---
summary: "Step-by-step guide to building a messaging channel plugin for OpenClaw"
title: "Building channel plugins"
sidebarTitle: "Channel Plugins"
read_when:
  - You are building a new messaging channel plugin
  - You want to connect OpenClaw to a messaging platform
  - You need to understand the ChannelPlugin adapter surface
---

This guide walks through building a channel plugin that connects OpenClaw to a
messaging platform. By the end you will have a working channel with DM security,
pairing, reply threading, and outbound messaging.

<Info>
  If you have not built any OpenClaw plugin before, read
  [Getting Started](/plugins/building-plugins) first for the basic package
  structure and manifest setup.
</Info>

## How channel plugins work

Channel plugins do not need their own send/edit/react tools. OpenClaw keeps one
shared `message` tool in core. Your plugin owns:

- **Config** - account resolution and setup wizard
- **Security** - DM policy and allowlists
- **Pairing** - DM approval flow
- **Session grammar** - how provider-specific conversation ids map to base chats, thread ids, and parent fallbacks
- **Outbound** - sending text, media, and polls to the platform
- **Threading** - how replies are threaded
- **Heartbeat typing** - optional typing/busy signals for heartbeat delivery targets

Core owns the shared message tool, prompt wiring, the outer session-key shape,
generic `:thread:` bookkeeping, and dispatch.

New channel plugins should also expose a `message` adapter with
`defineChannelMessageAdapter` from `openclaw/plugin-sdk/channel-outbound`. The
adapter declares which durable final-send capabilities the native transport
actually supports and points text/media sends at the same transport functions as
the legacy `outbound` adapter. Only declare a capability when a contract test
proves the native side effect and returned receipt.
For the full API contract, examples, capability matrix, receipt rules, live
preview finalization, receive ack policy, tests, and migration table, see
[Channel outbound API](/plugins/sdk-channel-outbound).
If the existing `outbound` adapter already has the right send methods and
capability metadata, use `createChannelMessageAdapterFromOutbound(...)` to
derive the `message` adapter instead of hand-writing another bridge.
Adapter sends should return `MessageReceipt` values. When compatibility code
still needs legacy ids, derive them with `listMessageReceiptPlatformIds(...)`
or `resolveMessageReceiptPrimaryId(...)` instead of keeping parallel
`messageIds` fields in new lifecycle code.
Preview-capable channels should also declare `message.live.capabilities` with
the exact live lifecycle they own, such as `draftPreview`,
`previewFinalization`, `progressUpdates`, `nativeStreaming`, or
`quietFinalization`. Channels that finalize a draft preview in place should
also declare `message.live.finalizer.capabilities`, such as `finalEdit`,
`normalFallback`, `discardPending`, `previewReceipt`, and
`retainOnAmbiguousFailure`, and route the runtime logic through
`defineFinalizableLivePreviewAdapter(...)` plus
`deliverWithFinalizableLivePreviewAdapter(...)`. Keep those capabilities backed
by `verifyChannelMessageLiveCapabilityAdapterProofs(...)` and
`verifyChannelMessageLiveFinalizerProofs(...)` tests so native preview,
progress, edit, fallback/retention, cleanup, and receipt behavior cannot drift
silently.
Inbound receivers that defer platform acknowledgements should declare
`message.receive.defaultAckPolicy` and `supportedAckPolicies` instead of hiding
ack timing in monitor-local state. Cover every declared policy with
`verifyChannelMessageReceiveAckPolicyAdapterProofs(...)`.

Legacy reply helpers such as `createChannelTurnReplyPipeline`,
`dispatchInboundReplyWithBase`, and `recordInboundSessionAndDispatchReply`
remain available for compatibility dispatchers. Do not use those names for new
channel code; new plugins should start with the `message` adapter, receipts, and
receive/send lifecycle helpers on `openclaw/plugin-sdk/channel-outbound`.

Channels migrating inbound authorization can use the experimental
`openclaw/plugin-sdk/channel-ingress-runtime` subpath from runtime receive
paths. The subpath keeps platform lookup and side effects in the plugin, while
sharing allowlist state resolution, route/sender/command/event/activation
decisions, redacted diagnostics, and turn-admission mapping. Keep plugin
identity normalization in the descriptor you pass to the resolver; do not
serialize raw match values from the resolved state or decision. See
[Channel ingress API](/plugins/sdk-channel-ingress) for the API design,
ownership boundary, and test expectations.

