing and reads free, so a cost on an Ollama run means Clawboo did not count it as local: one of Ollama’s cloud models (a -cloud tag), which runs on ollama.com, or an OpenClaw agent whose model in openclaw.json is not an ollama/ one.
Fix: nothing to fix. Budgets and spend lists what each runtime reports and what counts toward a budget.
More budget messages
Tokens Used shows zero for my agents
Tokens Used shows zero for my agents
Budget cap reached
Budget cap reached
Self-hosting and remote access
Cross-origin request blocked.
What it means: every action in the dashboard fails with a 403, because Clawboo’s same-origin guard does not recognize the address in the request. That happens when you reach Clawboo by a name or port it was not told about, for example through a reverse proxy. Fix: setCLAWBOO_ALLOWED_HOSTS to the host name you use and CLAWBOO_ALLOWED_ORIGINS to the full origin (scheme, host and any port), then restart the server. Through an SSH tunnel, use the same port on both ends. See Reach Clawboo from another machine.
Too many requests. Wait a moment and retry.
What it means: one address sent more requests to Clawboo’s API in a minute than its limit allows (a 429). Routes that install software, change runtime settings or grant access have a lower limit and say “Too many requests for this operation. Wait a moment and retry.” Page loads and dashboard files have an allowance of their own. Fix: wait a minute, then try again. The usual cause is a script or tool calling the API in a tight loop, or a page that keeps reloading: stop it. Behind a reverse proxy every request arrives from the same address, so all your browsers and tools share one allowance. The limits are in Limits and defaults.Clawboo access token required
What it means: the server runs withSTUDIO_ACCESS_TOKEN, and this browser has no access cookie yet (a 401). “Invalid Clawboo access token.” means the token in the address does not match the server’s.
Fix: open your Clawboo address once with ?access_token=<your token> added. Check the token for missing or extra characters.
SECURITY: refusing to start
What it means: the server exits with code 1 rather than leave the API open. EitherHOST makes it listen on a network address and it has no access token, or STUDIO_ACCESS_TOKEN has a character other than letters, digits, ., _, ~ and -, which stops it on any address (the message names the character).
Fix: the message says which case it is.
- A character the token cannot use: replace the token with one made by
openssl rand -hex 24(output fromopenssl rand -base64can contain+,/or=), or unsetSTUDIO_ACCESS_TOKEN. UnsettingHOSTdoes not help here. - A network address with no token: set
STUDIO_ACCESS_TOKEN(letters, digits,.,_,~and-only), or unsetHOSTto listen on this computer only.
Agents lost their Clawboo tools after setting HOST
What it means:HOST names a single network address, so the server stops answering on 127.0.0.1, the address Clawboo’s own agents use to reach its tools. Their calls to the board, memory and team chat fail.
Fix: use HOST=0.0.0.0, which answers on every address including 127.0.0.1, or keep the default and reach Clawboo through an SSH tunnel. Either way, set an access token. See Reach Clawboo from another machine.
More remote-access messages
STUDIO_ACCESS_TOKEN contains an unsupported character
STUDIO_ACCESS_TOKEN contains an unsupported character
., _, ~ and -, so the server refuses to start, on any address and even with CLAWBOO_ALLOW_INSECURE=1. The message starts with SECURITY: refusing to start and names the character. On 0.5.0 and older the server turned the token check off instead and kept running.Fix: make a new token with openssl rand -hex 24, restart the server with it, and sign in again.SECURITY: a request reached this server through a reverse proxy
SECURITY: a request reached this server through a reverse proxy
STUDIO_ACCESS_TOKEN and restart, unless the proxy itself checks every request.Not found. This Clawboo is served under /clawboo/
Not found. This Clawboo is served under /clawboo/
CLAWBOO_BASE_PATH), and the address you opened is outside it. The message names the prefix.Fix: open the address with the prefix, for example http://localhost:18790/clawboo/.clawboo stop says the server requires an access token
clawboo stop says the server requires an access token
clawboo stop prints. See Token-gated installs.When an agent is not doing what you asked
Work through these causes in order. The first ones are the most common.- The wrong runtime or model. On the agent’s page, the Graph card shows the model, beside the runtime’s icon. Pick another model where the runtime lets you (Change the model). An agent cannot move to another runtime, so create a new one on the runtime you want. Also check who got the message. An @mention picks an agent only at the very start of the message; otherwise the team’s leader answers and decides whether to hand the work on.
- No provider, or not the one the agent uses. A Clawboo Native agent’s page header reads Disconnected or No provider key when it has no provider it can use; click Set up in Runtimes. For the other runtimes, check that the runtime’s row in Settings > Runtimes reads Connected.
- The model cannot use tools. Agents hand off work, use the board and reach apps through tools. A model without them fails with “can’t use tools, and this agent needs them”, and the model list marks such Ollama models (can’t use tools). Pick a model that can.
- The agent never read your file. Which agent files count depends on the runtime, and agents in team chat cannot always reach files on your computer. See The agent ignored my file.
- The connector is not shared with that agent. Connecting an app makes it available, but gives no agent access. Give it to the agent on the Org chart, a team graph or the agent’s Graph card. See Give a connector to an agent.
- An approval is waiting. A command, an app call or a risky hand-off can wait for your answer in Needs you on the Board. An unanswered risky hand-off is skipped after 5 minutes. See Approvals.
- A budget paused the work. In Settings > Insights > Governance, a hard cap budget that reached its limit reads paused. Click Resume, or raise the limit with Set cap. See Budgets and spend.
- The task is blocked. A task in Needs you says why it stopped. Read the reason on its card, then use its button (Retry, Assign, Review or Open), or pick Dismiss from the card’s More menu. See A task waits in Needs you.
Report a bug
Search first
Pick a template
Say what happened
- Your Clawboo version (
clawboo --version), Node.js version (node -v) and operating system. - The runtime and model of each agent involved.
- What you did, what you expected and what happened, as steps someone else can repeat.
- The exact message you saw, and the last lines of
~/.clawboo/server.log. - Any check in System Health that does not read OK.
- For an OpenClaw problem, the OpenClaw version (shown in Settings > System, or run
openclaw --version) and the last lines of~/.clawboo/gateway.log.
Remove secrets before you post
- Provider keys. They start with
sk-,sk-ant-,sk-or-and similar. - Your
STUDIO_ACCESS_TOKEN, and any address containingaccess_token=. - MCP attach URLs, which carry signatures, and the OpenClaw Gateway token.
- Anything copied from
~/.openclaw/.envor~/.clawboo/secrets.
Related
- FAQ: short answers to common questions.
- Known issues: limitations we know about.
- Providers and runtimes: connect keys, sign-ins and runtimes.
- Limits and defaults: every timeout and limit.
- CLI reference: every
clawboocommand and what it prints. - Data and state: where files live, backup and reset.