---
title: CLI overview
description: Every ClawMetry command in one table, the global flags, the shape of --json output, and how the dashboard flags differ from the subcommands.
keywords: clawmetry CLI, clawmetry commands, clawmetry command line reference
eyebrow: CLI reference
---

# CLI overview

`clawmetry` is one binary with two personalities. With no subcommand it is the
**dashboard** and takes dashboard flags. With a subcommand it is the
**management CLI**.

```bash
clawmetry --port 8900          # runs the dashboard
clawmetry status               # runs the status subcommand
```

That split explains a quirk worth knowing up front: `clawmetry --help` shows the
dashboard's options, and each subcommand has its own `--help`.

## Every command

| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
| [`onboard`](/docs/cli/onboard/) | First-time setup wizard. Run this after install. |
| [`setup`](/docs/cli/onboard/) | Same wizard, framed as cloud connect |
| [`connect`](/docs/cli/connect/) | Activate cloud sync |
| [`disconnect`](/docs/cli/connect/) | Stop cloud sync and remove the key |
| [`account`](/docs/cli/connect/) | Link an email to the account, or show account info |
| [`sync`](/docs/cli/sync/) | Start (or restart) the sync daemon |
| [`status`](/docs/cli/status/) | Local and cloud state, live mode, JSON mode |
| [`mcp`](/docs/cli/mcp/) | Start the MCP server on stdio |
| [`proxy`](/docs/cli/proxy/) | Local enforcement proxy: budgets, loops, routing |
| [`eval`](/docs/cli/eval/) | Run a golden eval suite |
| [`reports`](/docs/cli/maintenance/) | Open the reports browser |
| [`tier`](/docs/cli/entitlement-commands/) | The resolved entitlement |
| [`runtimes`](/docs/cli/entitlement-commands/) | Every runtime and which this install can unlock |
| [`features`](/docs/cli/entitlement-commands/) | Every feature and which this install can unlock |
| [`channels`](/docs/cli/entitlement-commands/) | Chat adapters and the concurrent-channel cap |
| [`nodes`](/docs/cli/entitlement-commands/) | The node-count cap |
| [`retention`](/docs/cli/entitlement-commands/) | The retention window cap |
| [`bundle`](/docs/cli/entitlement-commands/) | Cheapest tier admitting a mixed bundle |
| [`license`](/docs/cli/license/) | Manage a self-hosted Pro/Enterprise license |
| [`activate`](/docs/cli/license/) | Shortcut for `license activate` |
| [`diagnose`](/docs/cli/diagnose/) | Entitlement resolver inputs |
| [`verify-integrity`](/docs/cli/diagnose/) | Verify the tamper-evident hash chain |
| [`extensions`](/docs/cli/maintenance/) | Loaded and failed plugins, hook counts |
| [`update`](/docs/cli/maintenance/) | Update to the latest version |
| [`uninstall`](/docs/cli/maintenance/) | Stop daemons and remove all files |
| `nemoclaw-daemons` | Register LaunchAgents for NemoClaw sandbox daemons (macOS) |

## Global flag

| Flag | Effect |
|---|---|
| `--openclaw-dir PATH` | OpenClaw config directory (default `~/.openclaw`). Env: `CLAWMETRY_OPENCLAW_DIR` |

It applies to both personalities — subcommands and the dashboard.

## The `--json` convention

Most read-only commands take `--json` and emit a machine-readable envelope. The
shapes are deliberately aligned with the matching HTTP endpoints so a wrapper
does not need two parsers:

| Command | Mirrors |
|---|---|
| `tier --json` | `GET /api/entitlement` |
| `runtimes --json` | `GET /api/entitlement` (runtimes slice) |
| `runtimes --why <id>` | `GET /api/entitlement/lock-reason?runtime=<id>` |
| `features --why <id>` | `GET /api/entitlement/lock-reason?feature=<id>` |
| `channels --why <N>` | `GET /api/entitlement/lock-reason?channels=N` |
| `bundle --json` | `/api/entitlement/required-tier` + `/affordable-tiers` |
| `diagnose --json` | `GET /api/entitlement/diagnostic` |
| `extensions --json` | `GET /api/extensions` |
| `license --json` / `activate --json` | `{action, ok, message}` |

```bash
clawmetry tier --json | jq '.tier'
clawmetry runtimes --json | jq '[.runtimes[] | select(.detected) | .id]'
clawmetry status --json | jq '{daemon, cloud, store_bytes}'
```

## Environment

Every command honours the environment described in
[Environment variables](/docs/config/environment/). The ones that change CLI
behaviour most often:

| Variable | Effect |
|---|---|
| `CLAWMETRY_HOME` | ClawMetry's own state directory |
| `CLAWMETRY_OPENCLAW_DIR` | Same as `--openclaw-dir` |
| `CLAWMETRY_NO_BROWSER` | Do not open a browser on start |
| `CLAWMETRY_OFFLINE` | Skip every network call |
| `DEBUG=1` | Verbose logging |

## Exit codes

See [Exit codes and JSON output](/docs/cli/exit-codes/) — several commands are
designed to be used in CI, and their exit codes are part of the contract.