---
summary: "Release lanes, operator checklist, validation boxes, version naming, and cadence"
title: "Release policy"
read_when:
  - Looking for public release channel definitions
  - Running release validation or package acceptance
  - Looking for version naming and cadence
---

OpenClaw currently exposes three user-facing update channels:

- stable: the existing promoted release channel, which still resolves through npm `latest` until the separate CLI/channel milestone lands
- beta: prerelease tags that publish to npm `beta`
- dev: the moving head of `main`

Separately, release operators can publish the trailing completed month's core
package to npm `extended-stable`, beginning at patch `33`. The current-month
regular final line continues on npm `latest`; this operator-side publication
split does not by itself change CLI update-channel resolution.

Tideclaw alpha builds are a separate internal prerelease track (npm dist-tag `alpha`), covered under [NPM workflow inputs](#npm-workflow-inputs) and [Release test boxes](#release-test-boxes).

## Version naming

- Monthly npm extended-stable release version: `YYYY.M.PATCH`, with `PATCH >= 33`, git tag `vYYYY.M.PATCH`
- Daily/regular final release version: `YYYY.M.PATCH`, with `PATCH < 33`, git tag `vYYYY.M.PATCH`
- Regular fallback correction release version: `YYYY.M.PATCH-N`, git tag `vYYYY.M.PATCH-N`
- Beta prerelease version: `YYYY.M.PATCH-beta.N`, git tag `vYYYY.M.PATCH-beta.N`
- Alpha prerelease version: `YYYY.M.PATCH-alpha.N`, git tag `vYYYY.M.PATCH-alpha.N`
- Never zero-pad month or patch
- `PATCH` is a sequential monthly release-train number, not a calendar day. Regular final and beta releases advance the current train; alpha-only tags never consume or advance the beta/regular patch number, so ignore legacy alpha-only tags with higher patch numbers when selecting a beta or regular train.
- Alpha/nightly builds use the next unreleased patch train and increment only `alpha.N` for repeated builds. Once that patch has a beta, new alpha builds move to the following patch.
- npm versions are immutable: never delete, republish, or reuse a published tag. Cut the next prerelease number or the next monthly patch instead.
- `latest` continues to follow the current regular/daily npm line; `beta` is the current beta install target
- `extended-stable` means the supported trailing-month npm package, beginning at patch `33`; patch `34` and later are maintenance releases on that monthly line
- Regular final and regular correction releases publish to npm `beta` by default; release operators can target `latest` explicitly, or promote a vetted beta build later
- The dedicated monthly extended-stable path publishes the core npm package and every npm-publishable official plugin at the same exact version. It does not publish plugins to ClawHub or publish macOS or Windows artifacts, a GitHub Release, private-repository dist-tags, Docker images, mobile artifacts, or website downloads.
- Every regular final release ships the npm package, macOS app, signed standalone Android APK, and signed Windows Hub installers together. Beta releases normally validate and publish the npm/package path first, with native app build/sign/notarize/promote reserved for regular final unless explicitly requested.

## Release cadence

- Releases move beta-first; stable follows only after the latest beta is validated
- Maintainers normally cut releases from a `release/YYYY.M.PATCH` branch created from current `main`, so release validation and fixes do not block new development on `main`
- If a beta tag has been pushed or published and needs a fix, maintainers cut the next `-beta.N` tag instead of deleting or recreating the old one
- Detailed release procedure, approvals, credentials, and recovery notes are maintainer-only

## Monthly npm-only extended-stable publication

This is a dedicated exception to the regular release procedure below. For a
completed month `YYYY.M`, create `extended-stable/YYYY.M.33`; publish
`vYYYY.M.33` and later maintenance patches from that same branch. The release
tag, branch tip, checkout, package version, npm preflight, and Full Release
Validation run must all identify the same commit. Protected `main` must
already contain a strictly later calendar month's final version below patch
`33`; maintenance patches stay eligible after `main` advances by more than one
month.

On the exact extended-stable branch, bump the root package to `YYYY.M.P`, run
`pnpm release:prep`, and verify every publishable extension package has the
same version. Commit and push all generated changes, create and push the
immutable `vYYYY.M.P` tag at that commit, and record the resulting full SHA.
The workflows consume this prepared tree; they do not bump or synchronize
versions for you.

Run the npm preflight and Full Release Validation from that exact prepared
branch tip, then save both run IDs and the successful Full Release Validation
run attempt:

```bash
gh workflow run openclaw-npm-release.yml \
  --ref extended-stable/YYYY.M.33 \
  -f tag=vYYYY.M.P \
  -f preflight_only=true \
  -f npm_dist_tag=extended-stable

gh workflow run full-release-validation.yml \
  --ref extended-stable/YYYY.M.33 \
  -f ref=extended-stable/YYYY.M.33 \
  -f release_profile=stable
```

`release_profile=stable` is the existing validation-depth profile; it is
separate from the npm `extended-stable` dist-tag and is intentionally
unchanged.

After both runs succeed, publish every npm-publishable official plugin from the
same exact branch tip. Patch `P` must be `33` or greater. Pass the full release
SHA as `ref`, wait for the complete matrix and registry readback, then save the
successful Plugin NPM Release run ID:

```bash
RELEASE_SHA="$(git rev-parse HEAD)"
gh workflow run plugin-npm-release.yml \
  --ref extended-stable/YYYY.M.33 \
  -f publish_scope=all-publishable \
  -f ref="$RELEASE_SHA" \
  -f npm_dist_tag=extended-stable
```

The workflow uses the regular prepared `all-publishable` package inventory,
including packages whose source did not change. It verifies every exact package
and every plugin `extended-stable` tag before succeeding. If a partial run
fails, rerun the same command: already-published packages are reused, missing
or stale plugin tags are reconciled under the npm release environment, and the
final readback still covers the complete package set.

After the plugin workflow succeeds and the npm release environment is ready,
publish the exact core preflight tarball. Core publication verifies that the
referenced plugin run is `completed/success` on the same canonical branch and
exact source SHA:

```bash
gh workflow run openclaw-npm-release.yml \
  --ref extended-stable/YYYY.M.33 \
  -f tag=vYYYY.M.P \
  -f preflight_only=false \
  -f npm_dist_tag=extended-stable \
  -f preflight_run_id=<npm-preflight-run-id> \
  -f full_release_validation_run_id=<full-validation-run-id> \
  -f full_release_validation_run_attempt=<full-validation-run-attempt> \
  -f plugin_npm_run_id=<plugin-npm-run-id>
```

For a fork or non-production rehearsal that intentionally cannot satisfy the
monthly `.33` or protected-`main` month policy, add
`-f bypass_extended_stable_guard=true` to both npm preflight and publish
dispatches. The default is `false`. The bypass is accepted only with
`npm_dist_tag=extended-stable` and is recorded in the workflow summary. It
does not bypass the canonical `extended-stable/YYYY.M.33` workflow ref,
branch-tip/tag/checkout equality, final-tag syntax, package/tag version
equality, referenced run and manifest identity, tarball provenance,
environment approval, registry readback, or selector repair evidence.

The publish workflow verifies the referenced preflight, validation, and plugin
run identities, the prepared tarball digest, and the core registry selectors.
Independently confirm the result after the workflow succeeds:

```bash
npm view openclaw@YYYY.M.P version --userconfig "$(mktemp)"
npm view openclaw@extended-stable version --userconfig "$(mktemp)"
```

Both commands must return `YYYY.M.P`. If publish succeeds but selector
readback fails, do not republish the immutable package version. Use the
single `npm dist-tag add openclaw@YYYY.M.P extended-stable` repair command
printed in the failed workflow's always-run summary, then repeat both
independent readbacks. Rollback to the prior selector is a separate operator
decision, not the readback repair path.

