OpenClaw Automation: Cron Jobs, Webhooks, and Gmail Pub/Sub

OpenClaw Automation: Cron Jobs, Webhooks, and Gmail Pub/Sub

OpenClaw is not only for live chat. You can run it on a schedule, trigger it from external systems, or react to events like new emails. This guide covers cron-style scheduling, webhooks, and Gmail Pub/Sub.

Scheduled Tasks (Cron)

You can configure OpenClaw to run on a schedule—e.g., daily summaries, weekly reports, or periodic checks. Set up a cron job (or similar scheduler) that invokes OpenClaw at the desired times. The exact syntax depends on your environment; the idea is to call the OpenClaw CLI or API on a schedule so the agent performs the same kind of task repeatedly (e.g., “summarize today’s Slack messages” or “check support tickets”).

Webhooks

Webhooks let external services trigger OpenClaw when something happens. For example:

You configure a webhook endpoint in OpenClaw (or your gateway) and send HTTP requests to it with the payload. OpenClaw then runs the configured workflow or agent logic in response.

Gmail Pub/Sub

With Gmail Pub/Sub integration, OpenClaw can react to new emails (or other Gmail events) without you having to poll. You set up a Gmail push subscription that sends events to OpenClaw; the agent can then read, summarize, or reply to emails automatically. Useful for inbox triage, auto-responses, or feeding email content into other skills.

Putting It Together

Combine these with OpenClaw’s chat and skills to build end-to-end automation that fits your workflow.