If your channel supports typing indicators outside inbound replies, expose
`heartbeat.sendTyping(...)` on the channel plugin. Core calls it with the
resolved heartbeat delivery target before the heartbeat model run starts and
uses the shared typing keepalive/cleanup lifecycle. Add `heartbeat.clearTyping(...)`
when the platform needs an explicit stop signal.

If your channel adds message-tool params that carry media sources, expose those
param names through `describeMessageTool(...).mediaSourceParams`. Core uses
that explicit list for sandbox path normalization and outbound media-access
policy, so plugins do not need shared-core special cases for provider-specific
avatar, attachment, or cover-image params.
Prefer returning an action-keyed map such as
`{ "set-profile": ["avatarUrl", "avatarPath"] }` so unrelated actions do not
inherit another action's media args. A flat array still works for params that
are intentionally shared across every exposed action.
Channels that must expose a temporary public URL for a platform-side media fetch
can use `createHostedOutboundMediaStore(...)` from
`openclaw/plugin-sdk/outbound-media` with plugin state stores. Keep platform
route parsing and token enforcement in the channel plugin; the shared helper
only owns media loading, expiry metadata, chunk rows, and cleanup.

If your channel needs provider-specific shaping for `message(action="send")`,
prefer `actions.prepareSendPayload(...)`. Put native cards, blocks, embeds, or
other durable data under `payload.channelData.<channel>` and let core perform
the actual send through the outbound/message adapter. Use
`actions.handleAction(...)` for send only as a compatibility fallback for
payloads that cannot be serialized and retried.

If your platform stores extra scope inside conversation ids, keep that parsing
in the plugin with `messaging.resolveSessionConversation(...)`. That is the
canonical hook for mapping `rawId` to the base conversation id, optional thread
id, explicit `baseConversationId`, and any `parentConversationCandidates`.
When you return `parentConversationCandidates`, keep them ordered from the
narrowest parent to the broadest/base conversation.

Use `openclaw/plugin-sdk/channel-route` when plugin code needs to normalize
route-like fields, compare a child thread with its parent route, or build a
stable dedupe key from `{ channel, to, accountId, threadId }`. The helper
normalizes numeric thread ids the same way core does, so plugins should prefer
it over ad hoc `String(threadId)` comparisons.
Plugins with provider-specific target grammar should expose
`messaging.resolveOutboundSessionRoute(...)` so core gets provider-native
session and thread identity without using parser shims.

Bundled plugins that need the same parsing before the channel registry boots
can also expose a top-level `session-key-api.ts` file with a matching
`resolveSessionConversation(...)` export. Core uses that bootstrap-safe surface
only when the runtime plugin registry is not available yet.

`messaging.resolveParentConversationCandidates(...)` remains available as a
legacy compatibility fallback when a plugin only needs parent fallbacks on top
of the generic/raw id. If both hooks exist, core uses
`resolveSessionConversation(...).parentConversationCandidates` first and only
falls back to `resolveParentConversationCandidates(...)` when the canonical hook
omits them.

## Approvals and channel capabilities

Most channel plugins do not need approval-specific code.