Public support documentation initially designates Slack, Discord, and Codex as
covered extended-stable plugin surfaces. That list is a support statement, not
a release-code allowlist: every npm-publishable official plugin follows the
same exact-version publication path.

The regular checklist below continues to own beta, `latest`, GitHub Release,
plugins, macOS, Windows, and other platform publication. Do not run those
steps for this npm-only extended-stable path.

## Regular release operator checklist

This checklist is the public shape of the release flow. Private credentials, signing, notarization, dist-tag recovery, and emergency rollback details stay in the maintainer-only release runbook.

1. Start from current `main`: pull latest, confirm the target commit is pushed, and confirm `main` CI is green enough to branch from.
2. Generate the top `CHANGELOG.md` section from merged PRs and all direct commits since the last reachable release tag. Keep entries user-facing, dedupe overlapping PR/direct-commit entries, commit, push, and rebase/pull once more before branching. When a divergent shipped tag or later forward-port re-associates already-released PRs, pass that tag explicitly as `--shipped-ref`; the verifier uses explicit PR rows from complete contribution records in numbered sections of the tag snapshot, ignores `Unreleased`, and records the exact excluded PR inventory and count.
3. Review release compatibility records in `src/plugins/compat/registry.ts` and `src/commands/doctor/shared/deprecation-compat.ts`. Remove expired compatibility only when the upgrade path stays covered, or record why it is intentionally carried.
4. Create `release/YYYY.M.PATCH` from current `main`. Do not do normal release work directly on `main`.
5. Bump every required version location for the tag, then run `pnpm release:prep`. It refreshes plugin versions, npm shrinkwraps, plugin inventory, base config schema, bundled channel config metadata, config docs baseline, plugin SDK exports, and plugin SDK API baseline in order. Commit any generated drift before tagging, then run the local deterministic preflight: `pnpm check:test-types`, `pnpm check:architecture`, `pnpm build && pnpm ui:build`, and `pnpm release:check`.
6. Run `OpenClaw NPM Release` with `preflight_only=true`. Before a tag exists, a full 40-character release-branch SHA is allowed for validation-only preflight. The preflight generates dependency release evidence for the exact checked-out dependency graph and stores it in the npm preflight artifact. Save the successful `preflight_run_id`.
7. Kick off all pre-release tests with `Full Release Validation` for the release branch, tag, or full commit SHA. This is the one manual entrypoint for the four big release test boxes: Vitest, Docker, QA Lab, and Package. Save the `full_release_validation_run_id` and exact `full_release_validation_run_attempt`; both are required inputs for `OpenClaw NPM Release` and `OpenClaw Release Publish`.
8. If validation fails, fix on the release branch and rerun the smallest failed file, lane, workflow job, package profile, provider, or model allowlist that proves the fix. Rerun the full umbrella only when the changed surface makes prior evidence stale.
9. For a tagged beta candidate, run `pnpm release:candidate -- --tag vYYYY.M.PATCH-beta.N` from the matching `release/YYYY.M.PATCH` branch. For stable, also pass the required Windows source release: `pnpm release:candidate -- --tag vYYYY.M.PATCH --windows-node-tag vX.Y.Z`. The helper checkpoints immutable candidate/tooling identity and dispatched run IDs in `.artifacts/release-candidate/<tag>/release-candidate-state.json`; rerunning the same command resumes those exact runs, while any candidate, tooling, profile, or option drift fails closed. Before it dispatches the full validation matrix, the helper deterministically renders the exact tag's GitHub release body and rejects a missing version heading, an over-limit body that cannot use the canonical compact form, or contribution-record base/target provenance that is not reachable from the tag. It also validates any explicit shipped-baseline exclusion metadata against the referenced cumulative tag records. It then runs the local generated-release checks, dispatches or verifies full release validation and npm preflight evidence, runs Parallels fresh/update proof against the exact prepared tarball plus Telegram package proof, records plugin npm and ClawHub plans, and prints the exact `OpenClaw Release Publish` command only after the evidence bundle is green.

   `OpenClaw Release Publish` dispatches the selected or all-publishable plugin packages to npm and the same set to ClawHub in parallel, then promotes the prepared OpenClaw npm preflight artifact with the matching dist-tag once plugin npm publish succeeds. Before any publish child starts, it renders and caches the exact GitHub release body. When the complete matching `CHANGELOG.md` section fits GitHub's 125,000-character limit and the renderer's matching 125,000-byte safety ceiling, the page contains that exact `## YYYY.M.PATCH` section including its heading. When the source section does not fit, the page keeps the exact grouped editorial notes and replaces the oversized contribution record with a stable link to the full record in the tag-pinned `CHANGELOG.md`; partial records and truncated bullets are never published. The workflow chooses that full or compact body before adding `### Release verification`; if the proof tail would exceed the limit, it keeps the canonical body and relies on the immutable attached evidence instead. Stable releases published to npm `latest` become the GitHub latest release, while stable maintenance releases kept on npm `beta` are created with GitHub `latest=false`. The workflow also uploads the preflight dependency evidence, the full-validation manifest, and postpublish registry verification evidence to the GitHub release for post-release incident response. It prints child run IDs immediately, auto-approves release environment gates the workflow token is allowed to approve, summarizes failed child jobs with log tails, closes out the GitHub release and dependency evidence as soon as OpenClaw npm publish succeeds, waits for ClawHub whenever OpenClaw npm is being published, then runs `pnpm release:verify-beta` and uploads postpublish evidence for the GitHub release, npm package, selected plugin npm packages, selected ClawHub packages, child workflow run IDs, and optional NPM Telegram run ID. The ClawHub path retries transient CLI dependency install failures, publishes preview-passing plugins even when one preview cell flakes, and ends with registry verification for every expected plugin version so partial publishes stay visible and retryable.

   Then run the post-publish package acceptance against the published `openclaw@YYYY.M.PATCH-beta.N` or `openclaw@beta` package. If a pushed or published prerelease needs a fix, cut the next matching prerelease number; never delete or rewrite the old one.

10. For stable, continue only after the vetted beta or release candidate has the required validation evidence. Stable npm publish also goes through `OpenClaw Release Publish`, reusing the successful preflight artifact via `preflight_run_id`. Stable macOS release readiness also requires the packaged `.zip`, `.dmg`, `.dSYM.zip`, and updated `appcast.xml` on `main`; the macOS publish workflow publishes the signed appcast to public `main` automatically after release assets verify, or opens/updates an appcast PR if branch protection blocks the direct push. Stable Windows Hub readiness requires the signed `OpenClawCompanion-Setup-x64.exe`, `OpenClawCompanion-Setup-arm64.exe`, and `OpenClawCompanion-SHA256SUMS.txt` assets on the OpenClaw GitHub release. Pass the exact signed `openclaw/openclaw-windows-node` release tag as `windows_node_tag` and its candidate-approved installer digest map as `windows_node_installer_digests`; `OpenClaw Release Publish` keeps the release draft, dispatches `Windows Node Release`, and verifies all three assets before publication.
11. After publish, run the npm post-publish verifier, optional standalone published-npm Telegram E2E when you need post-publish channel proof, dist-tag promotion when needed, verify the generated GitHub release page, run the release announcement steps, then complete [Stable main closeout](#stable-main-closeout) before calling a stable release finished.

