OpenClaw Workspace Governance Installer

Ship safer OpenClaw operations from day one. This installer gives you a repeatable governance path instead of ad-hoc prompt edits.

Why this is popular

1. Prevents "edit first, verify later" mistakes.
2. Gives one predictable setup/upgrade/audit flow.
3. Makes changes traceable for review and handover.
4. Works for both beginners and production workspaces.

60-second quick start

First-time install:

# 1) Install plugin (first time only)
openclaw plugins install @adamchanadam/openclaw-workspace-governance@latest

# 2) Enable plugin
openclaw plugins enable openclaw-workspace-governance

# 3) Verify skills
openclaw skills list --eligible

In OpenClaw chat:

/gov_setup check
/gov_setup install
/gov_audit

Already installed users (upgrade path):

# Do NOT run install again if plugin already exists
openclaw plugins update openclaw-workspace-governance
openclaw gateway restart

Then in OpenClaw chat:

/gov_setup check
/gov_setup upgrade
/gov_migrate
/gov_audit

What you get

1. gov_setup with install | upgrade | check.
2. gov_migrate for governance upgrades.
3. gov_audit for 12/12 consistency checks.
4. gov_apply <NN> for controlled BOOT proposal apply.
5. gov_platform_change for controlled platform control-plane updates:
   • in scope: ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json
   • in scope when explicitly needed: ~/.openclaw/extensions/
   • not for Brain Docs (USER.md, SOUL.md, memory/*.md) or normal workspace docs
6. gov_brain_audit for conservative Brain Docs risk review:
   • preview (read-only findings)
   • apply (approval-based minimal diff + backup)
   • rollback (restore latest backup)

When to use which command (quick map)

1. New setup in workspace: gov_setup install
2. Upgrade existing governance assets: gov_setup upgrade
3. Apply governance alignment changes: gov_migrate
4. Verify consistency (read-only): gov_audit
5. Apply approved BOOT menu item: gov_apply <NN>
6. Edit OpenClaw platform config safely: gov_platform_change
7. Review/harden Brain Docs safely: gov_brain_audit preview -> apply -> rollback

First-run status map

After /gov_setup check:

1. NOT_INSTALLED -> run /gov_setup install
2. PARTIAL -> run /gov_setup upgrade
3. READY -> run /gov_migrate then /gov_audit

Important update rule

If openclaw plugins install ... returns plugin already exists, use:

1. openclaw plugins update openclaw-workspace-governance
2. openclaw gateway restart
3. /gov_setup upgrade -> /gov_migrate -> /gov_audit

Version check (operator-side):

1. Installed: openclaw plugins info openclaw-workspace-governance
2. Latest: npm view @adamchanadam/openclaw-workspace-governance version

Runtime gate behavior (important)

1. Read-only diagnostics/testing commands are allowed and should not be blocked.
2. Write/update/save commands require PLAN + READ evidence before CHANGE.
3. If blocked by runtime gate, this usually means governance guard worked (not a system crash).
4. Include WG_PLAN_GATE_OK + WG_READ_GATE_OK in governance output, then retry.
5. Prefer final response shape from gov_*: STATUS -> WHY -> NEXT STEP (Operator) -> COMMAND TO COPY.
6. If gov_setup upgrade still reports gate deadlock, update plugin to latest + restart gateway, then rerun gov_setup check and gov_setup upgrade.

If slash routing is unstable

Use fallback commands:

/skill gov_setup check
/skill gov_setup install
/skill gov_setup upgrade
/skill gov_migrate
/skill gov_audit
/skill gov_apply 01
/skill gov_platform_change
/skill gov_brain_audit preview
/skill gov_brain_audit apply APPROVE: APPLY_ALL_SAFE
/skill gov_brain_audit rollback

Or natural language:

Please use gov_setup in check mode (read-only) and return workspace root, status, and next action.

Who this is for

1. New OpenClaw users who want a guided install path.
2. Teams operating long-running workspaces.
3. Users who need auditable, low-drift maintenance.

Learn more (GitHub docs)

1. Main docs: https://github.com/Adamchanadam/OpenClaw-WORKSPACE-GOVERNANCE
2. English README: https://github.com/Adamchanadam/OpenClaw-WORKSPACE-GOVERNANCE/blob/main/README.md
3. 繁體中文版: https://github.com/Adamchanadam/OpenClaw-WORKSPACE-GOVERNANCE/blob/main/README.zh-HK.md
4. Governance handbook (EN): https://github.com/Adamchanadam/OpenClaw-WORKSPACE-GOVERNANCE/blob/main/WORKSPACE_GOVERNANCE_README.en.md