- Core owns same-chat `/approve`, shared approval button payloads, and generic fallback delivery.
- Prefer one `approvalCapability` object on the channel plugin when the channel needs approval-specific behavior.
- `ChannelPlugin.approvals` is removed. Put approval delivery/native/render/auth facts on `approvalCapability`.
- `plugin.auth` is login/logout only; core no longer reads approval auth hooks from that object.
- `approvalCapability.authorizeActorAction` and `approvalCapability.getActionAvailabilityState` are the canonical approval-auth seam.
- Use `approvalCapability.getActionAvailabilityState` for same-chat approval auth availability.
- If your channel exposes native exec approvals, use `approvalCapability.getExecInitiatingSurfaceState` for the initiating-surface/native-client state when it differs from same-chat approval auth. Core uses that exec-specific hook to distinguish `enabled` vs `disabled`, decide whether the initiating channel supports native exec approvals, and include the channel in native-client fallback guidance. `createApproverRestrictedNativeApprovalCapability(...)` fills this in for the common case.
- Use `outbound.shouldSuppressLocalPayloadPrompt` or `outbound.beforeDeliverPayload` for channel-specific payload lifecycle behavior such as hiding duplicate local approval prompts or sending typing indicators before delivery.
- Use `approvalCapability.delivery` only for native approval routing or fallback suppression.
- Use `approvalCapability.nativeRuntime` for channel-owned native approval facts. Keep it lazy on hot channel entrypoints with `createLazyChannelApprovalNativeRuntimeAdapter(...)`, which can import your runtime module on demand while still letting core assemble the approval lifecycle.
- Use `approvalCapability.render` only when a channel truly needs custom approval payloads instead of the shared renderer.
- Use `approvalCapability.describeExecApprovalSetup` when the channel wants the disabled-path reply to explain the exact config knobs needed to enable native exec approvals. The hook receives `{ channel, channelLabel, accountId }`; named-account channels should render account-scoped paths such as `channels.<channel>.accounts.<id>.execApprovals.*` instead of top-level defaults.
- If a channel can infer stable owner-like DM identities from existing config, use `createResolvedApproverActionAuthAdapter` from `openclaw/plugin-sdk/approval-runtime` to restrict same-chat `/approve` without adding approval-specific core logic.
- If custom approval auth intentionally allows only same-chat fallback, return `markImplicitSameChatApprovalAuthorization({ authorized: true })` from `openclaw/plugin-sdk/approval-auth-runtime`; otherwise core treats the result as explicit approver authorization.
- If a channel-owned native callback resolves approvals directly, use `isImplicitSameChatApprovalAuthorization(...)` before resolving so implicit fallback still goes through the channel's normal actor authorization.
- If a channel needs native approval delivery, keep channel code focused on target normalization plus transport/presentation facts. Use `createChannelExecApprovalProfile`, `createChannelNativeOriginTargetResolver`, `createChannelApproverDmTargetResolver`, and `createApproverRestrictedNativeApprovalCapability` from `openclaw/plugin-sdk/approval-runtime`. Put the channel-specific facts behind `approvalCapability.nativeRuntime`, ideally via `createChannelApprovalNativeRuntimeAdapter(...)` or `createLazyChannelApprovalNativeRuntimeAdapter(...)`, so core can assemble the handler and own request filtering, routing, dedupe, expiry, gateway subscription, and routed-elsewhere notices. `nativeRuntime` is split into a few smaller seams:
- Use `createNativeApprovalChannelRouteGates` from `openclaw/plugin-sdk/approval-native-runtime` when a channel supports both session-origin native delivery and explicit approval forwarding targets. The helper centralizes approval config selection, `mode` handling, agent/session filters, account binding, session-target matching, and target-list matching while callers still own the channel id, default forwarding mode, account lookup, transport-enabled check, target normalization, and turn-source target resolution. Do not use it to create core-owned channel policy defaults; pass the channel's documented default mode explicitly.
- `createChannelNativeOriginTargetResolver` uses the shared channel-route matcher by default for `{ to, accountId, threadId }` targets. Pass `targetsMatch` only when a channel has provider-specific equivalence rules, such as Slack timestamp prefix matching.
- Pass `normalizeTargetForMatch` to `createChannelNativeOriginTargetResolver` when the channel needs to canonicalize provider ids before the default route matcher or a custom `targetsMatch` callback runs, while preserving the original target for delivery. Use `normalizeTarget` only when the resolved delivery target itself should be canonicalized.
- `availability` - whether the account is configured and whether a request should be handled
- `presentation` - map the shared approval view model into pending/resolved/expired native payloads or final actions
- `transport` - prepare targets plus send/update/delete native approval messages
- `interactions` - optional bind/unbind/clear-action hooks for native buttons or reactions, plus an optional `cancelDelivered` hook. Implement `cancelDelivered` when `deliverPending` registers in-process or persistent state (such as a reaction target store) so that state can be released if a handler stop cancels the delivery before `bindPending` runs or when `bindPending` returns no handle
- `observe` - optional delivery diagnostics hooks
- If the channel needs runtime-owned objects such as a client, token, Bolt app, or webhook receiver, register them through `openclaw/plugin-sdk/channel-runtime-context`. The generic runtime-context registry lets core bootstrap capability-driven handlers from channel startup state without adding approval-specific wrapper glue.
- Reach for the lower-level `createChannelApprovalHandler` or `createChannelNativeApprovalRuntime` only when the capability-driven seam is not expressive enough yet.
- Native approval channels must route both `accountId` and `approvalKind` through those helpers. `accountId` keeps multi-account approval policy scoped to the right bot account, and `approvalKind` keeps exec vs plugin approval behavior available to the channel without hardcoded branches in core.
- Core now owns approval reroute notices too. Channel plugins should not send their own "approval went to DMs / another channel" follow-up messages from `createChannelNativeApprovalRuntime`; instead, expose accurate origin + approver-DM routing through the shared approval capability helpers and let core aggregate actual deliveries before posting any notice back to the initiating chat.
- Preserve the delivered approval id kind end-to-end. Native clients should not
  guess or rewrite exec vs plugin approval routing from channel-local state.
- Different approval kinds can intentionally expose different native surfaces.
  Current bundled examples:
  - Slack keeps native approval routing available for both exec and plugin ids.
  - Matrix keeps the same native DM/channel routing and reaction UX for exec
    and plugin approvals, while still letting auth differ by approval kind.
- `createApproverRestrictedNativeApprovalAdapter` still exists as a compatibility wrapper, but new code should prefer the capability builder and expose `approvalCapability` on the plugin.

