[Release] openclaw/openclaw v2026.4.2: openclaw 2026.4.2

OpenClaw v2026.4.2 is a major release featuring significant architectural improvements including restoration of the core Task Flow substrate with managed sync modes, migration of plugin configurations (xAI and Firecrawl) from legacy core paths to plugin-owned paths, and numerous provider/channel fixes. Key additions include Android assistant integration, enhanced Matrix mentions, Feishu comment workflows, and centralized provider transport policy handling. The release includes breaking changes requiring config migration via `openclaw doctor --fix`.

Key Points

• •Migrate xAI `x_search` config from `tools.web.x_search.*` to `plugins.entries.xai.config.xSearch.*` and standardize auth on `XAI_API_KEY` using `openclaw doctor --fix`
• •Move Firecrawl `web_fetch` config from `tools.web.fetch.firecrawl.*` to `plugins.entries.firecrawl.config.webFetch.*` with new fetch-provider boundary routing
• •Restore core Task Flow substrate with managed-vs-mirrored sync modes, durable state tracking, and `openclaw flows` inspection/recovery primitives for background orchestration
• •Add managed child task spawning with sticky cancel intent allowing external orchestrators to stop scheduling and let parent flows settle to `cancelled` state
• •Implement `api.runtime.taskFlow` plugin seam for creating and driving managed Task Flows without passing owner identifiers on each call
• •Add Android assistant-role entrypoints with Google Assistant App Actions metadata for launching OpenClaw from assistant triggers
• •Centralize provider transport policy (auth, proxy, TLS, headers) across HTTP, stream, and websocket paths with blocked insecure overrides
• •Add `before_agent_reply` plugin hook to short-circuit LLM with synthetic replies after inline actions
• •Implement Feishu Drive comment-event flow with thread context resolution and in-thread replies for document collaboration
• •Emit spec-compliant `m.mentions` metadata in Matrix across text, media, edits, and polls for reliable client notifications

Workflow Diagram

Concepts

Artifacts (6)

openclaw doctor --fix

# Legacy path (deprecated)
tools.web.x_search.*

# New plugin-owned path
plugins.entries.xai.config.xSearch.*

# Auth standardization
plugins.entries.xai.config.webSearch.apiKey
XAI_API_KEY

# Legacy path (deprecated)
tools.web.fetch.firecrawl.*

# New plugin-owned path
plugins.entries.firecrawl.config.webFetch.*

# New fetch-provider boundary routing
web_fetch fallback through fetch-provider boundary

# Plugin-bound Task Flow API
api.runtime.taskFlow

# Capabilities:
# - Create managed Task Flows
# - Drive Task Flows from host-resolved OpenClaw context
# - No owner identifier passing required per call
# - Managed-vs-mirrored sync modes
# - Durable flow state/revision tracking

# Plugin hook for short-circuiting LLM
before_agent_reply:
  - Trigger: After inline actions, before LLM response
  - Capability: Inject synthetic replies
  - Use case: Custom response generation without LLM call

# Gateway/node host exec defaults
security: full
ask: off
# Result: YOLO mode (no-prompt default)

# Host approval-file fallbacks aligned with no-prompt default
# Doctor reporting updated accordingly