term

# /term — direct terminal execution (exec dispatch) `/term` is a **power-user shortcut**: whatever you type after `/term` is forwarded **as-is** to OpenClaw’s `exec` tool. This is intentionally *“manual mode”*: - You (the user) provide the exact shell command. - OpenClaw does not rewrite, expand, or “helpfully” change it. - It’s useful when you want quick, deterministic terminal actions without a planning loop. ## How dispatch works (important) OpenClaw supports `command-dispatch: tool` skills. When you run: - `/term ls -la` the raw argument string (`ls -la`) is forwarded to the configured tool (`exec`) without extra parsing. In tool-dispatch mode, OpenClaw invokes the tool with params shaped like: `{ command: "<raw args>", commandName: "<slash command>", skillName: "<skill name>" }` See the Skills docs section on `command-dispatch`, `command-tool`, and `command-arg-mode`. :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10} ## When to use /term vs normal “agent runs” Use `/term` when: - You already know the exact command you want. - You want a quick read-only check (files, git status, grep). - You are debugging OpenClaw itself (skills folder, logs, Peekaboo bridge status). Prefer normal agent flow when: - You want the model to decide the best approach. - The task may need multiple steps, safety checks, or file edits. ## Safety model (read this once, then follow it) `/term` is equivalent to letting an assistant type into your terminal. Good defaults: 1) Prefer read-only commands unless you *mean* to change state. 2) Avoid secrets in command lines (tokens, API keys, cookies). 3) Avoid remote execution one-liners: - no `curl ... | sh` - no “download and execute” pipelines 4) If the command could delete or overwrite files, slow down and double-check paths. ## Host + sandbox notes Your actual execution environment depends on how you invoke `exec` in your setup (sandbox vs host). Also note: when a session is sandboxed, environment variables are not automatically inherited by the container; you must inject them via sandbox env settings or bake them into the image. :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11} ## Practical examples ### Quick inspection (safe, read-only) - `/term pwd` - `/term ls -la` - `/term git status` - `/term rg -n "TODO|FIXME" .` ### Debug Peekaboo bridge discovery (macOS) - `/term peekaboo bridge status --verbose` If the output shows “no such file or directory” for all candidates and “Selected: local (in-process)”, you likely have no bridge host running (see troubleshooting below). ### One-liners for structured output If you want JSON output for parsing: - `/term python -c 'import json,platform; print(json.dumps({"py":platform.python_version()}))'` ## Troubleshooting ### “command not found” The tool runs in whatever PATH your OpenClaw runtime provides. If you rely on Homebrew, ensure the runtime sees `/opt/homebrew/bin`. ### “permission denied” / macOS privacy prompts Some tools (screen capture / UI automation) require Screen Recording / Accessibility. Those permissions are per-process context on macOS; using PeekabooBridge is often the reliable path for automation. ### I need richer guidance and guardrails Install/use the companion skill `terminal-helper` (model-invocable) which teaches safe patterns, confirmations, and runbooks.