For hot channel entrypoints, prefer the narrower runtime subpaths when you only
need one part of that family:

- `openclaw/plugin-sdk/approval-auth-runtime`
- `openclaw/plugin-sdk/approval-client-runtime`
- `openclaw/plugin-sdk/approval-delivery-runtime`
- `openclaw/plugin-sdk/approval-gateway-runtime`
- `openclaw/plugin-sdk/approval-handler-adapter-runtime`
- `openclaw/plugin-sdk/approval-handler-runtime`
- `openclaw/plugin-sdk/approval-native-runtime`
- `openclaw/plugin-sdk/approval-reply-runtime`
- `openclaw/plugin-sdk/channel-runtime-context`

Likewise, prefer `openclaw/plugin-sdk/setup-runtime`,
`openclaw/plugin-sdk/setup-runtime`,
`openclaw/plugin-sdk/reply-runtime`,
`openclaw/plugin-sdk/reply-dispatch-runtime`,
`openclaw/plugin-sdk/reply-reference`, and
`openclaw/plugin-sdk/reply-chunking` when you do not need the broader umbrella
surface.

For setup specifically:

- `openclaw/plugin-sdk/setup-runtime` covers the runtime-safe setup helpers:
  `createSetupTranslator`, import-safe setup patch adapters (`createPatchedAccountSetupAdapter`,
  `createEnvPatchedAccountSetupAdapter`,
  `createSetupInputPresenceValidator`), lookup-note output,
  `promptResolvedAllowFrom`, `splitSetupEntries`, and the delegated
  setup-proxy builders
- `openclaw/plugin-sdk/setup-runtime` includes the env-aware adapter seam for
  `createEnvPatchedAccountSetupAdapter`
- `openclaw/plugin-sdk/channel-setup` covers the optional-install setup
  builders plus a few setup-safe primitives:
  `createOptionalChannelSetupSurface`, `createOptionalChannelSetupAdapter`,

If your channel supports env-driven setup or auth and generic startup/config
flows should know those env names before runtime loads, declare them in the
plugin manifest with `channelEnvVars`. Keep channel runtime `envVars` or local
constants for operator-facing copy only.

If your channel can appear in `status`, `channels list`, `channels status`, or
SecretRef scans before the plugin runtime starts, add `openclaw.setupEntry` in
`package.json`. That entrypoint should be safe to import in read-only command
paths and should return the channel metadata, setup-safe config adapter, status
adapter, and channel secret target metadata needed for those summaries. Do not
start clients, listeners, or transport runtimes from the setup entry.

Keep the main channel entry import path narrow too. Discovery can evaluate the
entry and the channel plugin module to register capabilities without activating
the channel. Files such as `channel-plugin-api.ts` should export the channel
plugin object without importing setup wizards, transport clients, socket
listeners, subprocess launchers, or service startup modules. Put those runtime
pieces in modules loaded from `registerFull(...)`, runtime setters, or lazy
capability adapters.

`createOptionalChannelSetupWizard`, `DEFAULT_ACCOUNT_ID`,
`createTopLevelChannelDmPolicy`, `setSetupChannelEnabled`, and
`splitSetupEntries`

- use the broader `openclaw/plugin-sdk/setup` seam only when you also need the
  heavier shared setup/config helpers such as
  `moveSingleAccountChannelSectionToDefaultAccount(...)`

If your channel only wants to advertise "install this plugin first" in setup
surfaces, prefer `createOptionalChannelSetupSurface(...)`. The generated
adapter/wizard fail closed on config writes and finalization, and they reuse
the same install-required message across validation, finalize, and docs-link
copy.

