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Onboarding Wizard (CLI)

The onboarding wizard is the recommended way to set up crocbot on Linux or Windows (via WSL2; strongly recommended). It configures a local Gateway or a remote Gateway connection, plus channels, skills, and workspace defaults in one guided flow. Primary entrypoint: 
crocbot onboard
Fastest first chat: open the Control UI (no channel setup needed). Run crocbot dashboard and chat in the browser. Docs: Dashboard. Follow‑up reconfiguration: 
crocbot configure
Recommended: set up a Brave Search API key so the agent can use web_search (web_fetch works without a key). Easiest path: crocbot configure --section web which stores tools.web.search.apiKey. Docs: Web tools.

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QuickStart vs Advanced

The wizard starts with QuickStart (defaults) vs Advanced (full control). QuickStart keeps the defaults:
  • Local gateway (loopback)
  • Workspace default (or existing workspace)
  • Gateway port 18789
  • Gateway auth Token (auto‑generated, even on loopback)
  • Tailscale exposure Off
  • Telegram DMs default to allowlist
Advanced exposes every step (mode, workspace, gateway, channels, daemon, skills).

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What the wizard does

Local mode (default) walks you through:
  • Model/auth (OpenAI Code (Codex) subscription OAuth, Anthropic API key (recommended) or setup-token (paste), plus MiniMax/GLM/Moonshot/AI Gateway options)
  • Workspace location + bootstrap files
  • Gateway settings (port/bind/auth/tailscale)
  • Telegram channel
  • Daemon install (systemd user unit)
  • Health check
  • Skills (recommended)
Remote mode only configures the local client to connect to a Gateway elsewhere. It does not install or change anything on the remote host. To add more isolated agents (separate workspace + sessions + auth), use: 
crocbot agents add <name>
Tip: --json does not imply non-interactive mode. Use --non-interactive (and --workspace) for scripts.

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Flow details (local)

  1. Existing config detection
    • If ~/.crocbot/crocbot.json exists, choose Keep / Modify / Reset.
    • Re-running the wizard does not wipe anything unless you explicitly choose Reset (or pass --reset).
    • If the config is invalid or contains legacy keys, the wizard stops and asks you to run crocbot doctor before continuing.
    • Reset uses trash (never rm) and offers scopes:
      • Config only
      • Config + credentials + sessions
      • Full reset (also removes workspace)
  2. Model/Auth
    • Anthropic API key (recommended): uses ANTHROPIC_API_KEY if present or prompts for a key, then saves it for daemon use.
    • Anthropic OAuth (Claude Code CLI): on macOS the wizard checks Keychain item “Claude Code-credentials” (choose “Always Allow” so launchd starts don’t block); on Linux/Windows it reuses ~/.claude/.credentials.json if present.
    • Anthropic token (paste setup-token): run claude setup-token on any machine, then paste the token (you can name it; blank = default).
    • OpenAI Code (Codex) subscription (Codex CLI): if ~/.codex/auth.json exists, the wizard can reuse it.
    • OpenAI Code (Codex) subscription (OAuth): browser flow; paste the code#state.
      • Sets agents.defaults.model to openai-codex/gpt-5.2 when model is unset or openai/*.
    • OpenAI API key: uses OPENAI_API_KEY if present or prompts for a key, then saves it to ~/.crocbot/.env so launchd can read it.
    • OpenCode Zen (multi-model proxy): prompts for OPENCODE_API_KEY (or OPENCODE_ZEN_API_KEY, get it at https://opencode.ai/auth).
    • API key: stores the key for you.
    • Vercel AI Gateway (multi-model proxy): prompts for AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY.
    • More detail: Vercel AI Gateway
    • MiniMax M2.1: config is auto-written.
    • More detail: MiniMax
    • Synthetic (Anthropic-compatible): prompts for SYNTHETIC_API_KEY.
    • More detail: Synthetic
    • Moonshot (Kimi K2): config is auto-written.
    • Kimi Code: config is auto-written.
    • More detail: Moonshot AI (Kimi + Kimi Code)
    • Skip: no auth configured yet.
    • Pick a default model from detected options (or enter provider/model manually).
    • Wizard runs a model check and warns if the configured model is unknown or missing auth.
  • OAuth credentials live in ~/.crocbot/credentials/oauth.json; auth profiles live in ~/.crocbot/agents/<agentId>/agent/auth-profiles.json (API keys + OAuth).
  • More detail: /concepts/oauth
  1. Workspace
    • Default ~/croc (configurable).
    • Seeds the workspace files needed for the agent bootstrap ritual.
    • Full workspace layout + backup guide: Agent workspace
  2. Gateway
    • Port, bind, auth mode, tailscale exposure.
    • Auth recommendation: keep Token even for loopback so local WS clients must authenticate.
    • Disable auth only if you fully trust every local process.
    • Non‑loopback binds still require auth.
  3. Channels
  • Telegram: bot token from BotFather.
  • DM security: default is allowlist. Add your user ID to channels.telegram.allowFrom.
  1. Daemon install
    • Linux (and Windows via WSL2): systemd user unit
      • Wizard attempts to enable lingering via loginctl enable-linger <user> so the Gateway stays up after logout.
      • May prompt for sudo (writes /var/lib/systemd/linger); it tries without sudo first.
    • Runtime selection: Node (recommended). Bun is not recommended.
  2. Health check
    • Starts the Gateway (if needed) and runs crocbot health.
    • Tip: crocbot status --deep adds gateway health probes to status output (requires a reachable gateway).
  3. Skills (recommended)
    • Reads the available skills and checks requirements.
    • Lets you choose a node manager: npm / pnpm (bun not recommended).
    • Installs optional dependencies.
  4. Finish
    • Summary + next steps.
  • If no GUI is detected, the wizard prints SSH port-forward instructions for the Control UI instead of opening a browser.
  • If the Control UI assets are missing, the wizard attempts to build them; fallback is pnpm ui:build (auto-installs UI deps).

