> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.openclaw.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Session Tools

# Session Tools

Goal: small, hard-to-misuse tool set so agents can list sessions, fetch history, and send to another session.

## Tool Names

* `sessions_list`
* `sessions_history`
* `sessions_send`
* `sessions_spawn`

## Key Model

* Main direct chat bucket is always the literal key `"main"` (resolved to the current agent’s main key).
* Group chats use `agent:<agentId>:<channel>:group:<id>` or `agent:<agentId>:<channel>:channel:<id>` (pass the full key).
* Cron jobs use `cron:<job.id>`.
* Hooks use `hook:<uuid>` unless explicitly set.
* Node sessions use `node-<nodeId>` unless explicitly set.

`global` and `unknown` are reserved values and are never listed. If `session.scope = "global"`, we alias it to `main` for all tools so callers never see `global`.

## sessions\_list

List sessions as an array of rows.

Parameters:

* `kinds?: string[]` filter: any of `"main" | "group" | "cron" | "hook" | "node" | "other"`
* `limit?: number` max rows (default: server default, clamp e.g. 200)
* `activeMinutes?: number` only sessions updated within N minutes
* `messageLimit?: number` 0 = no messages (default 0); >0 = include last N messages

Behavior:

* `messageLimit > 0` fetches `chat.history` per session and includes the last N messages.
* Tool results are filtered out in list output; use `sessions_history` for tool messages.
* When running in a **sandboxed** agent session, session tools default to **spawned-only visibility** (see below).

Row shape (JSON):

* `key`: session key (string)
* `kind`: `main | group | cron | hook | node | other`
* `channel`: `whatsapp | telegram | discord | signal | imessage | webchat | internal | unknown`
* `displayName` (group display label if available)
* `updatedAt` (ms)
* `sessionId`
* `model`, `contextTokens`, `totalTokens`
* `thinkingLevel`, `verboseLevel`, `systemSent`, `abortedLastRun`
* `sendPolicy` (session override if set)
* `lastChannel`, `lastTo`
* `deliveryContext` (normalized `{ channel, to, accountId }` when available)
* `transcriptPath` (best-effort path derived from store dir + sessionId)
* `messages?` (only when `messageLimit > 0`)

## sessions\_history

Fetch transcript for one session.

Parameters:

* `sessionKey` (required; accepts session key or `sessionId` from `sessions_list`)
* `limit?: number` max messages (server clamps)
* `includeTools?: boolean` (default false)

Behavior:

* `includeTools=false` filters `role: "toolResult"` messages.
* Returns messages array in the raw transcript format.
* When given a `sessionId`, OpenClaw resolves it to the corresponding session key (missing ids error).

## sessions\_send

Send a message into another session.

Parameters:

* `sessionKey` (required; accepts session key or `sessionId` from `sessions_list`)
* `message` (required)
* `timeoutSeconds?: number` (default >0; 0 = fire-and-forget)

Behavior:

* `timeoutSeconds = 0`: enqueue and return `{ runId, status: "accepted" }`.
* `timeoutSeconds > 0`: wait up to N seconds for completion, then return `{ runId, status: "ok", reply }`.
* If wait times out: `{ runId, status: "timeout", error }`. Run continues; call `sessions_history` later.
* If the run fails: `{ runId, status: "error", error }`.
* Announce delivery runs after the primary run completes and is best-effort; `status: "ok"` does not guarantee the announce was delivered.
* Waits via gateway `agent.wait` (server-side) so reconnects don't drop the wait.
* Agent-to-agent message context is injected for the primary run.
* After the primary run completes, OpenClaw runs a **reply-back loop**:
  * Round 2+ alternates between requester and target agents.
  * Reply exactly `REPLY_SKIP` to stop the ping‑pong.
  * Max turns is `session.agentToAgent.maxPingPongTurns` (0–5, default 5).
* Once the loop ends, OpenClaw runs the **agent‑to‑agent announce step** (target agent only):
  * Reply exactly `ANNOUNCE_SKIP` to stay silent.
  * Any other reply is sent to the target channel.
  * Announce step includes the original request + round‑1 reply + latest ping‑pong reply.

## Channel Field

* For groups, `channel` is the channel recorded on the session entry.
* For direct chats, `channel` maps from `lastChannel`.
* For cron/hook/node, `channel` is `internal`.
* If missing, `channel` is `unknown`.

## Security / Send Policy

Policy-based blocking by channel/chat type (not per session id).

```json  theme={null}
{
  "session": {
    "sendPolicy": {
      "rules": [
        {
          "match": { "channel": "discord", "chatType": "group" },
          "action": "deny"
        }
      ],
      "default": "allow"
    }
  }
}
```

Runtime override (per session entry):

* `sendPolicy: "allow" | "deny"` (unset = inherit config)
* Settable via `sessions.patch` or owner-only `/send on|off|inherit` (standalone message).

Enforcement points:

* `chat.send` / `agent` (gateway)
* auto-reply delivery logic

## sessions\_spawn

Spawn a sub-agent run in an isolated session and announce the result back to the requester chat channel.

Parameters:

* `task` (required)
* `label?` (optional; used for logs/UI)
* `agentId?` (optional; spawn under another agent id if allowed)
* `model?` (optional; overrides the sub-agent model; invalid values error)
* `runTimeoutSeconds?` (default 0; when set, aborts the sub-agent run after N seconds)
* `cleanup?` (`delete|keep`, default `keep`)

Allowlist:

* `agents.list[].subagents.allowAgents`: list of agent ids allowed via `agentId` (`["*"]` to allow any). Default: only the requester agent.

Discovery:

* Use `agents_list` to discover which agent ids are allowed for `sessions_spawn`.

Behavior:

* Starts a new `agent:<agentId>:subagent:<uuid>` session with `deliver: false`.
* Sub-agents default to the full tool set **minus session tools** (configurable via `tools.subagents.tools`).
* Sub-agents are not allowed to call `sessions_spawn` (no sub-agent → sub-agent spawning).
* Always non-blocking: returns `{ status: "accepted", runId, childSessionKey }` immediately.
* After completion, OpenClaw runs a sub-agent **announce step** and posts the result to the requester chat channel.
* Reply exactly `ANNOUNCE_SKIP` during the announce step to stay silent.
* Announce replies are normalized to `Status`/`Result`/`Notes`; `Status` comes from runtime outcome (not model text).
* Sub-agent sessions are auto-archived after `agents.defaults.subagents.archiveAfterMinutes` (default: 60).
* Announce replies include a stats line (runtime, tokens, sessionKey/sessionId, transcript path, and optional cost).

## Sandbox Session Visibility

Sandboxed sessions can use session tools, but by default they only see sessions they spawned via `sessions_spawn`.

Config:

```json5  theme={null}
{
  agents: {
    defaults: {
      sandbox: {
        // default: "spawned"
        sessionToolsVisibility: "spawned", // or "all"
      },
    },
  },
}
```