For other hot channel paths, prefer the narrow helpers over broader legacy
surfaces:

- `openclaw/plugin-sdk/account-core`,
  `openclaw/plugin-sdk/account-id`,
  `openclaw/plugin-sdk/account-resolution`, and
  `openclaw/plugin-sdk/account-helpers` for multi-account config and
  default-account fallback
- `openclaw/plugin-sdk/inbound-envelope` and
  `openclaw/plugin-sdk/channel-inbound` for inbound route/envelope and
  record-and-dispatch wiring
- `openclaw/plugin-sdk/channel-targets` for target parsing helpers
- `openclaw/plugin-sdk/outbound-media` for media loading and
  `openclaw/plugin-sdk/channel-outbound` for outbound identity/send delegates
  and payload planning
- `buildThreadAwareOutboundSessionRoute(...)` from
  `openclaw/plugin-sdk/channel-core` when an outbound route should preserve an
  explicit `replyToId`/`threadId` or recover the current `:thread:` session
  after the base session key still matches. Provider plugins can override
  precedence, suffix behavior, and thread id normalization when their platform
  has native thread delivery semantics.
- `openclaw/plugin-sdk/thread-bindings-runtime` for thread-binding lifecycle
  and adapter registration
- `openclaw/plugin-sdk/agent-media-payload` only when a legacy agent/media
  payload field layout is still required
- `openclaw/plugin-sdk/telegram-command-config` for Telegram custom-command
  normalization, duplicate/conflict validation, and a fallback-stable command
  config contract

Auth-only channels can usually stop at the default path: core handles approvals and the plugin just exposes outbound/auth capabilities. Native approval channels such as Matrix, Slack, Telegram, and custom chat transports should use the shared native helpers instead of rolling their own approval lifecycle.

## Inbound mention policy

Keep inbound mention handling split in two layers:

- plugin-owned evidence gathering
- shared policy evaluation

Use `openclaw/plugin-sdk/channel-mention-gating` for mention-policy decisions.
Use `openclaw/plugin-sdk/channel-inbound` only when you need the broader inbound
helper barrel.

Good fit for plugin-local logic:

- reply-to-bot detection
- quoted-bot detection
- thread-participation checks
- service/system-message exclusions
- platform-native caches needed to prove bot participation

Good fit for the shared helper:

- `requireMention`
- explicit mention result
- implicit mention allowlist
- command bypass
- final skip decision

Preferred flow:

1. Compute local mention facts.
2. Pass those facts into `resolveInboundMentionDecision({ facts, policy })`.
3. Use `decision.effectiveWasMentioned`, `decision.shouldBypassMention`, and `decision.shouldSkip` in your inbound gate.

```typescript
import {
  implicitMentionKindWhen,
  matchesMentionWithExplicit,
  resolveInboundMentionDecision,
} from "openclaw/plugin-sdk/channel-inbound";

const mentionMatch = matchesMentionWithExplicit(text, {
  mentionRegexes,
  mentionPatterns,
});

const facts = {
  canDetectMention: true,
  wasMentioned: mentionMatch.matched,
  hasAnyMention: mentionMatch.hasExplicitMention,
  implicitMentionKinds: [
    ...implicitMentionKindWhen("reply_to_bot", isReplyToBot),
    ...implicitMentionKindWhen("quoted_bot", isQuoteOfBot),
  ],
};

const decision = resolveInboundMentionDecision({
  facts,
  policy: {
    isGroup,
    requireMention,
    allowedImplicitMentionKinds: requireExplicitMention ? [] : ["reply_to_bot", "quoted_bot"],
    allowTextCommands,
    hasControlCommand,
    commandAuthorized,
  },
});

if (decision.shouldSkip) return;
```

`api.runtime.channel.mentions` exposes the same shared mention helpers for
bundled channel plugins that already depend on runtime injection:

- `buildMentionRegexes`
- `matchesMentionPatterns`
- `matchesMentionWithExplicit`
- `implicitMentionKindWhen`
- `resolveInboundMentionDecision`

If you only need `implicitMentionKindWhen` and
`resolveInboundMentionDecision`, import from
`openclaw/plugin-sdk/channel-mention-gating` to avoid loading unrelated inbound
runtime helpers.

Use `resolveInboundMentionDecision({ facts, policy })` for mention gating.

