OpenClaw Zulip Channel

Install, update, and safely configure the OpenClaw Zulip channel plugin from ClawHub or npm; use for bot credentials, access policies, opt-in features, drain recovery, and setup verification.

Setup guide version: 2026.10.13. Plugin id: zulip. Ask for authorization before installing or changing config; inspect and merge existing settings rather than replacing them.

Install or update

Before installing, check openclaw --version and node --version: the plugin requires OpenClaw ≥2026.9.3 and Node ≥24.16 <25 or ≥26.1.0. Do not install on an unsupported host.

Review the publisher and capabilities on the ClawHub plugin listing, then install:

bash

openclaw plugins install clawhub:@ftlc-ian/openclaw-channel-zulip

Alternatively, from npm:

bash

openclaw plugins install openclaw-channel-zulip --accept-capabilities

For an existing installation, update the installed plugin (retaining its source):

bash

openclaw plugins update zulip --accept-capabilities

If install or update reports "replacement not applied", wait until chat is quiet and complete drain recovery:

bash

openclaw plugins reload zulip --wait

Do not restart the gateway or reinstall to recover a pending replacement. Check that reload completes before testing.

Minimal safe config

Obtain the bot email and API key from Zulip bot settings. Make ZULIP_API_KEY available securely in the gateway service environment (not just your interactive shell), or configure an OpenClaw SecretRef as described in the README. Never paste the key into chat or logs. For the default account, merge:

json

{
  "channels": {
    "zulip": {
      "enabled": true,
      "url": "https://your-org.zulipchat.com",
      "email": "[e-mail]",
      "streams": ["bot-testing"],
      "dmPolicy": "allowlist",
      "allowFrom": ["[e-mail]"],
      "groupPolicy": "allowlist",
      "groupAllowFrom": ["[e-mail]"],
      "requireMention": true
    }
  }
}

The API key is deliberately omitted above: the default account resolves ZULIP_API_KEY. Replace the approver placeholders with explicit trusted human Zulip emails. Never use a wildcard allowFrom; explicit account approver emails also authorize approval reactions. Stream access is controlled separately by groupPolicy and groupAllowFrom. For DM-only use, set groupPolicy to "disabled". See the README for multi-account credentials and policy details.

Opt-in features

Merge only the features you want into channels.zulip (or the relevant account); these are off by default:

json

{
  "progressCard": { "enabled": true, "activeEmoji": "waiting" },
  "reactionTriggers": { "enabled": true, "emoji": "fast_forward", "message": "Go ahead." },
  "topicHistory": { "mode": "on-demand" }
}

Upload the waiting emoji to your Zulip realm first, or omit activeEmoji for the default ▶. Progress cards mirror agent progress updates. Reaction triggers let eligible humans trigger a turn by reacting to this bot's messages; existing access policies still apply. With the safe config above, use reaction triggers in allowed DMs: reactions do not count as mentions, so stream triggers require a deliberately scoped requireMention: false stream override (see README). On-demand topic history fetches earlier context when needed; review the README's privacy and limits before enabling it.

For CLI agents such as claude-cli that block on exec approval, merge this top-level core config, not into channels.zulip:

json

{ "approvals": { "exec": { "enabled": true, "mode": "session" } } }

This forwards exec approval prompts to the originating session. Keep explicit Zulip allowFrom approver emails; no Zulip native-client configuration is required.

Verify

bash

openclaw doctor --non-interactive

Confirm Zulip health and no plugin errors. Test an allowed DM and a mentioned message in bot-testing; verify an unlisted sender cannot invoke the bot. If enabled, test a progress update, a reaction-triggered turn, on-demand history, and a harmless CLI exec approval in the originating session. Do not restart the gateway as a routine verification step.

References

• README: complete configuration and behavior
• CHANGELOG
• ClawHub plugin listing