Version 0.1: text in direct chats. Replies are sent as plain text, split at 3,000 characters. Files, groups, streaming and Markdown rendering are not included yet.

How it works

The plugin runs the SimpleX chat core in the gateway process through the simplex-chat Node library.
The chat database is stored in <state dir>/simplex/ in the OpenClaw state volume.
On start, the plugin creates a bot profile and a SimpleX address with automatic acceptance, and logs the address.
A new contact's first message receives a pairing code; the operator approves it with openclaw pairing approve simplex <CODE>.
Outbound targets are SimpleX contact ids: simplex:<contact id> or <contact id>.

Install with Docker

The library builds a native add-on, and OpenClaw installs plugin dependencies without running install scripts. The plugin is therefore built into an image derived from the OpenClaw image:

docker build -t openclaw-simplex --build-arg OPENCLAW_IMAGE=<the OpenClaw image you run> packages/simplex-chat-openclaw

Recreate the gateway container from openclaw-simplex in place of the OpenClaw image, keeping every other option. Then:

docker exec -it openclaw-gateway openclaw plugins install --link /opt/simplex-chat-openclaw --force --accept-capabilities
docker exec -it openclaw-gateway openclaw config set --batch-json '[{"path":"channels.simplex","value":{"enabled":true,"name":"OpenClaw"}}]'
docker logs openclaw-gateway 2>&1 | grep "SimpleX address"

Connect to the printed address in the SimpleX app and send a message. The reply contains a pairing code and your contact id:

docker exec -it openclaw-gateway openclaw pairing approve simplex <CODE>

Config

channels.simplex:

enabled     boolean, default true
name        bot display name, default "OpenClaw"
dmPolicy    pairing | allowlist | open | disabled, default pairing
allowFrom   contact ids allowed to message the agent

Scheduled delivery

openclaw cron create "0 7 * * *" "<prompt>" --name "Digest" --announce --channel simplex --to <contact id>