OpenClaw API Documentation: Everything You Need to Know

Introduction

The power of OpenClaw lies not only in the chatbot itself but also in the ability to integrate the platform with existing systems. Through the OpenClaw REST API, you can start conversations, manage knowledge base items, retrieve analytics, and configure webhooks. This makes it possible to have the chatbot work seamlessly with your CRM, helpdesk, or e-commerce platform.

In this article, we provide an overview of the key API endpoints, explain authentication, and share best practices for a robust integration. This article is intended for developers and technical teams looking to connect OpenClaw to their own systems.

Authentication and Authorization

The OpenClaw API uses API keys for authentication. Each organization receives a primary and secondary key when creating an account. Keys are passed as a Bearer token in the Authorization header of each request. Secondary keys are intended for key rotation without downtime.

Authorization is scope-based. An API key can be restricted to specific operations, for example read-only access to analytics or write-only access to the knowledge base. This follows the principle of least privilege and minimizes risk if a key is accidentally exposed.

All API traffic runs over HTTPS. Requests without valid authentication receive a 401 status. Rate limiting applies at 100 requests per minute per key, returning a 429 status with a Retry-After header when exceeded.

Key Endpoints

The Conversations endpoint (/v1/conversations) is the heart of the API. It lets you start a new conversation, send messages, and receive the AI response. Each conversation has a unique ID you can use to retrieve conversation history. The endpoint supports both synchronous and streaming responses via Server-Sent Events.

The Knowledge Base endpoint (/v1/knowledge) provides CRUD operations for knowledge base items. You can add, update, and delete articles via the API, which is useful for automatic synchronization with an existing CMS. The knowledge base is automatically re-indexed after each change, typically within 30 seconds.

The Analytics endpoint (/v1/analytics) provides usage insights: number of conversations, average duration, resolution rate, and customer satisfaction scores. Data is available by day, week, or month and can be filtered by channel and topic.

Webhooks and Event-driven Integration

In addition to polling, OpenClaw offers webhooks for real-time notifications. You can configure webhooks for events such as conversation.started, conversation.completed, message.received, and handover.requested. This enables immediate reaction to relevant events without continuously polling the API.

Webhooks are sent as POST requests with a JSON payload and include an HMAC-SHA256 signature for verification. If the receiver does not return a 2xx status within 5 seconds, OpenClaw retries delivery with exponential backoff up to a maximum of 5 attempts.

Best Practices for Integration

Always use streaming mode for conversations in real-time interfaces. Synchronous mode waits until the full answer is generated, which can take several seconds for complex questions. Streaming sends the response token by token, drastically reducing perceived response time.

Implement robust error handling. The API uses standard HTTP status codes: 400 for invalid requests, 404 for not-found resources, 429 for rate limiting, and 500 for server errors. Build retry logic with exponential backoff for 429 and 5xx responses.

Conclusion

The OpenClaw API gives developers all the tools to seamlessly integrate AI chatbots into existing systems. With a clear REST structure, flexible authentication, and real-time webhooks, the platform is built for professional integrations. The complete API reference with interactive examples is available at docs.openclaw.nl.