--- name: coding-agent description: Run Codex CLI, Claude Code, Kiro CLI, OpenCode, or Pi Coding Agent via background process for programmatic control. metadata: { "openclaw": { "emoji": "🧩", "requires": { "anyBins": ["claude", "codex", "opencode", "pi", "kiro-cli"] } }, } ---

Coding Agent

Launch and manage AI coding agents (Codex, Claude Code, Kiro CLI, OpenCode, Pi) from OpenClaw using bash with background process control.

PTY Mode Required

Coding agents are interactive terminal applications that need a pseudo-terminal (PTY). Without it, output breaks or the agent hangs.

Always set pty:true:

# Correct — with PTY
bash pty:true command:"codex exec 'Your prompt'"

# Wrong — agent may break or hang
bash command:"codex exec 'Your prompt'"

Tool Reference

Bash Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Description | | ------------ | ------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- | | command | string | Shell command to run | | pty | boolean | Allocate a pseudo-terminal (required for coding agents) | | workdir | string | Working directory (agent sees only this folder) | | background | boolean | Run in background; returns sessionId for monitoring | | timeout | number | Timeout in seconds (kills process on expiry) | | elevated | boolean | Run on host instead of sandbox (if allowed) |

Process Actions (background sessions)

| Action | Description | | ----------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | | list | List all running/recent sessions | | poll | Check if a session is still running | | log | Get session output (optional offset/limit) | | write | Send raw data to stdin (no newline) | | submit | Send data + newline (like typing and pressing Enter) | | send-keys | Send key tokens or hex bytes | | paste | Paste text (optional bracketed mode) | | kill | Terminate the session |

---

Quick Start: One-Shot Tasks

# Codex needs a git repo — create a temp one for scratch work
SCRATCH=$(mktemp -d) && cd $SCRATCH && git init && codex exec "Your prompt"

# Run inside an existing project (with PTY)
bash pty:true workdir:~/project command:"codex exec 'Add error handling to the API calls'"

---

Core Pattern: workdir + background + pty

For longer tasks, combine all three:

# 1. Start the agent
bash pty:true workdir:~/project background:true command:"codex exec --full-auto 'Build a snake game'"
# → returns sessionId

# 2. Monitor progress
process action:log sessionId:XXX

# 3. Check completion
process action:poll sessionId:XXX

# 4. Send input if the agent asks a question
process action:submit sessionId:XXX data:"yes"     # text + Enter
process action:write sessionId:XXX data:"y"         # raw keystroke

# 5. Kill if stuck
process action:kill sessionId:XXX

Why workdir? The agent starts in a focused directory and won't wander into unrelated files.

---

Codex CLI

Default model: gpt-5.2-codex (set in ~/.codex/config.toml)

Flags

| Flag | Effect | | --------------- | -------------------------------------------------- | | exec "prompt" | One-shot execution, exits when done | | --full-auto | Sandboxed, auto-approves within workspace | | --yolo | No sandbox, no approvals (fastest, most dangerous) |

Building / Creating

# One-shot with auto-approve
bash pty:true workdir:~/project command:"codex exec --full-auto 'Build a dark mode toggle'"

# Background for longer work
bash pty:true workdir:~/project background:true command:"codex --yolo 'Refactor the auth module'"

Reviewing PRs

Never review PRs in OpenClaw's own project folder. Clone to a temp directory or use a git worktree.

# Clone to temp
REVIEW_DIR=$(mktemp -d)
git clone https://github.com/user/repo.git $REVIEW_DIR
cd $REVIEW_DIR && gh pr checkout 130
bash pty:true workdir:$REVIEW_DIR command:"codex review --base origin/main"

# Or use git worktree (keeps main intact)
git worktree add /tmp/pr-130-review pr-130-branch
bash pty:true workdir:/tmp/pr-130-review command:"codex review --base main"

Batch PR Reviews

# Fetch all PR refs
git fetch origin '+refs/pull/*/head:refs/remotes/origin/pr/*'

# Launch one Codex per PR (all background + PTY)
bash pty:true workdir:~/project background:true command:"codex exec 'Review PR #86. git diff origin/main...origin/pr/86'"
bash pty:true workdir:~/project background:true command:"codex exec 'Review PR #87. git diff origin/main...origin/pr/87'"

# Monitor
process action:list

# Post results
gh pr comment <PR#> --body "<review content>"

---

Claude Code

# One-shot
bash pty:true workdir:~/project command:"claude 'Your task'"

# Background
bash pty:true workdir:~/project background:true command:"claude 'Your task'"

---

Kiro CLI (AWS)

AWS AI coding assistant with session persistence, custom agents, skills, hooks, steering, subagents, planning mode, and MCP integration.

Install: https://kiro.dev/docs/cli/installation

Basic Usage

kiro-cli                           # Interactive chat (default)
kiro-cli chat "Your question"      # Direct question
kiro-cli --agent my-agent          # Use a specific agent
kiro-cli chat --resume             # Resume last session (per-directory)
kiro-cli chat --resume-picker      # Pick from saved sessions
kiro-cli chat --list-sessions      # List all sessions

Non-Interactive Mode

For scripting and automation — outputs a single response to STDOUT, then exits.

# Single response
kiro-cli chat --no-interactive "Show current directory"

# Trust all tools (no confirmation prompts)
kiro-cli chat --no-interactive --trust-all-tools "Create hello.py"

# Trust specific tools only
kiro-cli chat --no-interactive --trust-tools "fs_read,fs_write" "Read package.json"

Tool trust: --trust-all-tools for full automation. For untrusted input, use --trust-tools "fs_read,fs_write,shell" to limit scope.

OpenClaw Integration

# Interactive session (background)
bash pty:true workdir:~/project background:true command:"kiro-cli"

# One-shot query (non-interactive)
bash pty:true workdir:~/project command:"kiro-cli chat --no-interactive --trust-all-tools 'List all TODO comments in src/'"

# With a specific agent
bash pty:true workdir:~/project background:true command:"kiro-cli --agent aws-expert 'Set up Lambda'"

# Resume previous session
bash pty:true workdir:~/project command:"kiro-cli chat --resume"

Skills (Agent Skills)

Skills are portable instruction packages that extend what Kiro knows. When a request matches a skill's description, Kiro automatically loads and follows its instructions — no slash command needed.

Skill Locations

| Location | Scope | Notes | | --- | --- | --- | | .kiro/skills// | Workspace (project) | Shared via version control | | ~/.kiro/skills// | Global (all projects) | Personal workflows |

Workspace skills take priority when names collide.

Creating a Skill

A skill is a folder with a SKILL.md file:

my-skill/
├── SKILL.md          # Required — frontmatter + instructions
└── references/       # Optional — detailed docs loaded on demand
    └── guide.md

SKILL.md format:

---
name: pr-review
description: Review pull requests for code quality, security issues, and test coverage.
---

## Review checklist

...