OpenClaw Tutorial DocsGateway and Control UI
Learn how the Gateway and browser dashboard work in the official OpenClaw model.
Why The Gateway Matters
The official docs describe the Gateway as the single source of truth for sessions, routing, and channel connections. That means most setup problems are really Gateway problems first.
Control UI Basics
The official Control UI docs say the browser app is served by the Gateway itself.
- Default local URL:
http://127.0.0.1:18789/ - It talks to the Gateway WebSocket on the same port.
If the page does not load, start the Gateway first:
openclaw gatewayFirst Connect And Pairing
The onboarding flow generates a gateway token by default. Paste that into the dashboard if asked.
For remote browsers or devices, the official docs say the Gateway requires one-time pairing approval. Useful commands:
openclaw devices list
openclaw devices approve <request-id>Local 127.0.0.1 connections are auto-approved, which is one reason this openclaw tutorial always recommends local dashboard testing before remote access.
What The Control UI Can Do
Official docs list chat, channel status, config editing, sessions, skills, nodes, logs, and health snapshots. So treat the Control UI as more than a demo chat window. It is the fastest way to understand the actual state of your OpenClaw system.