Resource
OpenClaw upgrade checklist for cautious operators.
OpenClaw upgrades are not casual when the gateway is part of your operating system. Back up, check signals, test core paths, then decide HOLD, WATCH, or SAFE TO TEST.
Checklist
- Create/verify restore pack and system backup before testing.
- Read release notes and community regression signals.
- Test gateway, Telegram, provider auth, local model declarations, and skills.
- Verify dotfile/security posture and public artifacts after site-related changes.
- Keep production pinned until test evidence is boring.
Operator note
A practical checklist for testing OpenClaw upgrades without breaking gateway, Telegram, providers, skills, or rollback paths.
This resource exists to make AI work visible, bounded, and supportable: scoped workflows, clear approvals, artifacts, logs, and rollback before autonomy.
When to use it
Use this checklist before upgrading a working OpenClaw install, especially when Telegram, provider auth, local models, skills, or Mission Control depend on that instance. A working operator cockpit is production-like even if it runs on one workstation.
The safest upgrade posture is boring: backup first, read release and community signals, test the exact channels that matter, and keep rollback practical. New memory, model, or gateway features are only wins if the baseline still works afterward.
This checklist supports a HOLD / WATCH / SAFE TO TEST decision instead of reflexively chasing the latest build.