## Walkthrough

<Steps>
  <a id="step-1-package-and-manifest"></a>
  <Step title="Package and manifest">
    Create the standard plugin files. The `channel` field in `package.json` is
    what makes this a channel plugin. For the full package-metadata surface,
    see [Plugin Setup and Config](/plugins/sdk-setup#openclaw-channel):

    <CodeGroup>
    ```json package.json
    {
      "name": "@myorg/openclaw-acme-chat",
      "version": "1.0.0",
      "type": "module",
      "openclaw": {
        "extensions": ["./index.ts"],
        "setupEntry": "./setup-entry.ts",
        "channel": {
          "id": "acme-chat",
          "label": "Acme Chat",
          "blurb": "Connect OpenClaw to Acme Chat."
        }
      }
    }
    ```

    ```json openclaw.plugin.json
    {
      "id": "acme-chat",
      "kind": "channel",
      "channels": ["acme-chat"],
      "name": "Acme Chat",
      "description": "Acme Chat channel plugin",
      "configSchema": {
        "type": "object",
        "additionalProperties": false,
        "properties": {}
      },
      "channelConfigs": {
        "acme-chat": {
          "schema": {
            "type": "object",
            "additionalProperties": false,
            "properties": {
              "token": { "type": "string" },
              "allowFrom": {
                "type": "array",
                "items": { "type": "string" }
              }
            }
          },
          "uiHints": {
            "token": {
              "label": "Bot token",
              "sensitive": true
            }
          }
        }
      }
    }
    ```
    </CodeGroup>

    `configSchema` validates `plugins.entries.acme-chat.config`. Use it for
    plugin-owned settings that are not the channel account config. `channelConfigs`
    validates `channels.acme-chat` and is the cold-path source used by config
    schema, setup, and UI surfaces before the plugin runtime loads.

  </Step>

  <Step title="Build the channel plugin object">
    The `ChannelPlugin` interface has many optional adapter surfaces. Start with
    the minimum - `id` and `setup` - and add adapters as you need them.

    Create `src/channel.ts`:

    ```typescript src/channel.ts
    import {
      createChatChannelPlugin,
      createChannelPluginBase,
    } from "openclaw/plugin-sdk/channel-core";
    import type { OpenClawConfig } from "openclaw/plugin-sdk/channel-core";
    import { acmeChatApi } from "./client.js"; // your platform API client

    type ResolvedAccount = {
      accountId: string | null;
      token: string;
      allowFrom: string[];
      dmPolicy: string | undefined;
    };

    function resolveAccount(
      cfg: OpenClawConfig,
      accountId?: string | null,
    ): ResolvedAccount {
      const section = (cfg.channels as Record<string, any>)?.["acme-chat"];
      const token = section?.token;
      if (!token) throw new Error("acme-chat: token is required");
      return {
        accountId: accountId ?? null,
        token,
        allowFrom: section?.allowFrom ?? [],
        dmPolicy: section?.dmSecurity,
      };
    }

    export const acmeChatPlugin = createChatChannelPlugin<ResolvedAccount>({
      base: createChannelPluginBase({
        id: "acme-chat",
        setup: {
          resolveAccount,
          inspectAccount(cfg, accountId) {
            const section =
              (cfg.channels as Record<string, any>)?.["acme-chat"];
            return {
              enabled: Boolean(section?.token),
              configured: Boolean(section?.token),
              tokenStatus: section?.token ? "available" : "missing",
            };
          },
        },
      }),

      // DM security: who can message the bot
      security: {
        dm: {
          channelKey: "acme-chat",
          resolvePolicy: (account) => account.dmPolicy,
          resolveAllowFrom: (account) => account.allowFrom,
          defaultPolicy: "allowlist",
        },
      },

      // Pairing: approval flow for new DM contacts
      pairing: {
        text: {
          idLabel: "Acme Chat username",
          message: "Send this code to verify your identity:",
          notify: async ({ target, code }) => {
            await acmeChatApi.sendDm(target, `Pairing code: ${code}`);
          },
        },
      },

      // Threading: how replies are delivered
      threading: { topLevelReplyToMode: "reply" },

      // Outbound: send messages to the platform
      outbound: {
        attachedResults: {
          sendText: async (params) => {
            const result = await acmeChatApi.sendMessage(
              params.to,
              params.text,
            );
            return { messageId: result.id };
          },
        },
        base: {
          sendMedia: async (params) => {
            await acmeChatApi.sendFile(params.to, params.filePath);
          },
        },
      },
    });
    ```

    For channels that accept both canonical top-level DM keys and legacy nested keys, use the helpers from `plugin-sdk/channel-config-helpers`: `resolveChannelDmAccess`, `resolveChannelDmPolicy`, `resolveChannelDmAllowFrom`, and `normalizeChannelDmPolicy` keep account-local values ahead of inherited root values. Pair the same resolver with doctor repair through `normalizeLegacyDmAliases` so runtime and migration read the same contract.