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Remote mode

Remote mode configures a local client to connect to a Gateway elsewhere. What you’ll set:
  • Remote Gateway URL (ws://...)
  • Token if the remote Gateway requires auth (recommended)
Notes:
  • No remote installs or daemon changes are performed.
  • If the Gateway is loopback-only, use SSH tunneling or a tailnet.
  • Discovery hints:
    • Linux: Avahi (avahi-browse)

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Add another agent

Use crocbot agents add <name> to create a separate agent with its own workspace, sessions, and auth profiles. Running without --workspace launches the wizard. What it sets:
  • agents.list[].name
  • agents.list[].workspace
  • agents.list[].agentDir
Notes:
  • Default workspaces follow ~/croc-<agentId>.
  • Add bindings to route inbound messages (the wizard can do this).
  • Non-interactive flags: --model, --agent-dir, --bind, --non-interactive.

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Non‑interactive mode

Use --non-interactive to automate or script onboarding: 
crocbot onboard --non-interactive \
  --mode local \
  --auth-choice apiKey \
  --anthropic-api-key "$ANTHROPIC_API_KEY" \
  --gateway-port 18789 \
  --gateway-bind loopback \
  --install-daemon \
  --daemon-runtime node \
  --skip-skills
Add --json for a machine‑readable summary. Gemini example: 
crocbot onboard --non-interactive \
  --mode local \
  --auth-choice gemini-api-key \
  --gemini-api-key "$GEMINI_API_KEY" \
  --gateway-port 18789 \
  --gateway-bind loopback
Z.AI example: 
crocbot onboard --non-interactive \
  --mode local \
  --auth-choice zai-api-key \
  --zai-api-key "$ZAI_API_KEY" \
  --gateway-port 18789 \
  --gateway-bind loopback
Vercel AI Gateway example: 
crocbot onboard --non-interactive \
  --mode local \
  --auth-choice ai-gateway-api-key \
  --ai-gateway-api-key "$AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY" \
  --gateway-port 18789 \
  --gateway-bind loopback
Moonshot example: 
crocbot onboard --non-interactive \
  --mode local \
  --auth-choice moonshot-api-key \
  --moonshot-api-key "$MOONSHOT_API_KEY" \
  --gateway-port 18789 \
  --gateway-bind loopback
Synthetic example: 
crocbot onboard --non-interactive \
  --mode local \
  --auth-choice synthetic-api-key \
  --synthetic-api-key "$SYNTHETIC_API_KEY" \
  --gateway-port 18789 \
  --gateway-bind loopback
OpenCode Zen example: 
crocbot onboard --non-interactive \
  --mode local \
  --auth-choice opencode-zen \
  --opencode-zen-api-key "$OPENCODE_API_KEY" \
  --gateway-port 18789 \
  --gateway-bind loopback
Add agent (non‑interactive) example: 
crocbot agents add work \
  --workspace ~/croc-work \
  --model openai/gpt-5.2 \
  --bind telegram:main \
  --non-interactive \
  --json

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Gateway wizard RPC

The Gateway exposes the wizard flow over RPC (wizard.start, wizard.next, wizard.cancel, wizard.status). Clients (Control UI, CLI) can render steps without re‑implementing onboarding logic.

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What the wizard writes

Typical fields in ~/.crocbot/crocbot.json:
  • agents.defaults.workspace
  • agents.defaults.model / models.providers (if Minimax chosen)
  • gateway.* (mode, bind, auth, tailscale)
  • channels.telegram.botToken
  • skills.install.nodeManager
  • wizard.lastRunAt
  • wizard.lastRunVersion
  • wizard.lastRunCommit
  • wizard.lastRunCommand
  • wizard.lastRunMode
crocbot agents add writes agents.list[] and optional bindings. Sessions are stored under ~/.crocbot/agents/<agentId>/sessions/.