Crabbox

Remote OpenClaw proof. Heavy tests. Builds. Typecheck/lint fan-out. Docker. Packages. Live providers. Desktop. Cross-OS.

Backends:

• blacksmith-testbox: trusted maintainer source. Prepared CI. tbx_....
• aws: direct brokered Crabbox. Fresh PRs. Custom sync/env/capture. cbx_....
• local-container: Docker fallback. Not remote proof.
• ssh: existing operator host. macOS/Windows/WSL2.

Always report provider, id, run URL, command, result. Never call Testbox “AWS Crabbox.”

Route First

Source trust before test size.

• Trusted + one/few focused tests + ready deps: local.
• Trusted + heavy proof: Blacksmith Testbox.
• Untrusted contributor/fork: secretless fork CI or sanitized direct AWS.
• Never untrusted code on credential-hydrated Testbox.
• Never run untrusted repo wrapper/config locally.
• No speculative warmup. Acquire when first heavy command ready. Reuse id. Stop.

Need direct AWS semantics? Pass --provider aws. Need normal trusted OpenClaw heavy proof? Pass --provider blacksmith-testbox.

Preflight

Run from repo root.

command -v crabbox
../crabbox/bin/crabbox --version
node scripts/crabbox-wrapper.mjs run --help | sed -n '1,100p'
command -v blacksmith
blacksmith --version

Set checked binary once. PATH copy may be stale.

if [ -x ../crabbox/bin/crabbox ]; then
  export CRABBOX=../crabbox/bin/crabbox
else
  export CRABBOX="$(command -v crabbox)"
fi
"$CRABBOX" --version

Read .crabbox.yaml; never guess provider default.

No binary? Clean sibling checkout only:

if [ -n "$(git -C ../crabbox status --short)" ]; then
  git -C ../crabbox status --short
  exit 1
fi
git -C ../crabbox pull --ff-only
mkdir -p ../crabbox/bin
(cd ../crabbox && go build -o bin/crabbox ./cmd/crabbox)
../crabbox/bin/crabbox --version

Dirty/missing/nonstandard sibling: stop. No overwrite.

Trusted Testbox

One-shot heavy gate:

node scripts/crabbox-wrapper.mjs run \
  --provider blacksmith-testbox \
  --timing-json -- \
  CI=1 NODE_OPTIONS=--max-old-space-size=4096 \
  OPENCLAW_TEST_PROJECTS_PARALLEL=6 \
  OPENCLAW_VITEST_MAX_WORKERS=1 \
  OPENCLAW_TESTBOX=1 OPENCLAW_TESTBOX_REMOTE_RUN=1 \
  pnpm check:changed

Several commands: warm once, save id, reuse, stop.

node scripts/crabbox-wrapper.mjs warmup \
  --provider blacksmith-testbox --keep --timing-json
node scripts/crabbox-wrapper.mjs run \
  --provider blacksmith-testbox --id <tbx_id> --timing-json -- \
  OPENCLAW_TESTBOX=1 OPENCLAW_TESTBOX_REMOTE_RUN=1 \
  pnpm test <path-or-filter>
blacksmith testbox stop --id <tbx_id>

Rules:

• One lease, one active command. No sync/reclaim during run.
• Sync current checkout every run. --no-sync only unchanged intentional rerun.
• --reclaim only deliberate checkout-path ownership transfer.
• Base/head change: stop. Rewarm. No stale-lease override.
• Raw SHA unreliable for warmup --ref; use branch/tag.
• blacksmith testbox list hides states. Use list --all or status --id <tbx_id>.
• Testbox status/stop: --id. No status --json.
• Delegated provider rejects --fresh-pr, --full-resync, --script*, --env-helper, capture/download flags.

Autoreview parallel tests:

• Current helper: short POSIX test home. Nothing extra.
• Old helper + macOS ControlPath too long: put TMPDIR=/tmp on outer process.

TMPDIR=/tmp OPENCLAW_TESTBOX=1 "$AUTOREVIEW" \
  --parallel-tests "pnpm check:changed"

• Do not put TMPDIR inside quoted test command. Home already created.