    <Accordion title="What createChatChannelPlugin does for you">
      Instead of implementing low-level adapter interfaces manually, you pass
      declarative options and the builder composes them:

      | Option | What it wires |
      | --- | --- |
      | `security.dm` | Scoped DM security resolver from config fields |
      | `pairing.text` | Text-based DM pairing flow with code exchange |
      | `threading` | Reply-to-mode resolver (fixed, account-scoped, or custom) |
      | `outbound.attachedResults` | Send functions that return result metadata (message IDs) |

      You can also pass raw adapter objects instead of the declarative options
      if you need full control.

      Raw outbound adapters may define a `chunker(text, limit, ctx)` function.
      The optional `ctx.formatting` carries delivery-time formatting decisions
      such as `maxLinesPerMessage`; apply it before sending so reply threading
      and chunk boundaries are resolved once by shared outbound delivery.
      Send contexts also include `replyToIdSource` (`implicit` or `explicit`)
      when a native reply target was resolved, so payload helpers can preserve
      explicit reply tags without consuming an implicit single-use reply slot.
    </Accordion>

  </Step>

  <Step title="Wire the entry point">
    Create `index.ts`:

    ```typescript index.ts
    import { defineChannelPluginEntry } from "openclaw/plugin-sdk/channel-core";
    import { acmeChatPlugin } from "./src/channel.js";

    export default defineChannelPluginEntry({
      id: "acme-chat",
      name: "Acme Chat",
      description: "Acme Chat channel plugin",
      plugin: acmeChatPlugin,
      registerCliMetadata(api) {
        api.registerCli(
          ({ program }) => {
            program
              .command("acme-chat")
              .description("Acme Chat management");
          },
          {
            descriptors: [
              {
                name: "acme-chat",
                description: "Acme Chat management",
                hasSubcommands: false,
              },
            ],
          },
        );
      },
      registerFull(api) {
        api.registerGatewayMethod(/* ... */);
      },
    });
    ```

    Put channel-owned CLI descriptors in `registerCliMetadata(...)` so OpenClaw
    can show them in root help without activating the full channel runtime,
    while normal full loads still pick up the same descriptors for real command
    registration. Keep `registerFull(...)` for runtime-only work.
    If `registerFull(...)` registers gateway RPC methods, use a
    plugin-specific prefix. Core admin namespaces (`config.*`,
    `exec.approvals.*`, `wizard.*`, `update.*`) stay reserved and always
    resolve to `operator.admin`.
    `defineChannelPluginEntry` handles the registration-mode split automatically. See
    [Entry Points](/plugins/sdk-entrypoints#definechannelpluginentry) for all
    options.

  </Step>

  <Step title="Add a setup entry">
    Create `setup-entry.ts` for lightweight loading during onboarding:

    ```typescript setup-entry.ts
    import { defineSetupPluginEntry } from "openclaw/plugin-sdk/channel-core";
    import { acmeChatPlugin } from "./src/channel.js";

    export default defineSetupPluginEntry(acmeChatPlugin);
    ```

    OpenClaw loads this instead of the full entry when the channel is disabled
    or unconfigured. It avoids pulling in heavy runtime code during setup flows.
    See [Setup and Config](/plugins/sdk-setup#setup-entry) for details.

    Bundled workspace channels that split setup-safe exports into sidecar
    modules can use `defineBundledChannelSetupEntry(...)` from
    `openclaw/plugin-sdk/channel-entry-contract` when they also need an
    explicit setup-time runtime setter.

