OpenClaw Delta Chat Channel

Email-based, end-to-end encrypted messaging for OpenClaw

Quick Start • Configuration • CLI Reference • Library API • Installation

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Overview

This plugin integrates Delta Chat as a messaging channel for OpenClaw. It provides:

• OpenClaw channel plugin -- send and receive messages through Delta Chat
• Standalone CLI -- manage chats, contacts, and messages from your terminal
• Programmatic library -- embed Delta Chat operations in your own scripts

The project is written in TypeScript (src/) and compiles to CommonJS output in dist/.

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Quick Start

# Build from source
npm run build

# Install as an OpenClaw extension
make install

# Verify
deltachat-cli status

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Configuration

Configuration is loaded from deltachat-config.json (or the path in OPENCLAW_DELTACHAT_CONFIG).

Example config

{
  "accounts": [
    {
      "email": "you@example.org",
      "mail_pw": "app-password",
      "data_dir": "~/.var/app/chat.delta.desktop/config/DeltaChat/accounts/<account-dir>",
      "database_path": "~/.var/app/chat.delta.desktop/config/DeltaChat/accounts/<account-dir>/dc.db",
      "account_id": 1
    }
  ],
  "runtime": {
    "rpc_server_path": "~/.venv/deltachat/bin/deltachat-rpc-server",
    "python_path": "~/.venv/deltachat/bin/python"
  }
}

Field	Required	Notes
accounts[].email	Yes	Email address for the Delta Chat account
accounts[].mail_pw	Yes	App password or mail password
accounts[].data_dir	Yes	Path to the account data directory
accounts[].database_path	No	Defaults to <data_dir>/dc.db if omitted
accounts[].account_id	No	Numeric account ID
runtime.rpc_server_path	No	Path to deltachat-rpc-server binary
runtime.python_path	No	Fallback Python interpreter path

RPC Server Resolution

The runtime resolves the Delta Chat RPC server in this order:

1. deltachat-rpc-server script (preferred)
2. python <script> fallback
3. Python module startup (legacy last resort)

Environment & Overrides

• OPENCLAW_DELTACHAT_CONFIG -- point to an alternate config file
• OpenClaw channel-level config can override configPath, rpcServerPath, and pythonPath
• inviteLink can be set in openclaw.json or deltachat-config.json to auto-join a Delta Chat invite

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CLI Reference

Build first, then run commands via node dist/cli.js or install globally with npm link to get the deltachat-cli command.

npm run build
npm link          # optional: adds deltachat-cli to PATH

Commands

Command	Description
status	Show account and connection status
list-chats [--query TEXT] [--limit N] [--json]	List all chats, optionally filtered
list-messages --chat ID [--limit N] [--json]	List messages in a chat
send (--chat ID | --to EMAIL) --text TEXT [--file PATH] [--name NAME]	Send a text or file message
delete-messages --chat ID --ids ID[,ID...] [--for-all]	Delete messages
set-profile [--name NAME] [--avatar PATH] [--clear-avatar]	Update local profile
save-attachment --message ID --path PATH	Save a message attachment to disk
edit-message --message ID --text TEXT	Edit a sent message
react --message ID --reaction "EMOJI [EMOJI...]"	React to a message
chat-info --chat ID [--json]	Show detailed chat info
create-group --name NAME [--protect] [--members EMAIL[,...]] [--json]	Create a new group
rename-chat --chat ID --name NAME [--json]	Rename a chat
leave-group --chat ID	Leave a group chat
join-qr --qr TEXT [--json]	Join a chat via QR/invite link
show-qr [--chat ID] [--svg-path PATH] [--json]	Display or export a join QR code
receive [--timeout SECS] [--count N] [--json] [--no-mark-seen]	Listen for incoming messages
create-chat --to EMAIL	Create a 1:1 chat by email address

Examples

deltachat-cli status
deltachat-cli list-chats --limit 10 --json
deltachat-cli send --to friend@example.org --text "hello from the CLI"
deltachat-cli send --chat 42 --file ./photo.jpg --text "check this out"
deltachat-cli receive --json --timeout 60
deltachat-cli create-group --name "Project Team" --protect --members a@x.org,b@x.org
deltachat-cli show-qr --chat 42 --svg-path invite.svg

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Library API

The plugin can be used programmatically from Node.js.

Update Profile

const plugin = require('./dist/plugin');

// Set display name and avatar
await plugin.updateProfile(
  { configPath: '/path/to/deltachat-config.json' },
  { displayName: 'OpenClaw Bot', avatarPath: '/path/to/avatar.jpg' }
);

// Clear avatar
await plugin.updateProfile(
  { configPath: '/path/to/deltachat-config.json' },
  { clearAvatar: true }
);

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Installation

Install Extension

make install

Default target: ~/.openclaw/extensions/deltachat

Full Setup & Repair

# Configure OpenClaw integration
bash ./configure-openclaw.sh

# Or run end-to-end repair (install + rewrite openclaw.json + doctor --fix + verify)
bash ./repair-openclaw-deltachat.sh

Uninstall

make uninstall

OpenClaw Channel Config

Minimal channel entry for openclaw.json:

{
  "channels": {
    "deltachat": {
      "enabled": true,
      "configPath": "~/.openclaw/extensions/deltachat/deltachat-config.json"
    }
  }
}

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Project Structure

src/            TypeScript sources
dist/           Compiled JavaScript (generated)
accounts/       Account data directories
Makefile        Build & install targets
openclaw.plugin.json   Plugin manifest
deltachat-config.json  Default runtime config

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Requirements

• Node.js >= 18.0.0
• deltachat-rpc-server or a Python environment with Delta Chat bindings

License

MIT