## Stable main closeout

Stable publication is not complete until `main` carries the actual shipped release state.

1. Start from fresh latest `main`. Audit `release/YYYY.M.PATCH` against it and forward-port real fixes absent from `main`. Do not blindly merge release-only compatibility, test, or validation adapters into newer `main`.
2. Set `main` to the shipped stable version, not a speculative next train. Run `pnpm release:prep` after the root version change, then `pnpm deps:shrinkwrap:generate`.
3. Make `CHANGELOG.md`'s `## YYYY.M.PATCH` section on `main` exactly match the tagged release branch. Include the stable `appcast.xml` update when the mac release published one.
4. Do not add `YYYY.M.PATCH+1`, a beta version, or an empty future changelog section to `main` until the operator explicitly starts that release train.
5. Run `pnpm release:generated:check`, `pnpm deps:shrinkwrap:check`, and `OPENCLAW_TESTBOX=1 pnpm check:changed`. Push, then verify `origin/main` contains the shipped version and changelog before calling the stable release done.
6. Keep the repository variables `RELEASE_ROLLBACK_DRILL_ID` and `RELEASE_ROLLBACK_DRILL_DATE` current after each private rollback drill.

`OpenClaw Stable Main Closeout` starts from the `main` push that carries the shipped version, changelog, and appcast after stable publication. It reads immutable postpublish evidence to bind the shipped tag to its Full Release Validation and Publish runs, then verifies the stable main state, release, mandatory stable soak, and blocking performance evidence. It attaches an immutable closeout manifest and checksum to the GitHub release. The automatic push trigger skips legacy releases that predate immutable postpublish evidence and never treats that skip as a completed closeout.

A complete closeout requires both assets and a matching checksum. A partial manifest replays its recorded `main` SHA and rollback drill to regenerate identical bytes, then attaches the missing checksum; an invalid pair, or a checksum without a manifest, stays blocking. A push-triggered run without rollback drill repository variables skips without completing closeout; a missing or more-than-90-day-old drill record still blocks manual evidence-backed closeout. Private recovery commands remain in the maintainer-only runbook. Use manual dispatch only to repair or replay an evidence-backed stable closeout.

A legacy fallback correction tag may reuse base-package evidence only when the correction tag resolves to the same source commit as the base stable tag. Its Android release reuses the base tag's verified APK and adds provenance for the correction tag. A correction with different source must publish and verify its own package evidence and use a higher Android `versionCode`.

## Release preflight

- Run `pnpm check:test-types` before release preflight so test TypeScript stays covered outside the faster local `pnpm check` gate.
- Run `pnpm check:architecture` before release preflight so the broader import cycle and architecture boundary checks are green outside the faster local gate.
- Run `pnpm build && pnpm ui:build` before `pnpm release:check` so the expected `dist/*` release artifacts and Control UI bundle exist for the pack validation step.
- Run `pnpm release:prep` after the root version bump and before tagging. It runs every deterministic release generator that commonly drifts after a version/config/API change: plugin versions, npm shrinkwraps, plugin inventory, base config schema, bundled channel config metadata, config docs baseline, plugin SDK exports, and plugin SDK API baseline. `pnpm release:check` re-runs those guards in check mode (plus a plugin SDK surface budget check) and reports every generated drift failure in one pass before running package release checks.
- Plugin version sync updates the publishable `@openclaw/ai` runtime package, official plugin package versions, and existing `openclaw.compat.pluginApi` floors to the OpenClaw release version by default. Treat that field as the plugin SDK/runtime API floor, not just a copy of the package version: for plugin-only releases that intentionally remain compatible with older OpenClaw hosts, keep the floor at the oldest supported host API and document that choice in the plugin release proof.
- Run the manual `Full Release Validation` workflow before release approval to kick off all pre-release test boxes from one entrypoint. It accepts a branch, tag, or full commit SHA, dispatches manual `CI`, and dispatches `OpenClaw Release Checks` for install smoke, package acceptance, cross-OS package checks, QA Lab parity, Matrix, and Telegram lanes. Stable and full runs always include exhaustive live/E2E and Docker release-path soak; `run_release_soak=true` is retained for an explicit beta soak. Package Acceptance provides the canonical package Telegram E2E during candidate validation, avoiding a second concurrent live poller.

  Provide `release_package_spec` after publishing a beta to reuse the shipped npm package across release checks, Package Acceptance, and package Telegram E2E without rebuilding the release tarball. Provide `npm_telegram_package_spec` only when Telegram should use a different published package from the rest of release validation. Provide `package_acceptance_package_spec` when Package Acceptance should use a different published package from the release package spec. Provide `evidence_package_spec` when the release evidence report should prove that validation matches a published npm package without forcing Telegram E2E.

  ```bash
  gh workflow run full-release-validation.yml --ref main -f ref=release/YYYY.M.PATCH
  ```

- Run the manual `Package Acceptance` workflow when you want side-channel proof for a package candidate while release work continues. Use `source=npm` for `openclaw@beta`, `openclaw@latest`, or an exact release version; `source=ref` to pack a trusted `package_ref` branch/tag/SHA with the current `workflow_ref` harness; `source=url` for a public HTTPS tarball with a required SHA-256 and strict public URL policy; `source=trusted-url` for a named trusted-source policy using required `trusted_source_id` and SHA-256; or `source=artifact` for a tarball uploaded by another GitHub Actions run.

  The workflow resolves the candidate to `package-under-test`, reuses the Docker E2E release scheduler against that tarball, and can run Telegram QA against the same tarball with `telegram_mode=mock-openai` or `telegram_mode=live-frontier`. When the selected Docker lanes include `published-upgrade-survivor`, the package artifact is the candidate and `published_upgrade_survivor_baseline` selects the published baseline. `update-restart-auth` uses the candidate package as both the installed CLI and the package-under-test so it exercises the candidate update command's managed restart path.

  Example:

  ```bash
  gh workflow run package-acceptance.yml --ref main -f workflow_ref=main -f source=npm -f package_spec=openclaw@beta -f suite_profile=product -f published_upgrade_survivor_baseline=openclaw@2026.4.26 -f telegram_mode=mock-openai
  ```

  Common profiles:
  - `smoke`: install/channel/agent, gateway network, and config reload lanes
  - `package`: artifact-native package/update/restart/plugin lanes without OpenWebUI or live ClawHub
  - `product`: package profile plus MCP channels, cron/subagent cleanup, OpenAI web search, and OpenWebUI
  - `full`: Docker release-path chunks with OpenWebUI
  - `custom`: exact `docker_lanes` selection for a focused rerun

- Run the manual `CI` workflow directly when you only need deterministic normal CI coverage for the release candidate. Manual CI dispatches bypass changed scoping and force the Linux Node shards, bundled-plugin shards, plugin and channel contract shards, Node 22 compatibility, `check-*`, `check-additional-*`, built-artifact smoke checks, docs checks, Python skills, Windows, macOS, and Control UI i18n lanes. Standalone manual CI runs Android only when dispatched with `include_android=true`; `Full Release Validation` passes that input for its CI child.

  ```bash
  gh workflow run ci.yml --ref release/YYYY.M.PATCH -f include_android=true
  ```