Untrusted AWS

Clean trusted main checkout. Installed trusted Crabbox binary. Fresh lease per reviewed full head SHA. No instance role. No Tailscale. No hydration. Only CI forwarded. Trusted bootstrap uploaded beside --fresh-pr.

cd <clean-trusted-openclaw-main>
env -u CRABBOX_AWS_INSTANCE_PROFILE \
  "$CRABBOX" config show --json | \
  jq -e '.aws.instanceProfile == ""' >/dev/null

env -u CRABBOX_AWS_INSTANCE_PROFILE \
  -u CRABBOX_TAILSCALE \
  -u CRABBOX_TAILSCALE_AUTH_KEY \
  -u CRABBOX_TAILSCALE_AUTH_KEY_ENV \
  -u CRABBOX_TAILSCALE_EXIT_NODE \
  -u CRABBOX_TAILSCALE_EXIT_NODE_ALLOW_LAN_ACCESS \
  -u CRABBOX_TAILSCALE_HOSTNAME_TEMPLATE \
  -u CRABBOX_TAILSCALE_TAGS \
  "$CRABBOX" warmup \
  --provider aws --network public --tailscale=false \
  --tailscale-exit-node= \
  --tailscale-exit-node-allow-lan-access=false \
  --keep --timing-json

"$CRABBOX" inspect --provider aws --id <cbx_id> --json | \
  jq -e '.network == "public" and .tailscale == null' >/dev/null

env -u CRABBOX_AWS_INSTANCE_PROFILE \
  CRABBOX_ENV_ALLOW=CI \
  "$CRABBOX" run \
  --provider aws --id <cbx_id> \
  --fresh-pr <owner/repo#number> \
  --no-hydrate --timing-json \
  --script scripts/crabbox-untrusted-bootstrap.sh -- \
  <expected_full_head_sha> /usr/local/bin/pnpm test <path-or-filter>

env -u CRABBOX_AWS_INSTANCE_PROFILE \
  "$CRABBOX" stop --provider aws <cbx_id>

Bootstrap proves IMDSv2 IAM credential endpoint returns 404, verifies full SHA, unsets NODE_OPTIONS, pins Node/pnpm, checks package-manager pin, isolates HOME, installs, tests.

Head moved? Stop. Rewarm. No reuse across revisions. No remote PR or no-role proof unavailable? Secretless fork CI. No exceptions.

Direct AWS

Trusted direct run:

node scripts/crabbox-wrapper.mjs run \
  --provider aws \
  --idle-timeout 90m --ttl 240m --timing-json \
  --shell -- \
  "pnpm test:changed"

Focused:

node scripts/crabbox-wrapper.mjs run \
  --provider aws --timing-json --shell -- \
  "pnpm test <path-or-filter>"

Stale sync: retry --full-resync once. Still bad: fresh lease. One-shot should stop itself; after failure/interruption verify "$CRABBOX" list --provider aws.

Broker auth, not cloud keys:

"$CRABBOX" config show
"$CRABBOX" doctor
"$CRABBOX" whoami
"$CRABBOX" login --url https://crabbox.openclaw.ai --provider aws

Normal validation asking for AWS keys usually means wrong path.

Fresh PR / Container

--fresh-pr <owner/repo#123>: clean remote checkout. Add --apply-local-patch only for intentional local fixup. Direct providers only.

No remote provider? Local Docker fallback:

node scripts/crabbox-wrapper.mjs run \
  --provider local-container \
  --local-container-image node:24-bookworm \
  --no-hydrate --fresh-pr openclaw/openclaw#123 \
  --timing-json --shell -- \
  "corepack pnpm install --frozen-lockfile --store-dir .pnpm-store && \
   corepack pnpm test <path-or-filter>"

Report local-container; not AWS/Testbox. ERR_PNPM_EXDEV: keep --no-hydrate and repo-local store.

Observability

Prefer built-ins:

• --preflight: target/workspace/tool probes.
• --debug --timing-json: sync, command, total timing.
• --script <file> / --script-stdin: safe multiline direct-provider command.
• --allow-env NAME + --env-from-profile <file>: exact direct-provider env.
• CRABBOX_ENV_ALLOW=NAME,...: exact ambient env allowlist.
• --capture-stdout, --capture-stderr: direct-provider local capture.
• --capture-on-fail: test artifacts. Treat as secret-bearing until reviewed.
• --keep-on-failure: retain failed lease for debugging.
• --results-auto / --junit <path>: structured failure digest.
• CRABBOX_PHASE:<name> lines: phase timing.

