> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://noradocs.solomontsao.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Channels

# Channels API: configure agent communication

> Manage agent communication channels. OpenClaw agents use runtime-managed channel catalog endpoints; legacy agents use Nora's built-in channel adapters.

All channel endpoints require access to the agent. Direct owners, authorized workspace members, and platform admins can read or mutate according to their normal agent permissions.

## Runtime behavior

| Runtime               | Backing system                           | Supported actions                                                                                                                  |
| --------------------- | ---------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| OpenClaw              | OpenClaw gateway config and pairing APIs | List catalog rows, load type metadata, save setup, link QR/CLI channels, logout supported channels, enable/disable configured rows |
| Legacy / non-OpenClaw | Nora `channels` table and adapter layer  | Create, update, delete, test-message, inbound webhook logging, message history                                                     |

<Note>
  OpenClaw channels do not expose Nora's legacy test-message or message-history APIs. For OpenClaw,
  use the channel's Setup, Link, Logout, and Enable/Disable actions.
</Note>

***

## List channels

Return the channel payload for an agent.

```http theme={null}
GET /agents/:id/channels
```

### Response

<ResponseField name="runtime" type="string">
  `openclaw` or `legacy`.
</ResponseField>

<ResponseField name="title" type="string">
  Display title for the channel surface.
</ResponseField>

<ResponseField name="description" type="string">
  Display description for the channel surface.
</ResponseField>

<ResponseField name="capabilities" type="object">
  Feature flags such as `supportsTesting`, `supportsMessageHistory`, and
  `supportsLazyTypeDefinitions`.
</ResponseField>

<ResponseField name="channels" type="array">
  Configured rows for legacy agents, or OpenClaw catalog rows for OpenClaw agents.
</ResponseField>

<ResponseField name="availableTypes" type="array">
  Channel type metadata used by the dashboard setup form.
</ResponseField>

```json theme={null}
{
  "runtime": "openclaw",
  "title": "OpenClaw Channels",
  "capabilities": {
    "supportsTesting": false,
    "supportsMessageHistory": false,
    "supportsArbitraryNames": false,
    "supportsLazyTypeDefinitions": true
  },
  "channels": [
    {
      "id": "whatsapp",
      "type": "whatsapp",
      "name": "WhatsApp",
      "configured": false,
      "enabled": false,
      "actions": { "canQrLogin": true, "loginKind": "web", "canDelete": false }
    }
  ],
  "availableTypes": [{ "type": "whatsapp", "label": "WhatsApp (QR link)" }]
}
```

***

## Get channel type metadata

Load setup metadata for one channel type.

```http theme={null}
GET /agents/:id/channels/types/:type
```

For OpenClaw agents, `:type` is the OpenClaw channel id such as `whatsapp`, `telegram`, `slack`, `feishu`, or `zalouser`. Nora returns docs-backed setup fields for built-in OpenClaw channels and uses the runtime schema as a best-effort fallback for custom channels.

***

## Create or setup a channel

```http theme={null}
POST /agents/:id/channels
```

For OpenClaw agents, this saves setup into `channels.<type>` through the OpenClaw config API. For legacy agents, it creates a Nora channel row.

```json theme={null}
{
  "type": "telegram",
  "config": { "botToken": "123456:ABC-DEF" },
  "enabled": true
}
```

OpenClaw responses use the setup result shape:

```json theme={null}
{ "success": true, "channel": "telegram", "restart": "requested" }
```

Legacy responses return the stored channel record with an `id`.

***

## Update a channel

```http theme={null}
PATCH /agents/:id/channels/:cid
```

For OpenClaw agents, `:cid` is the channel type id. Use this to save config changes or toggle `enabled`. For legacy agents, `:cid` is the channel UUID.

***

## Link or pair an OpenClaw channel

```http theme={null}
POST /agents/:id/channels/:cid/connect
POST /agents/:id/channels/:cid/login
POST /agents/:id/channels/:cid/login/wait
```

These routes are available only for OpenClaw-managed channels. WhatsApp uses the web QR pairing provider. Feishu/Lark and Zalo Personal Account use the allowlisted OpenClaw CLI login flow.

***

## Logout an OpenClaw channel

```http theme={null}
POST /agents/:id/channels/:cid/logout
```

Logout is exposed only for OpenClaw channel types Nora allows today: `whatsapp`, `telegram`, and `qqbot`.

***

## Legacy-only actions

These routes remain available for legacy Nora adapter channels and return `409` for OpenClaw-managed channels.

```http theme={null}
DELETE /agents/:id/channels/:cid
POST /agents/:id/channels/:cid/test
GET /agents/:id/channels/:cid/messages?limit=50
```

Legacy test sends a real test message through the adapter. Legacy messages are ordered newest first and include `direction`, `content`, `metadata`, and `created_at`.

***

## Inbound webhooks

Legacy adapters can receive inbound events through:

```http theme={null}
POST /api/webhooks/:channelId
```

Nora accepts the payload, logs it as inbound message history, and forwards it to the agent runtime if the agent is running. OpenClaw-managed channels use the OpenClaw runtime's own inbound mechanisms instead of this legacy webhook logger.