Windows App Local MCP

Use this skill when developing, debugging, or validating the OpenClaw Windows app through its same-machine MCP server. This is a developer and automation surface, not the OpenClaw gateway-to-node transport.

Keep the transports distinct

Path	Purpose	Transport
OpenClaw node mode	Product path for an OpenClaw agent to use a paired Windows machine	Gateway WebSocket and node.invoke; agents use the gateway nodes tool
Windows app local MCP	Developer/debugging path for same-machine clients to inspect and invoke the running Windows app	Authenticated loopback MCP HTTP; developers use MCP tools or winnode

Do not describe a local MCP invocation as gateway proof. Do not use local MCP as a substitute when the behavior being validated depends on gateway pairing, allowlists, reapproval, routing, or node.invoke.

Start an isolated development app

Prefer isolated tray data so tests do not change %APPDATA%\OpenClawTray:

.\run-app-local.ps1 -Isolated -AllowNonMain

Copy the data directory printed by the launcher:

$env:OPENCLAW_TRAY_DATA_DIR = '<isolated-data-dir>'

Enable Local MCP Server in Permissions. MCP-only mode is supported: EnableMcpServer=true with EnableNodeMode=false starts local capabilities without requiring gateway credentials.

Discover the live surface

Always discover before invoking because settings determine which capabilities are currently exposed:

winnode --list-tools

The live tools/list response is authoritative. The complete static command reference is .agents\skills\winnode\SKILL.md, and McpToolBridge.CommandDescriptions is the canonical description source.

Invoke through winnode

winnode --command app.status --params '{}'
winnode --command app.connection.status --params '{}'
winnode --command system.which --params '{"bins":["git","node"]}'

winnode targets the local Windows app only. Its --node argument is accepted for CLI parity but ignored. It loads the MCP token from the selected tray profile; do not place the token on the command line.

Use --invoke-timeout <ms> for bounded long-running calls. Parameters must be a JSON object. Prefix with @ to load a large JSON object from a file.

Raw MCP protocol proof

Use raw JSON-RPC when changing server or protocol shape. Read the token from the selected isolated profile without printing it:

$tokenPath = Join-Path $env:OPENCLAW_TRAY_DATA_DIR 'mcp-token.txt'
$token = Get-Content $tokenPath -Raw

Send initialize, tools/list, and tools/call to the loopback endpoint printed by the app. Use notifications/cancelled with the active JSON-RPC request ID to prove cancellation. Never publish the bearer token, settings, gateway records, device identities, or raw secret-bearing responses.

Useful developer-only app commands

Local MCP exposes app.* commands that are not advertised to the gateway node:

• app.status, app.connection.status, app.connection.gateways
• app.navigate, app.menu, app.search
• app.chat.snapshot, app.chat.send, app.chat.reset
• app.chat.queue.list, app.chat.queue.cancel
• app.settings.get, app.settings.set

Use these to set up deterministic UI state, navigate the current build, inspect connection state, and drive functional proof. Re-read tools/list for the exact commands available on the running build.

Capability commands

The same INodeCapability registration seam serves both local MCP and gateway node mode, so local MCP can exercise capability implementations directly:

• system.*, device.*, screen.*, camera.*, location.*
• canvas.*, including A2UI
• browser.proxy
• tts.*, stt.*
• ollama.models, ollama.chat when Share Windows Ollama is enabled

This proves the local capability path only. Add a real gateway invocation when the change affects paired-gateway behavior.

Required closeout

For a new or changed Windows node command:

1. Register it through the shared INodeCapability path.
2. Update McpToolBridge.CommandDescriptions.
3. Update .agents\skills\winnode\SKILL.md.
4. Add capability, MCP bridge, and winnode tests.
5. Prove winnode --list-tools and winnode --command ....
6. Prove the gateway path separately when gateway-mediated behavior changed.

Follow .agents\skills\openclaw-proof-validation\SKILL.md for the complete validation and PR evidence checklist.