  </Step>

  <Step title="Handle inbound messages">
    Your plugin needs to receive messages from the platform and forward them to
    OpenClaw. The typical pattern is a webhook that verifies the request and
    dispatches it through your channel's inbound handler:

    ```typescript
    registerFull(api) {
      api.registerHttpRoute({
        path: "/acme-chat/webhook",
        auth: "plugin", // plugin-managed auth (verify signatures yourself)
        handler: async (req, res) => {
          const event = parseWebhookPayload(req);

          // Your inbound handler dispatches the message to OpenClaw.
          // The exact wiring depends on your platform SDK -
          // see a real example in the bundled Microsoft Teams or Google Chat plugin package.
          await handleAcmeChatInbound(api, event);

          res.statusCode = 200;
          res.end("ok");
          return true;
        },
      });
    }
    ```

    <Note>
      Inbound message handling is channel-specific. Each channel plugin owns
      its own inbound pipeline. Look at bundled channel plugins
      (for example the Microsoft Teams or Google Chat plugin package) for real patterns.
    </Note>

  </Step>

<a id="step-6-test"></a>
<Step title="Test">
Write colocated tests in `src/channel.test.ts`:

    ```typescript src/channel.test.ts
    import { describe, it, expect } from "vitest";
    import { acmeChatPlugin } from "./channel.js";

    describe("acme-chat plugin", () => {
      it("resolves account from config", () => {
        const cfg = {
          channels: {
            "acme-chat": { token: "test-token", allowFrom: ["user1"] },
          },
        } as any;
        const account = acmeChatPlugin.setup!.resolveAccount(cfg, undefined);
        expect(account.token).toBe("test-token");
      });

      it("inspects account without materializing secrets", () => {
        const cfg = {
          channels: { "acme-chat": { token: "test-token" } },
        } as any;
        const result = acmeChatPlugin.setup!.inspectAccount!(cfg, undefined);
        expect(result.configured).toBe(true);
        expect(result.tokenStatus).toBe("available");
      });

      it("reports missing config", () => {
        const cfg = { channels: {} } as any;
        const result = acmeChatPlugin.setup!.inspectAccount!(cfg, undefined);
        expect(result.configured).toBe(false);
      });
    });
    ```

    ```bash
    pnpm test -- <bundled-plugin-root>/acme-chat/
    ```

    For shared test helpers, see [Testing](/plugins/sdk-testing).

</Step>
</Steps>

## File structure

```
<bundled-plugin-root>/acme-chat/
├── package.json              # openclaw.channel metadata
├── openclaw.plugin.json      # Manifest with config schema
├── index.ts                  # defineChannelPluginEntry
├── setup-entry.ts            # defineSetupPluginEntry
├── api.ts                    # Public exports (optional)
├── runtime-api.ts            # Internal runtime exports (optional)
└── src/
    ├── channel.ts            # ChannelPlugin via createChatChannelPlugin
    ├── channel.test.ts       # Tests
    ├── client.ts             # Platform API client
    └── runtime.ts            # Runtime store (if needed)
```

## Advanced topics

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Threading options" icon="git-branch" href="/plugins/sdk-entrypoints#registration-mode">
    Fixed, account-scoped, or custom reply modes
  </Card>
  <Card title="Message tool integration" icon="puzzle" href="/plugins/architecture#channel-plugins-and-the-shared-message-tool">
    describeMessageTool and action discovery
  </Card>
  <Card title="Target resolution" icon="crosshair" href="/plugins/architecture-internals#channel-target-resolution">
    inferTargetChatType, looksLikeId, reservedLiterals, resolveTarget
  </Card>
  <Card title="Runtime helpers" icon="settings" href="/plugins/sdk-runtime">
    TTS, STT, media, subagent via api.runtime
  </Card>
  <Card title="Channel inbound API" icon="bolt" href="/plugins/sdk-channel-inbound">
    Shared inbound event lifecycle: ingest, resolve, record, dispatch, finalize
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Note>
Some bundled helper seams still exist for bundled-plugin maintenance and
compatibility. They are not the recommended pattern for new channel plugins;
prefer the generic channel/setup/reply/runtime subpaths from the common SDK
surface unless you are maintaining that bundled plugin family directly.
</Note>

## Next steps

- [Provider Plugins](/plugins/sdk-provider-plugins) - if your plugin also provides models
- [SDK Overview](/plugins/sdk-overview) - full subpath import reference
- [SDK Testing](/plugins/sdk-testing) - test utilities and contract tests
- [Plugin Manifest](/plugins/manifest) - full manifest schema

## Related

- [Plugin SDK setup](/plugins/sdk-setup)
- [Building plugins](/plugins/building-plugins)
- [Agent harness plugins](/plugins/sdk-agent-harness)
