DashClaw: An Approval Layer for OpenClaw Agents

DashClaw is an open-source approval layer that sits between an AI agent's decision to run a tool and the tool actually executing. It intercepts destructive commands like rm -rf or git push --force, pauses the agent, and sends an approval request to your phone via Telegram. The project is MIT-licensed and has been running on the author's own agents for months.

What it does

DashClaw parses the actual bash command before execution. Safe operations like git diff run automatically, while risky ones freeze until you tap Approve or Reject. It fails closed — if the service is unreachable, the command is blocked. Every decision is logged in a ledger so you can audit what the agent attempted while you were away.

Setup

Three commands get you running:

npx dashclaw up
npx dashclaw install openclaw
npx dashclaw install telegram

The first starts the server (no account required, mints your key). The second installs the gateway plugin for OpenClaw — a wizard asks for the server URL, key, and an agent ID. The third sets up the Telegram bridge: create a bot with BotFather, it automatically finds your chat ID, registers a webhook, and fires a test approval to your phone.

You need your instance reachable from the internet — the author uses a free Vercel deployment. The same policies apply to Claude Code sessions.

Real-world catches

The author reports actual interceptions of an rm -rf, a force push, a DROP TABLE, and an agent attempting to read .env. The default policy is now "catastrophe only" — an earlier version fired approvals every ten seconds, and the author disabled it for 18 days before tuning.

Who it's for

Developers running long unattended agent sessions who want a safety net against one bad tool call when no one's watching.