How to Publish, Version, and Distribute Your OpenClaw Plugins on the OpenClaw Marketplace

1. Introduction

OpenClaw plugins extend the core functionality of the OpenClaw platform, allowing developers to add custom commands, UI widgets, or automation scripts. Publishing your plugin on the OpenClaw Marketplace gives you instant visibility, automated distribution, and a trusted download channel for users worldwide.

UBOS amplifies these benefits by offering a dedicated hosting environment, built‑in CI/CD pipelines, and a marketplace integration that handles versioning, licensing, and analytics. By leveraging UBOS, you can focus on code while the platform takes care of the operational overhead.

2. Preparing Your Plugin Package

A well‑structured package reduces friction during upload and ensures that the marketplace can validate your plugin automatically.

2.1 Directory Structure

Adopt the following layout (all files are relative to the root of your repository):

my-openclaw-plugin/
├─ src/
│   └─ index.js          # Main entry point
├─ assets/
│   └─ icon.png          # 256×256 PNG icon
├─ tests/
│   └─ plugin.test.js
├─ README.md
└─ manifest.json        # Required metadata file

2.2 Required Manifest Files

The manifest.json file tells OpenClaw and the marketplace everything it needs to know about your plugin.

{
  "name": "my-openclaw-plugin",
  "displayName": "My OpenClaw Plugin",
  "description": "Adds a custom command to list active sessions.",
  "version": "0.1.0",
  "author": "Your Name",
  "license": "MIT",
  "main": "src/index.js",
  "icon": "assets/icon.png",
  "keywords": ["openclaw", "plugin", "session"]
}

[Screenshot: Plugin Manifest]

2.3 Sample Initialization Code

Below is a minimal src/index.js that registers a new command with OpenClaw.

const { registerCommand } = require('openclaw-sdk');

function listActiveSessions() {
  // Placeholder: fetch sessions from OpenClaw core
  console.log('Active sessions:');
  // ...implementation...
}

registerCommand('list-sessions', {
  description: 'Shows all active OpenClaw sessions',
  handler: listActiveSessions
});

module.exports = { listActiveSessions };

[Screenshot: Plugin Initialization]

3. Assigning Semantic Versions

Semantic Versioning (SemVer) communicates the impact of changes to downstream users. Follow the MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH convention:

• MAJOR – breaking API changes.
• MINOR – backward‑compatible feature additions.
• PATCH – backward‑compatible bug fixes.

3.1 Version Bump Commands

If you use npm or yarn, the following commands automate version bumps and tag creation:

# Bump patch
npm version patch -m "chore: bump version to %s"

# Bump minor
npm version minor -m "feat: bump version to %s"

# Bump major (breaking change)
npm version major -m "feat!: bump version to %s"

After bumping, push the tag to your remote repository:

git push origin main --tags

The marketplace CI will read the tag, validate the manifest.json version, and mark the release as ready for publishing.

4. Registering on the OpenClaw Marketplace

The marketplace provides a CLI that streamlines registration, validation, and publishing.

4.1 Creating a Marketplace Account

Visit the OpenClaw Marketplace portal and sign up with your GitHub or email. After verification, generate an API token from the Developer Settings page.

4.2 Uploading the Plugin Package via CLI

Install the marketplace CLI globally:

npm install -g openclaw-marketplace-cli

Authenticate using the token you created:

oc-marketplace login --token YOUR_API_TOKEN

Publish your plugin (the CLI will read manifest.json and the current Git tag):

oc-marketplace publish --path ./my-openclaw-plugin

If the upload succeeds, you’ll see a confirmation URL:

✅ Plugin published! View at: https://marketplace.openclaw.org/plugins/my-openclaw-plugin

4.3 Verifying the Listing

Log into the marketplace dashboard, locate your plugin, and verify the following:

• Correct version number.
• All required assets (icon, screenshots).
• License and author information.

[Screenshot: Marketplace Dashboard]

5. Using UBOS Hosting Options

UBOS offers a suite of hosting plans tailored for SaaS, startups, and enterprise workloads. Choose a plan that matches your traffic expectations and compliance needs.

5.1 Overview of UBOS Hosting Plans

From the UBOS pricing plans page you can select:

• Starter – 1 GB RAM, 10 GB SSD, suitable for early‑stage plugins.
• Growth – Auto‑scaling containers, CI/CD pipelines, ideal for growing user bases.
• Enterprise – Dedicated VPC, SLA guarantees, and advanced security controls.

5.2 Deploying Your Plugin with UBOS CLI

First, install the UBOS CLI:

curl -sSL https://ubos.tech/install.sh | bash

Log in using the credentials from your About UBOS account:

ubos login --email you@example.com

Create a new application that points to your plugin repository:

ubos app create my-openclaw-plugin \
  --repo https://github.com/yourname/my-openclaw-plugin \
  --branch main \
  --runtime nodejs18

Deploy the app to the selected plan (e.g., Growth):

ubos app deploy my-openclaw-plugin --plan growth

UBOS automatically provisions a container, sets up environment variables, and attaches a public URL. You can now point the marketplace entry to this URL for live demos.

5.3 Detailed Hosting Guide

For step‑by‑step instructions, see the UBOS hosting guide for OpenClaw plugins. It covers custom domains, SSL certificates, and scaling policies.

6. Adding Screenshots and Visual Aids

High‑quality visuals improve conversion on the marketplace and help users understand your plugin’s UI.

6.1 Placeholder Tags for Official Documentation Screenshots

[Screenshot: Marketplace Upload Form]

[Screenshot: UBOS Deployment Dashboard]

6.2 Tips for Effective Visuals

• Use a 16:9 aspect ratio for consistency.
• Annotate key UI elements with arrows or callouts.
• Compress images to < 150 KB without losing clarity (use WebP).
• Include a short alt attribute for accessibility and SEO.

Example image tag:

<img src="https://ubos.tech/host-openclaw/" alt="UBOS OpenClaw hosting dashboard" class="rounded-md shadow-md">

7. Conclusion

Publishing an OpenClaw plugin is a straightforward four‑step workflow:

1. Structure your code and create a manifest.json file.
2. Apply semantic versioning to communicate changes.
3. Register the package via the OpenClaw Marketplace CLI.
4. Deploy and host the plugin using UBOS’s scalable platform.

By following these steps, you’ll gain immediate exposure on the marketplace, benefit from UBOS’s robust hosting, and position your plugin for long‑term success.

Ready to accelerate your OpenClaw plugin journey? Explore the Enterprise AI platform by UBOS, check out the UBOS templates for quick start, or join the UBOS partner program to unlock co‑marketing opportunities.

Happy coding, and see you on the OpenClaw Marketplace!