- Run `pnpm qa:otel:smoke` when validating release telemetry. It exercises QA-lab through a local OTLP/HTTP receiver and verifies trace, metric, and log export plus bounded trace attributes and content/identifier redaction without requiring Opik, Langfuse, or another external collector.
- Run `pnpm qa:otel:collector-smoke` when validating collector compatibility. It routes the same QA-lab OTLP export through a real OpenTelemetry Collector Docker container before the local receiver assertions.
- Run `pnpm qa:prometheus:smoke` when validating protected Prometheus scraping. It exercises QA-lab, rejects unauthenticated scrapes, and verifies release-critical metric families stay free of prompt content, raw identifiers, auth tokens, and local paths.
- Run `pnpm qa:observability:smoke` for the source-checkout OpenTelemetry and Prometheus smoke lanes back to back.
- Run `pnpm release:check` before every tagged release.
- `OpenClaw NPM Release` preflight generates dependency release evidence before it packs the npm tarball. The npm advisory vulnerability gate is release-blocking. The transitive manifest risk, dependency ownership/install surface, and dependency change reports are release evidence only. The dependency change report compares the release candidate with the previous reachable release tag. The preflight uploads dependency evidence as `openclaw-release-dependency-evidence-<tag>` and also embeds it under `dependency-evidence/` inside the prepared npm preflight artifact. The real publish path reuses that preflight artifact, then attaches the same evidence to the GitHub release as `openclaw-<version>-dependency-evidence.zip`.
- Run `OpenClaw Release Publish` for the mutating publish sequence after the tag exists. Dispatch it from `release/YYYY.M.PATCH` (or `main` when publishing a main-reachable tag), pass the release tag, successful OpenClaw npm `preflight_run_id`, successful `full_release_validation_run_id`, and exact `full_release_validation_run_attempt`, and keep the default plugin publish scope `all-publishable` unless you are deliberately running a focused repair. The workflow serializes plugin npm publish, plugin ClawHub publish, and OpenClaw npm publish so the core package is not published before its externalized plugins.
- Stable `OpenClaw Release Publish` requires an exact `windows_node_tag` after the matching non-prerelease `openclaw/openclaw-windows-node` release exists, plus the candidate-approved `windows_node_installer_digests` map. Before dispatching any publish child, it verifies that source release is published, non-prerelease, contains the required x64/ARM64 installers, and still matches that approved map. It then dispatches `Windows Node Release` while the OpenClaw release is still a draft, carrying the pinned installer digest map unchanged. The child workflow downloads the signed Windows Hub installers from that exact tag, matches them against the pinned digests, verifies their Authenticode signatures use the expected OpenClaw Foundation signer on a Windows runner, writes a SHA-256 manifest, and uploads the installers plus manifest onto the canonical OpenClaw GitHub release, then re-downloads the promoted assets and verifies manifest membership and hashes. The parent verifies the current x64, ARM64, and checksum asset contract before publication. Direct recovery rejects unexpected `OpenClawCompanion-*` asset names before replacing the expected contract assets with the pinned source bytes.

  Manually dispatch `Windows Node Release` only for recovery, and always pass an exact tag, never `latest`, plus the explicit `expected_installer_digests` JSON map from the approved source release. Website download links should target exact OpenClaw release asset URLs for the current stable release, or `releases/latest/download/...` only after verifying GitHub's latest redirect points at that same release; do not link only to the companion repo release page.

- Release checks now run in a separate manual workflow: `OpenClaw Release Checks`. It also runs the QA Lab mock parity lane plus the fast live Matrix profile and Telegram QA lane before release approval. The live lanes use the `qa-live-shared` environment; Telegram also uses Convex CI credential leases. Run the manual `QA-Lab - All Lanes` workflow with `matrix_profile=all` and `matrix_shards=true` when you want full Matrix transport, media, and E2EE inventory in parallel.
- Cross-OS install and upgrade runtime validation is part of public `OpenClaw Release Checks` and `Full Release Validation`, which call the reusable workflow `.github/workflows/openclaw-cross-os-release-checks-reusable.yml` directly. This split is intentional: keep the real npm release path short, deterministic, and artifact-focused, while slower live checks stay in their own lane so they do not stall or block publish.
- Secret-bearing release checks should be dispatched through `Full Release Validation` or from the `main`/release workflow ref so workflow logic and secrets stay controlled.
- `OpenClaw Release Checks` accepts a branch, tag, or full commit SHA as long as the resolved commit is reachable from an OpenClaw branch or release tag.
- `OpenClaw NPM Release` validation-only preflight also accepts the current full 40-character workflow-branch commit SHA without requiring a pushed tag. That SHA path is validation-only and cannot be promoted into a real publish. In SHA mode the workflow synthesizes `v<package.json version>` only for the package metadata check; real publish still requires a real release tag.
- Both workflows keep the real publish and promotion path on GitHub-hosted runners, while the non-mutating validation path can use the larger Blacksmith Linux runners.
- That workflow runs `OPENCLAW_LIVE_TEST=1 OPENCLAW_LIVE_CACHE_TEST=1 pnpm test:live:cache` using both `OPENAI_API_KEY` and `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY` workflow secrets.
- npm release preflight no longer waits on the separate release checks lane.
- Before tagging a release candidate locally, run `RELEASE_TAG=vYYYY.M.PATCH-beta.N pnpm release:fast-pretag-check`. The helper runs the fast release guardrails, plugin npm/ClawHub release checks, build, UI build, and `release:openclaw:npm:check` in the order that catches common approval-blocking mistakes before the GitHub publish workflow starts.
- Run `RELEASE_TAG=vYYYY.M.PATCH node --import tsx scripts/openclaw-npm-release-check.ts` (or the matching prerelease/correction tag) before approval.
- After npm publish, run `node --import tsx scripts/openclaw-npm-postpublish-verify.ts YYYY.M.PATCH` (or the matching beta/correction version) to verify the published registry install path in a fresh temp prefix.
- After a beta publish, run `OPENCLAW_NPM_TELEGRAM_PACKAGE_SPEC=openclaw@YYYY.M.PATCH-beta.N OPENCLAW_NPM_TELEGRAM_CREDENTIAL_SOURCE=convex OPENCLAW_NPM_TELEGRAM_CREDENTIAL_ROLE=ci pnpm test:docker:npm-telegram-live` to verify installed-package onboarding, Telegram setup, and real Telegram E2E against the published npm package using the shared leased Telegram credential pool. Local maintainer one-offs may omit the Convex vars and pass the three `OPENCLAW_QA_TELEGRAM_*` env credentials directly.
- To run the full post-publish beta smoke from a maintainer machine, use `pnpm release:beta-smoke -- --beta betaN`. The helper runs Parallels npm update/fresh-target validation, dispatches `NPM Telegram Beta E2E`, polls the exact workflow run, downloads the artifact, and prints the Telegram report.
- Maintainers can run the same post-publish check from GitHub Actions via the manual `NPM Telegram Beta E2E` workflow. It is intentionally manual-only and does not run on every merge.
- Maintainer release automation uses preflight-then-promote:
  - Real npm publish must pass a successful npm `preflight_run_id`.
  - Real publish must be dispatched from the same `main` or `release/YYYY.M.PATCH` branch as the successful preflight run (a Tideclaw alpha branch is allowed for alpha prereleases).
  - Stable npm releases default to `beta`; stable npm publish can target `latest` explicitly via workflow input.
  - Token-based npm dist-tag mutation lives in `openclaw/releases/.github/workflows/openclaw-npm-dist-tags.yml` because `npm dist-tag add` still needs `NPM_TOKEN` while the source repo keeps OIDC-only publish.
  - Public `macOS Release` is validation-only; when a tag lives only on a release branch but the workflow is dispatched from `main`, set `public_release_branch=release/YYYY.M.PATCH`.
  - Real macOS publish must pass successful macOS `preflight_run_id` and `validate_run_id`.
  - Real publish paths promote prepared artifacts instead of rebuilding them again.
- For stable correction releases like `YYYY.M.PATCH-N`, the post-publish verifier also checks the same temp-prefix upgrade path from `YYYY.M.PATCH` to `YYYY.M.PATCH-N` so release corrections cannot silently leave older global installs on the base stable payload.
- npm release preflight fails closed unless the tarball includes both `dist/control-ui/index.html` and a non-empty `dist/control-ui/assets/` payload, so we do not ship an empty browser dashboard again.
- Post-publish verification also checks that published plugin entrypoints and package metadata are present in the installed registry layout. A release that ships missing plugin runtime payloads fails the postpublish verifier and cannot be promoted to `latest`.
- `pnpm test:install:smoke` also enforces the npm pack `unpackedSize` budget on the candidate update tarball, so installer e2e catches accidental pack bloat before the release publish path.
- If the release work touched CI planning, extension timing manifests, or extension test matrices, regenerate and review the planner-owned `plugin-prerelease-extension-shard` matrix outputs from `.github/workflows/plugin-prerelease.yml` before approval so release notes do not describe a stale CI layout.
- Stable macOS release readiness also includes the updater surfaces: the GitHub release must end up with the packaged `.zip`, `.dmg`, and `.dSYM.zip`; `appcast.xml` on `main` must point at the new stable zip after publish (the macOS publish workflow commits it automatically, or opens an appcast PR when direct push is blocked); the packaged app must keep a non-debug bundle id, a non-empty Sparkle feed URL, and a `CFBundleVersion` at or above the canonical Sparkle build floor for that release version.

