How to Access GPT-5.4 Early on OpenClaw via Dev Channel
Early Access to GPT-5.4
The development (dev) channel for OpenClaw currently provides access to the GPT-5.4 model ahead of its official stable release. This allows users to test the new model before it becomes generally available.
Setup Steps from Source
To access GPT-5.4, you must first ensure you have pnpm installed. Then, switch your OpenClaw installation to the dev channel using the following command:
OPENCLAW_GIT_DIR=~/openclaw openclaw update --channel devAfter running this command, you need to restart your OpenClaw gateway. Once restarted, GPT-5.4 should appear in your available models list.
The source notes that you can switch back to the stable channel once the OpenClaw team updates it with GPT-5.4. This dev channel access is a temporary method for early testing.
Technical Context
OpenClaw is an open-source platform that provides a local gateway for running various AI models. Using development channels is a common practice in software distribution (like with package managers such as npm or apt) to allow users to test upcoming features or versions before they are deemed stable for general use. The OPENCLAW_GIT_DIR environment variable in the command specifies the local directory for the OpenClaw source code, which the update command uses to fetch the latest dev branch code.
📖 Read the full source: r/openclaw
👀 See Also
Running a 1 Trillion Parameter LLM Locally on AMD Ryzen AI Max+ Cluster
AMD demonstrates running the Kimi K2.5 open-source model (375GB, 1 trillion parameters) across four Framework Desktop systems with Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processors using llama.cpp RPC. The guide covers TTM kernel modifications for 120GB VRAM per node and provides two setup options: Lemonade SDK pre-built binaries or manual ROCm 7.0.2 installation.
OpenClaw setup checklist: six critical steps for new users
A Reddit post outlines six essential configuration steps for OpenClaw users: change default model from Opus to Sonnet to reduce costs, lock gateway host to 127.0.0.1 for security, create SOUL.md for agent personality, avoid installing skills initially, don't create multiple agents, and use /new command to manage conversation context.
Slash Claude costs 60x by offloading mechanical tasks to DeepSeek V4 Flash via MCP
A Reddit user cut Claude API spend 60x by routing file classification, JSON reformatting, and field extraction to DeepSeek V4 Flash via a simple MCP tool and a CLAUDE.md deny-list rule.
Documentation for Writing MCP Tools in C# .NET Framework for Claude Desktop/Code
Complete documentation and C# coding examples for creating custom MCP tools using .NET Framework 4.8, enabling Claude Desktop/Code to automate interactions with external processes, software, APIs, and IoT devices.