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summary: "Gateway lifecycle on macOS (launchd)"
read_when:
- Integrating the mac app with the gateway lifecycle
title: "Gateway Lifecycle"
---
# Gateway lifecycle on macOS
The macOS app **manages the Gateway via launchd** by default and does not spawn
the Gateway as a child process. It first tries to attach to an already‑running
Gateway on the configured port; if none is reachable, it enables the launchd
service via the external `openclaw` CLI (no embedded runtime). This gives you
reliable auto‑start at login and restart on crashes.
Child‑process mode (Gateway spawned directly by the app) is **not in use** today.
If you need tighter coupling to the UI, run the Gateway manually in a terminal.
## Default behavior (launchd)
- The app installs a per‑user LaunchAgent labeled `bot.molt.gateway`
(or `bot.molt.<profile>` when using `--profile`/`OPENCLAW_PROFILE`; legacy `com.openclaw.*` is supported).
- When Local mode is enabled, the app ensures the LaunchAgent is loaded and
starts the Gateway if needed.
- Logs are written to the launchd gateway log path (visible in Debug Settings).
Common commands:
```bash
launchctl kickstart -k gui/$UID/bot.molt.gateway
launchctl bootout gui/$UID/bot.molt.gateway
```
Replace the label with `bot.molt.<profile>` when running a named profile.
## Unsigned dev builds
`scripts/restart-mac.sh --no-sign` is for fast local builds when you don’t have
signing keys. To prevent launchd from pointing at an unsigned relay binary, it:
- Writes `~/.openclaw/disable-launchagent`.
Signed runs of `scripts/restart-mac.sh` clear this override if the marker is
present. To reset manually:
```bash
rm ~/.openclaw/disable-launchagent
```
## Attach-only mode
To force the macOS app to **never install or manage launchd**, launch it with
`--attach-only` (or `--no-launchd`). This sets `~/.openclaw/disable-launchagent`,
so the app only attaches to an already running Gateway. You can toggle the same
behavior in Debug Settings.
## Remote mode
Remote mode never starts a local Gateway. The app uses an SSH tunnel to the
remote host and connects over that tunnel.
## Why we prefer launchd
- Auto‑start at login.
- Built‑in restart/KeepAlive semantics.
- Predictable logs and supervision.
If a true child‑process mode is ever needed again, it should be documented as a
separate, explicit dev‑only mode.
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