## Release test boxes

`Full Release Validation` is how operators kick off all pre-release tests from one entrypoint. For a pinned commit proof on a fast-moving branch, use the helper so every child workflow runs from a temporary branch fixed at one trusted `main` workflow SHA while the requested commit remains the candidate under test:

```bash
pnpm ci:full-release --sha <full-sha>
```

The helper fetches current `origin/main`, pushes `release-ci/<workflow-sha>-...` at that trusted workflow commit, dispatches `Full Release Validation` from the temporary branch with `ref=<target-sha>`, reuses strict exact-target evidence when available, verifies every child workflow `headSha` matches the pinned parent workflow SHA, then deletes the temporary branch. Pass `-f reuse_evidence=false` to force a fresh run or `--workflow-sha <trusted-main-sha>` to pin an older commit that is still reachable from current `origin/main`. The workflow itself never writes repository refs. This keeps main-only release tooling available without adding tooling commits to the candidate and avoids proving a newer `main` child run by accident.

For release branch or tag validation, run it from the trusted `main` workflow ref and pass the release branch or tag as `ref`:

```bash
gh workflow run full-release-validation.yml \
  --ref main \
  -f ref=release/YYYY.M.PATCH \
  -f provider=openai \
  -f mode=both \
  -f release_profile=stable \
  -f evidence_package_spec=openclaw@YYYY.M.PATCH-beta.N
```

The workflow resolves the target ref, dispatches manual `CI` with `target_ref=<release-ref>`, then dispatches `OpenClaw Release Checks`. `OpenClaw Release Checks` fans out install smoke, cross-OS release checks, live/E2E Docker release-path coverage when soak is enabled, Package Acceptance with the canonical Telegram package E2E, QA Lab parity, live Matrix, and live Telegram. A full/all run is only acceptable when the `Full Release Validation` summary shows `normal_ci`, `plugin_prerelease`, and `release_checks` as successful, unless a focused rerun intentionally skipped the separate `Plugin Prerelease` child. Use the standalone `npm-telegram` child only for a focused published-package rerun with `release_package_spec` or `npm_telegram_package_spec`. The final verifier summary includes slowest-job tables for each child run, so the release manager can see the current critical path without downloading logs.

See [Full release validation](/reference/full-release-validation) for the complete stage matrix, exact workflow job names, stable versus full profile differences, artifacts, and focused rerun handles.

Child workflows are dispatched from the trusted ref that runs `Full Release Validation`, normally `--ref main`, even when the target `ref` points at an older release branch or tag. There is no separate Full Release Validation workflow-ref input; choose the trusted harness by choosing the workflow run ref. Do not use `--ref main -f ref=<sha>` for exact commit proof on moving `main`; raw commit SHAs cannot be workflow dispatch refs, so use `pnpm ci:full-release --sha <sha>` to create the pinned temporary branch.

Use `release_profile` to select live/provider breadth:

- `minimum`: fastest release-critical OpenAI/core live and Docker path
- `stable`: minimum plus stable provider/backend coverage for release approval
- `full`: stable plus broad advisory provider/media coverage

Stable and full validation always run the exhaustive live/E2E, Docker release-path, and bounded published upgrade-survivor sweep before promotion. Use `run_release_soak=true` to request that same sweep for a beta. That sweep covers the latest four stable packages plus pinned `2026.4.23` and `2026.5.2` baselines plus older `2026.4.15` coverage, with duplicate baselines removed and each baseline sharded into its own Docker runner job.

`OpenClaw Release Checks` uses the trusted workflow ref to resolve the target ref once as `release-package-under-test` and reuses that artifact in cross-OS, Package Acceptance, and release-path Docker checks when soak runs. This keeps all package-facing boxes on the same bytes and avoids repeated package builds. After a beta is already on npm, set `release_package_spec=openclaw@YYYY.M.PATCH-beta.N` so release checks download the shipped package once, extract its build source SHA from `dist/build-info.json`, and reuse that artifact for cross-OS, Package Acceptance, release-path Docker, and package Telegram lanes.

The cross-OS OpenAI install smoke uses `OPENCLAW_CROSS_OS_OPENAI_MODEL` when the repo/org variable is set, otherwise `openai/gpt-5.5`, because this lane is proving package install, onboarding, gateway startup, and one live agent turn rather than benchmarking the slowest default model. The broader live provider matrix remains the place for model-specific coverage.

Use these variants depending on release stage:

```bash
# Validate an unpublished release candidate branch.
gh workflow run full-release-validation.yml \
  --ref main \
  -f ref=release/YYYY.M.PATCH \
  -f provider=openai \
  -f mode=both \
  -f release_profile=stable

# Validate an exact pushed commit.
gh workflow run full-release-validation.yml \
  --ref main \
  -f ref=<40-char-sha> \
  -f provider=openai \
  -f mode=both

# After publishing a beta, add published-package Telegram E2E.
gh workflow run full-release-validation.yml \
  --ref main \
  -f ref=release/YYYY.M.PATCH \
  -f provider=openai \
  -f mode=both \
  -f release_profile=full \
  -f release_package_spec=openclaw@YYYY.M.PATCH-beta.N \
  -f evidence_package_spec=openclaw@YYYY.M.PATCH-beta.N \
  -f npm_telegram_provider_mode=mock-openai
```

Do not use the full umbrella as the first rerun after a focused fix. If one box fails, use the failed child workflow, job, Docker lane, package profile, model provider, or QA lane for the next proof. Run the full umbrella again only when the fix changed shared release orchestration or made earlier all-box evidence stale. The umbrella's final verifier re-checks the recorded child workflow run ids, so after a child workflow is rerun successfully, rerun only the failed `Verify full validation` parent job.

