---
name: claw
description: Install the claw CLI tool — run NanoClaw agent containers from the command line without opening a chat app.
---
# claw — NanoClaw CLI
`claw` is a Python CLI that sends prompts directly to a NanoClaw agent container from the terminal. It reads registered groups from the NanoClaw database, picks up secrets from `.env`, and pipes a JSON payload into a container run — no chat app required.
## What it does
- Send a prompt to any registered group by name, folder, or JID
- Default target is the main group (no `-g` needed for most use)
- Resume a previous session with `-s <session-id>`
- Read prompts from stdin (`--pipe`) for scripting and piping
- List all registered groups with `--list-groups`
- Auto-detects `container` or `docker` runtime (or override with `--runtime`)
- Prints the agent's response to stdout; session ID to stderr
- Verbose mode (`-v`) shows the command, redacted payload, and exit code
## Prerequisites
- Python 3.8 or later
- NanoClaw installed with a built and tagged container image (`nanoclaw-agent:latest`)
- Either `container` (Apple Container, macOS 15+) or `docker` available in `PATH`
## Install
Run this skill from within the NanoClaw directory. The script auto-detects its location, so the symlink always points to the right place.
### 1. Copy the script
```bash
mkdir -p scripts
cp "${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/scripts/claw" scripts/claw
chmod +x scripts/claw
```
### 2. Symlink into PATH
```bash
mkdir -p ~/bin
ln -sf "$(pwd)/scripts/claw" ~/bin/claw
```
Make sure `~/bin` is in `PATH`. Add this to `~/.zshrc` or `~/.bashrc` if needed:
```bash
export PATH="$HOME/bin:$PATH"
```
Then reload the shell:
```bash
source ~/.zshrc # or ~/.bashrc
```
### 3. Verify
```bash
claw --list-groups
```
You should see registered groups. If NanoClaw isn't running or the database doesn't exist yet, the list will be empty — that's fine.
## Usage Examples
```bash
# Send a prompt to the main group
claw "What's on my calendar today?"
# Send to a specific group by name (fuzzy match)
claw -g "family" "Remind everyone about dinner at 7"
# Send to a group by exact JID
claw -j "[email protected]" "Hello"
# Resume a previous session
claw -s abc123 "Continue where we left off"
# Read prompt from stdin
echo "Summarize this" | claw --pipe -g dev
# Pipe a file
cat report.txt | claw --pipe "Summarize this report"
# List all registered groups
claw --list-groups
# Force a specific runtime
claw --runtime docker "Hello"
# Use a custom image tag (e.g. after rebuilding with a new tag)
claw --image nanoclaw-agent:dev "Hello"
# Verbose mode (debug info, secrets redacted)
claw -v "Hello"
# Custom timeout for long-running tasks
claw --timeout 600 "Run the full analysis"
```
## Troubleshooting
### "neither 'container' nor 'docker' found"
Install Docker Desktop or Apple Container (macOS 15+), or pass `--runtime` explicitly.
### "no secrets found in .env"
The script auto-detects your NanoClaw directory and reads `.env` from it. Check that the file exists and contains at least one of: `CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN`, `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY`, `ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN`.
### Container times out
The default timeout is 300 seconds. For longer tasks, pass `--timeout 600` (or higher). If the container consistently hangs, check that your `nanoclaw-agent:latest` image is up to date by running `./container/build.sh`.
### "group not found"
Run `claw --list-groups` to see what's registered. Group lookup does a fuzzy partial match on name and folder — if your query matches multiple groups, you'll get an error listing the ambiguous matches.
### Container crashes mid-stream
Containers run with `--rm` so they are automatically removed. If the agent crashes before emitting the output sentinel, `claw` falls back to printing raw stdout. Use `-v` to see what the container produced. Rebuild the image with `./container/build.sh` if crashes are consistent.
### Override the NanoClaw directory
If `claw` can't find your database or `.env`, set the `NANOCLAW_DIR` environment variable:
```bash
export NANOCLAW_DIR=/path/to/your/nanoclaw
```