Automation & Cron

Schedule tasks, set up webhooks, and automate workflows.

10 min read Updated Feb 2026

Cron Jobs

OpenClaw has built-in cron support for scheduling recurring tasks. Cron jobs run in isolated sessions with configurable models and thinking levels.

Use cron when:

  • Exact timing matters ("9:00 AM sharp every Monday")
  • Task needs isolation from main session
  • You want a different model or thinking level
  • One-shot reminders ("remind me in 20 minutes")

Webhooks

The Gateway can receive webhooks and route them to your agent. This enables integrations with external services like GitHub, Stripe, or custom APIs.

See Webhook documentation for configuration details.

Gmail Pub/Sub

OpenClaw can monitor your Gmail inbox via Google Pub/Sub and trigger agent actions on new emails.

See Gmail Pub/Sub documentation for setup instructions.

Heartbeats

Heartbeats are periodic polls that let your agent check for updates proactively — emails, calendar events, notifications, and more. Configure a HEARTBEAT.md file in your workspace.

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