`rerun_group=all` may reuse a prior green umbrella run only when it validated the exact same target SHA, release profile, effective soak setting, and validation inputs. This is bounded recovery for rerunning the same candidate, not cross-SHA evidence reuse. For a changed candidate, including a changelog or version-only commit, rerun every package, artifact, install, Docker, or provider gate affected by the changed paths or artifact hashes. Newer umbrella runs for the same `release/*` ref and rerun group supersede in-progress ones automatically. Pass `reuse_evidence=false` to force a fresh full run.

For bounded recovery, pass `rerun_group` to the umbrella. `all` is the real release-candidate run, `ci` runs only the normal CI child, `plugin-prerelease` runs only the release-only plugin child, `release-checks` runs every release box, and the narrower release groups are `install-smoke`, `cross-os`, `live-e2e`, `package`, `qa`, `qa-parity`, `qa-live`, and `npm-telegram`. Focused `npm-telegram` reruns require `release_package_spec` or `npm_telegram_package_spec`; full/all runs use the canonical package Telegram E2E inside Package Acceptance. Focused cross-OS reruns can add `cross_os_suite_filter=windows/packaged-upgrade` or another OS/suite filter. QA release-check failures block normal release validation, including required OpenClaw dynamic tool drift in the standard tier. Tideclaw alpha runs may still treat non-package-safety release-check lanes as advisory. With `release_profile=beta`, the `Run repo/live E2E validation` live-provider suites are advisory (warnings, not blockers); stable and full profiles keep them blocking. When `live_suite_filter` explicitly requests a gated QA live lane such as Discord, WhatsApp, or Slack, the matching `OPENCLAW_RELEASE_QA_*_LIVE_CI_ENABLED` repo variable must be enabled; otherwise input capture fails instead of silently skipping the lane.

### Vitest

The Vitest box is the manual `CI` child workflow. Manual CI intentionally bypasses changed scoping and forces the normal test graph for the release candidate: Linux Node shards, bundled-plugin shards, plugin and channel contract shards, Node 22 compatibility, `check-*`, `check-additional-*`, built-artifact smoke checks, docs checks, Python skills, Windows, macOS, and Control UI i18n. Android is included when `Full Release Validation` runs the box because the umbrella passes `include_android=true`; standalone manual CI requires `include_android=true` for Android coverage.

Use this box to answer "did the source tree pass the full normal test suite?" It is not the same as release-path product validation. Evidence to keep:

- `Full Release Validation` summary showing the dispatched `CI` run URL
- `CI` run green on the exact target SHA
- failed or slow shard names from the CI jobs when investigating regressions
- Vitest timing artifacts such as `.artifacts/vitest-shard-timings.json` when a run needs performance analysis

Run manual CI directly only when the release needs deterministic normal CI but not the Docker, QA Lab, live, cross-OS, or package boxes. Use the first command for non-Android direct CI. Add `include_android=true` when direct release-candidate CI must cover Android:

```bash
gh workflow run ci.yml --ref main -f target_ref=release/YYYY.M.PATCH
gh workflow run ci.yml --ref main -f target_ref=release/YYYY.M.PATCH -f include_android=true
```

### Docker

The Docker box lives in `OpenClaw Release Checks` through `openclaw-live-and-e2e-checks-reusable.yml`, plus the release-mode `install-smoke` workflow. It validates the release candidate through packaged Docker environments instead of only source-level tests.

Release Docker coverage includes:

- full install smoke with the slow Bun global install smoke enabled
- root Dockerfile smoke image preparation/reuse by target SHA, with QR, root/gateway, and installer/Bun smoke jobs running as separate install-smoke shards
- repository E2E lanes
- release-path Docker chunks: `core`, `package-update-openai`, `package-update-anthropic`, `package-update-core`, `plugins-runtime-plugins`, `plugins-runtime-services`, `plugins-runtime-install-a` through `plugins-runtime-install-h`, and `openwebui`
- OpenWebUI coverage on a dedicated large-disk runner when requested
- split bundled plugin install/uninstall lanes `bundled-plugin-install-uninstall-0` through `bundled-plugin-install-uninstall-23`
- live/E2E provider suites and Docker live model coverage when release checks include live suites

Use Docker artifacts before rerunning. The release-path scheduler uploads `.artifacts/docker-tests/` with lane logs, `summary.json`, `failures.json`, phase timings, scheduler plan JSON, and rerun commands. For focused recovery, use `docker_lanes=<lane[,lane]>` on the reusable live/E2E workflow instead of rerunning all release chunks. Generated rerun commands include prior `package_artifact_run_id` and prepared Docker image inputs when available, so a failed lane can reuse the same tarball and GHCR images.

### QA Lab

The QA Lab box is also part of `OpenClaw Release Checks`. It is the agentic behavior and channel-level release gate, separate from Vitest and Docker package mechanics.

Release QA Lab coverage includes:

- mock parity lane comparing the OpenAI candidate lane against the `anthropic/claude-opus-4-8` baseline using the agentic parity pack
- fast live Matrix QA profile using the `qa-live-shared` environment
- live Telegram QA lane using Convex CI credential leases
- `pnpm qa:otel:smoke`, `pnpm qa:otel:collector-smoke`, `pnpm qa:prometheus:smoke`, or `pnpm qa:observability:smoke` when release telemetry needs explicit local proof

Use this box to answer "does the release behave correctly in QA scenarios and live channel flows?" Keep the artifact URLs for parity, Matrix, and Telegram lanes when approving the release. Full Matrix coverage remains available as a manual sharded QA-Lab run rather than the default release-critical lane.

### Package

The Package box is the installable-product gate. It is backed by `Package Acceptance` and the resolver `scripts/resolve-openclaw-package-candidate.mjs`. The resolver normalizes a candidate into the `package-under-test` tarball consumed by Docker E2E, validates the package inventory, records the package version and SHA-256, and keeps the workflow harness ref separate from the package source ref.

Supported candidate sources:

- `source=npm`: `openclaw@beta`, `openclaw@latest`, or an exact OpenClaw release version
- `source=ref`: pack a trusted `package_ref` branch, tag, or full commit SHA with the selected `workflow_ref` harness
- `source=url`: download a public HTTPS `.tgz` with required `package_sha256`; URL credentials, non-default HTTPS ports, private/internal/special-use hostnames or resolved addresses, and unsafe redirects are rejected
- `source=trusted-url`: download an HTTPS `.tgz` with required `package_sha256` and `trusted_source_id` from a named policy in `.github/package-trusted-sources.json`; use this for maintainer-owned enterprise mirrors or private package repositories instead of adding an input-level private-network bypass to `source=url`
- `source=artifact`: reuse a `.tgz` uploaded by another GitHub Actions run

`OpenClaw Release Checks` runs Package Acceptance with `source=artifact`, the prepared release package artifact, `suite_profile=custom`, `docker_lanes=doctor-switch update-channel-switch skill-install update-corrupt-plugin upgrade-survivor published-upgrade-survivor root-managed-vps-upgrade update-restart-auth plugins-offline plugin-update plugin-binding-command-escape`, `telegram_mode=mock-openai`. Package Acceptance keeps migration, update, root-managed VPS upgrade, configured-auth update restart, live ClawHub skill install, stale plugin dependency cleanup, offline plugin fixtures, plugin update, plugin command-binding escape hardening, and Telegram package QA against the same resolved tarball. Blocking release checks use the default latest published package baseline; the beta profile with `run_release_soak=true`, `release_profile=stable`, or `release_profile=full` expands the published-upgrade-survivor sweep to `last-stable-4` plus the pinned `2026.4.23`, `2026.5.2`, and `2026.4.15` baselines with `reported-issues` scenarios. Use Package Acceptance with `source=npm` for an already shipped candidate, `source=ref` for a SHA-backed local npm tarball before publish, `source=trusted-url` for a maintainer-owned enterprise/private mirror, or `source=artifact` for a prepared tarball uploaded by another GitHub Actions run.

