WebChat

The built-in browser interface for OpenClaw. No setup required. Available at http://localhost:3000 as soon as the gateway is running.

WebChat is the built-in browser interface for OpenClaw. It requires no installation, no configuration, no accounts. If the gateway is running, WebChat is available.

Access it at: http://localhost:3000

When to Use WebChat

Initial Verification

Before connecting any external channels, verify your agent works. Send test messages through WebChat to confirm:

Your SOUL.md personality is configured correctly
Skills are installed and responding
The AI model connection is working
Memory and context are behaving as expected

If something's wrong, you want to catch it here — not after you've connected iMessage or Slack.

Development and Testing

When you're modifying SOUL.md, installing new skills, or iterating on configuration, WebChat lets you test changes without affecting your live channels.

Change SOUL.md → restart gateway → test in WebChat → confirm behavior → then trust it on your real channels.

Local Access

Sometimes you just want to use your agent from your computer without switching to a messaging app. WebChat works for that.

If your agent is behaving unexpectedly on a channel, test the same query in WebChat. If it works in WebChat but not in the channel, the problem is channel-specific (configuration, permissions, routing). If it fails in both, the problem is the agent itself (SOUL.md, skills, model).

This isolation makes debugging much faster.

Technical Details

URL: http://localhost:3000
Conversation type: Single-user, single-session
Group support: Not available
Authentication: None (local access only)

WebChat only listens on localhost. It's not accessible from other devices on your network unless you've explicitly configured remote access (see Network Security).

Limitations

Single session only. WebChat doesn't support multiple concurrent conversations. If you close the browser and reopen it, you start a fresh session.

Local only. Can't use WebChat from your phone or other devices without additional configuration.

No persistent history. Conversation history isn't persisted between sessions in WebChat. For persistent memory, see the Memory System guide.

No channel-specific behavior. MESSAGING.md routing rules don't apply in WebChat. It uses your default configuration directly.

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