Secrets: exact key only. One command. Never print. Never repo file. Never shell history. No safe injection path? Report live auth blocked. No fake-key upgrade to “live proof.”

Real E2E

“Test in Crabbox” means user path, not merely remote unit tests.

1. Reproduce entrypoint when feasible.
2. Patch. Narrow local test.
3. Remote install/update/onboard/Gateway/channel/agent-turn path.
4. Record provider, id, command, environment shape, redacted secret source, observed result.
5. Cleanup.

Route:

• Install/package: pack tarball; install like user; matching Docker/package lane.
• Provider/auth: real provider. Scrub unrelated provider vars.
• Channel: setup, config, Gateway, send/receive, redacted logs.
• Gateway/session/tool: real CLI or RPC; inspect state/API result.
• Parser/config: focused tests enough only when OS/package/service cannot matter.

Before/after: same Testbox when practical. Detached temp worktrees under /tmp. Never checkout refs in synced root. Full-screen CLI: real PTY. Interactive Clack: exact arrows/Enter; raw search typing can lie.

Isolate mutable state: OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR=$(mktemp -d). Test-only local plugin artifacts may use OPENCLAW_ALLOW_PLUGIN_INSTALL_OVERRIDES=1; never call them official/trusted installs.

Desktop / Cross-OS

Static hosts:

"$CRABBOX" run --provider ssh --target macos \
  --static-host mac-studio.local -- xcodebuild test
"$CRABBOX" run --provider ssh --target windows --windows-mode normal \
  --static-host win-dev.local -- pwsh -NoProfile -Command "dotnet test"
"$CRABBOX" run --provider ssh --target windows --windows-mode wsl2 \
  --static-host win-dev.local -- pnpm test

Windows/WSL2: prefer Azure when advertised/configured. Native Windows uses OpenSSH + PowerShell + Git + tar. Actions hydration Linux-only.

Brokered macOS: paid EC2 Mac. First quota/no-spend preflight. No silent substitution for Linux proof.

"$CRABBOX" admin hosts quota --provider aws --target macos \
  --region eu-west-1 --type mac2.metal --json
"$CRABBOX" admin hosts allocate --provider aws --target macos \
  --region eu-west-1 --type mac2.metal --dry-run --json

Human desktop: WebVNC preferred.

"$CRABBOX" warmup --provider hetzner --desktop --browser --keep
"$CRABBOX" desktop launch --provider hetzner --id <id> \
  --browser --url https://example.com --webvnc --open --take-control
"$CRABBOX" desktop doctor --provider hetzner --id <id>
"$CRABBOX" webvnc status --provider hetzner --id <id>
"$CRABBOX" artifacts collect --id <id> --all --output artifacts/<slug>

Before handoff, prove CLI/app from neutral ~:

"$CRABBOX" run --id <id> --shell -- \
  "cd ~ && command -v <command> && <command> --version"

Visible desktop alone proves nothing. Keep browser windowed unless capture task. Never commit proof assets to product repo.

Failure Triage

Identify layer: wrapper, provider, hydration, sync, SSH, command.

"$CRABBOX" doctor
"$CRABBOX" status --id <id> --wait
"$CRABBOX" inspect --id <id> --json
"$CRABBOX" history --limit 20
"$CRABBOX" logs <run_id>
"$CRABBOX" results <run_id>
blacksmith testbox list --all
blacksmith testbox status --id <tbx_id>

• Provider/CLI old: use sibling binary; update it.
• Config/auth: config show, doctor, whoami.
• Sync quiet/stale: --debug --timing-json, then --full-resync once.
• Testbox capacity: no retry storm. Use AWS only if equivalent proof.
• Command failure: read phase, failed test, JUnit, skipped shell segment. Focused rerun first.
• Cleanup unclear: list exact provider. Stop only owned ids.
• Wrapper broken, Blacksmith healthy: direct Blacksmith only to isolate wrapper.

Crabbox stop wrapper: no --timing-json.

Boundary

Crabbox stays generic: lease, sync, command, logs, results, timing, cleanup. OpenClaw setup belongs hydration workflow/repo scripts.