It is the GitHub-native replacement for most of the package/update coverage that previously required Parallels. Cross-OS release checks still matter for OS-specific onboarding, installer, and platform behavior, but package/update product validation should prefer Package Acceptance.

The canonical checklist for update and plugin validation is [Testing updates and plugins](/help/testing-updates-plugins). Use it when deciding which local, Docker, Package Acceptance, or release-check lane proves a plugin install/update, doctor cleanup, or published-package migration change. Exhaustive published update migration from every stable `2026.4.23+` package is a separate manual `Update Migration` workflow, not part of Full Release CI.

Legacy package-acceptance leniency is intentionally time boxed. Packages through `2026.4.25` may use the compatibility path for metadata gaps already published to npm: private QA inventory entries missing from the tarball, missing `gateway install --wrapper`, missing patch files in the tarball-derived git fixture, missing persisted `update.channel`, legacy plugin install-record locations, missing marketplace install-record persistence, and config metadata migration during `plugins update`. The published `2026.4.26` package may warn for local build metadata stamp files that were already shipped. Later packages must satisfy the modern package contracts; those same gaps fail release validation.

Use broader Package Acceptance profiles when the release question is about an actual installable package:

```bash
gh workflow run package-acceptance.yml \
  --ref main \
  -f workflow_ref=main \
  -f source=npm \
  -f package_spec=openclaw@beta \
  -f suite_profile=product \
  -f published_upgrade_survivor_baseline=openclaw@2026.4.26
```

Common package profiles:

- `smoke`: quick package install/channel/agent, gateway network, and config reload lanes
- `package`: install/update/restart/plugin package contracts plus live ClawHub skill install proof; this is the release-check default
- `product`: `package` plus MCP channels, cron/subagent cleanup, OpenAI web search, and OpenWebUI
- `full`: Docker release-path chunks with OpenWebUI
- `custom`: exact `docker_lanes` list for focused reruns

For package-candidate Telegram proof, enable `telegram_mode=mock-openai` or `telegram_mode=live-frontier` on Package Acceptance. The workflow passes the resolved `package-under-test` tarball into the Telegram lane; the standalone Telegram workflow still accepts a published npm spec for post-publish checks.

## Regular release publish automation

For beta, `latest`, plugin, GitHub Release, and platform publication,
`OpenClaw Release Publish` is the normal mutating entrypoint. The monthly
`.33+` npm-only extended-stable path does not use this orchestrator. The
regular workflow orchestrates the trusted-publisher workflows in the order the
release needs:

1. Check out the release tag and resolve its commit SHA.
2. Verify the tag is reachable from `main` or `release/*` (or a Tideclaw alpha branch for alpha prereleases).
3. Run `pnpm plugins:sync:check`.
4. Dispatch `Plugin NPM Release` with `publish_scope=all-publishable` and `ref=<release-sha>`.
5. Dispatch `Plugin ClawHub Release` with the same scope and SHA.
6. Dispatch `OpenClaw NPM Release` with the release tag, npm dist-tag, and saved `preflight_run_id` after verifying the saved `full_release_validation_run_id` and exact run attempt.
7. For stable releases, create or update the GitHub release as a draft, dispatch `Windows Node Release` with the explicit `windows_node_tag` and candidate-approved `windows_node_installer_digests`, and verify the canonical Windows installer/checksum assets. Also dispatch `Android Release` to build the exact-tag signed APK plus checksum and provenance. Verify both native asset contracts before publishing the draft.

Beta publish example:

```bash
gh workflow run openclaw-release-publish.yml \
  --ref release/YYYY.M.PATCH \
  -f tag=vYYYY.M.PATCH-beta.N \
  -f preflight_run_id=<successful-openclaw-npm-preflight-run-id> \
  -f full_release_validation_run_id=<successful-full-release-validation-run-id> \
  -f full_release_validation_run_attempt=<successful-full-release-validation-run-attempt> \
  -f npm_dist_tag=beta
```

Stable publish to the default beta dist-tag:

```bash
gh workflow run openclaw-release-publish.yml \
  --ref release/YYYY.M.PATCH \
  -f tag=vYYYY.M.PATCH \
  -f windows_node_tag=vX.Y.Z \
  -f windows_node_installer_digests='{"OpenClawCompanion-Setup-x64.exe":"sha256:<approved-x64-sha256>","OpenClawCompanion-Setup-arm64.exe":"sha256:<approved-arm64-sha256>"}' \
  -f preflight_run_id=<successful-openclaw-npm-preflight-run-id> \
  -f full_release_validation_run_id=<successful-full-release-validation-run-id> \
  -f full_release_validation_run_attempt=<successful-full-release-validation-run-attempt> \
  -f npm_dist_tag=beta
```

Stable promotion directly to `latest` is explicit:

```bash
gh workflow run openclaw-release-publish.yml \
  --ref release/YYYY.M.PATCH \
  -f tag=vYYYY.M.PATCH \
  -f windows_node_tag=vX.Y.Z \
  -f windows_node_installer_digests='{"OpenClawCompanion-Setup-x64.exe":"sha256:<approved-x64-sha256>","OpenClawCompanion-Setup-arm64.exe":"sha256:<approved-arm64-sha256>"}' \
  -f preflight_run_id=<successful-openclaw-npm-preflight-run-id> \
  -f full_release_validation_run_id=<successful-full-release-validation-run-id> \
  -f full_release_validation_run_attempt=<successful-full-release-validation-run-attempt> \
  -f npm_dist_tag=latest
```

Use the lower-level `Plugin NPM Release` and `Plugin ClawHub Release` workflows only for focused repair or republish work. `OpenClaw Release Publish` rejects `plugin_publish_scope=selected` when `publish_openclaw_npm=true` so the core package cannot ship without every publishable official plugin, including `@openclaw/diffs-language-pack`. For a selected plugin repair, set `publish_openclaw_npm=false` with `plugin_publish_scope=selected` and `plugins=@openclaw/name`, or dispatch the child workflow directly.

## NPM workflow inputs

`OpenClaw NPM Release` accepts these operator-controlled inputs:

- `tag`: required release tag such as `v2026.4.2`, `v2026.4.2-1`, `v2026.4.2-beta.1`, or `v2026.4.2-alpha.1`; when `preflight_only=true`, it may also be the current full 40-character workflow-branch commit SHA for validation-only preflight
- `preflight_only`: `true` for validation/build/package only, `false` for the real publish path
- `preflight_run_id`: existing successful preflight run id, required on the real publish path so the workflow reuses the prepared tarball instead of rebuilding it
- `full_release_validation_run_id`: successful `Full Release Validation` run id for this tag/SHA, required for real publish. Beta publishes may proceed on preflight alone with a warning, but stable/`latest` promotion still requires it.
- `full_release_validation_run_attempt`: exact positive run attempt paired with `full_release_validation_run_id`; required whenever the run id is provided so reruns cannot change the authorization evidence during publish.
- `release_publish_run_id`: approved `OpenClaw Release Publish` run id; required when this workflow is dispatched by that parent (bot-actor real-publish calls)
- `plugin_npm_run_id`: successful exact-head `Plugin NPM Release` run id; required for a real `extended-stable` core publish
- `npm_dist_tag`: npm target tag for the publish path; accepts `alpha`, `beta`, `latest`, or `extended-stable` and defaults to `beta`. Final patch `33` and later must use `extended-stable`; by default, `extended-stable` rejects earlier patches, and it always rejects non-final tags.
- `bypass_extended_stable_guard`: testing-only boolean, default `false`; with `npm_dist_tag=extended-stable`, bypasses monthly extended-stable eligibility while preserving release identity, artifact, approval, and readback checks.

`Plugin NPM Release` accepts `npm_dist_tag=default` for existing release
behavior or `npm_dist_tag=extended-stable` for the guarded monthly path. The
extended-stable option requires `publish_scope=all-publishable`, an empty
`plugins` input, a final patch at or above `33`, and the canonical
`extended-stable/YYYY.M.33` branch at its exact tip. It never moves plugin
`latest` or `beta`. New package versions receive `extended-stable` atomically
through OIDC trusted publication (`npm publish --tag extended-stable`); this
source workflow does not use token-authenticated `npm dist-tag add`. Retries
skip exact versions already present in npm, then fail closed unless complete
readback confirms that every exact package and `extended-stable` tag converged.

`OpenClaw Release Publish` accepts these operator-controlled inputs:

- `tag`: required release tag; must already exist
- `preflight_run_id`: successful `OpenClaw NPM Release` preflight run id; required when `publish_openclaw_npm=true`
- `full_release_validation_run_id`: successful `Full Release Validation` run id; required when `publish_openclaw_npm=true`
- `full_release_validation_run_attempt`: exact positive attempt paired with `full_release_validation_run_id`; required whenever the run id is provided
- `windows_node_tag`: exact non-prerelease `openclaw/openclaw-windows-node` release tag; required for stable OpenClaw publish
- `windows_node_installer_digests`: candidate-approved compact JSON map of the current Windows installer names to their pinned `sha256:` digests; required for stable OpenClaw publish
- `npm_telegram_run_id`: optional successful `NPM Telegram Beta E2E` run id to include in final release evidence
- `npm_dist_tag`: npm target tag for the OpenClaw package, one of `alpha`, `beta`, or `latest`
- `plugin_publish_scope`: defaults to `all-publishable`; use `selected` only for focused plugin-only repair work with `publish_openclaw_npm=false`
- `plugins`: comma-separated `@openclaw/*` package names when `plugin_publish_scope=selected`
- `publish_openclaw_npm`: defaults to `true`; set `false` only when using the workflow as a plugin-only repair orchestrator
- `release_profile`: release coverage profile used for release evidence summaries; defaults to `from-validation`, which reads it from the validation manifest, or override with `beta`, `stable`, or `full`
- `wait_for_clawhub`: defaults to `false` so npm availability is not blocked by the ClawHub sidecar; set `true` only when workflow completion must include ClawHub completion

`OpenClaw Release Checks` accepts these operator-controlled inputs:

- `ref`: branch, tag, or full commit SHA to validate. Secret-bearing checks require the resolved commit to be reachable from an OpenClaw branch or release tag.
- `run_release_soak`: opt into exhaustive live/E2E, Docker release-path, and all-since upgrade-survivor soak for beta release checks. It is forced on by `release_profile=stable` and `release_profile=full`.

Rules:

- Regular final and correction versions below patch `33` may publish to either `beta` or `latest`. Final versions at patch `33` or above must publish to `extended-stable`, and correction-suffix versions at that boundary are rejected.
- Beta prerelease tags may publish only to `beta`; alpha prerelease tags may publish only to `alpha`
- For `OpenClaw NPM Release`, full commit SHA input is allowed only when `preflight_only=true`
- `OpenClaw Release Checks` and `Full Release Validation` are always validation-only
- The real publish path must use the same `npm_dist_tag` used during preflight; the workflow verifies that metadata before publish continues

## Regular beta/latest stable release sequence

This legacy sequence is for the regular orchestrated release that also owns plugins, GitHub Release, Windows, and other platform work. It is not the monthly `.33+` npm-only extended-stable path documented at the top of this page.

When cutting a regular orchestrated stable release:

1. Run `OpenClaw NPM Release` with `preflight_only=true`. Before a tag exists, you may use the current full workflow-branch commit SHA for a validation-only dry run of the preflight workflow.
2. Choose `npm_dist_tag=beta` for the normal beta-first flow, or `latest` only when you intentionally want a direct stable publish.
3. Run `Full Release Validation` on the release branch, release tag, or full commit SHA when you want normal CI plus live prompt cache, Docker, QA Lab, Matrix, and Telegram coverage from one manual workflow. If you intentionally only need the deterministic normal test graph, run the manual `CI` workflow on the release ref instead.
4. Select the exact non-prerelease `openclaw/openclaw-windows-node` release tag whose signed x64 and ARM64 installers should ship. Save it as `windows_node_tag`, and save their validated digest map as `windows_node_installer_digests`. The release-candidate helper records both and includes them in its generated publish command.
5. Save the successful `preflight_run_id`, `full_release_validation_run_id`, and exact `full_release_validation_run_attempt`.
6. Run `OpenClaw Release Publish` with the same `tag`, the same `npm_dist_tag`, the selected `windows_node_tag`, its saved `windows_node_installer_digests`, the saved `preflight_run_id`, `full_release_validation_run_id`, and `full_release_validation_run_attempt`. It publishes externalized plugins to npm and ClawHub before promoting the OpenClaw npm package.
7. If the release landed on `beta`, use the `openclaw/releases/.github/workflows/openclaw-npm-dist-tags.yml` workflow to promote that stable version from `beta` to `latest`.
8. If the release intentionally published directly to `latest` and `beta` should follow the same stable build immediately, use that same release workflow to point both dist-tags at the stable version, or let its scheduled self-healing sync move `beta` later.

The dist-tag mutation lives in the release ledger repo because it still requires `NPM_TOKEN`, while the source repo keeps OIDC-only publish. That keeps the direct publish path and the beta-first promotion path both documented and operator-visible.

If a maintainer must fall back to local npm authentication, run any 1Password CLI (`op`) commands only inside a dedicated tmux session. Do not call `op` directly from the main agent shell; keeping it inside tmux makes prompts, alerts, and OTP handling observable and prevents repeated host alerts.

## Public references

- [`.github/workflows/full-release-validation.yml`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/main/.github/workflows/full-release-validation.yml)
- [`.github/workflows/package-acceptance.yml`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/main/.github/workflows/package-acceptance.yml)
- [`.github/workflows/openclaw-npm-release.yml`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/main/.github/workflows/openclaw-npm-release.yml)
- [`.github/workflows/openclaw-release-checks.yml`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/main/.github/workflows/openclaw-release-checks.yml)
- [`.github/workflows/openclaw-cross-os-release-checks-reusable.yml`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/main/.github/workflows/openclaw-cross-os-release-checks-reusable.yml)
- [`scripts/resolve-openclaw-package-candidate.mjs`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/main/scripts/resolve-openclaw-package-candidate.mjs)
- [`scripts/openclaw-npm-release-check.ts`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/main/scripts/openclaw-npm-release-check.ts)
- [`scripts/package-mac-dist.sh`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/main/scripts/package-mac-dist.sh)
- [`scripts/make_appcast.sh`](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/main/scripts/make_appcast.sh)

Maintainers use the private release docs in [`openclaw/maintainers/release/README.md`](https://github.com/openclaw/maintainers/blob/main/release/README.md) for the actual runbook.

## Related

- [Release channels](/install/development-channels)
