Summary

Add a net-new extended-stable update channel for foreground npm package updates and on-demand status checks.

Problem to solve

OpenClaw is introducing a trailing supported-month npm release line, but the CLI currently exposes only stable, beta, and dev. Operators cannot select, persist, inspect, or safely update to the new line without targeting a raw package spec themselves. The existing stable channel must continue to mean npm latest.

Proposed solution

• Add canonical extended-stable CLI/config support without changing existing channel defaults.
• Resolve the public npm extended-stable selector and verify the selected exact package before installation.
• Fail closed with machine-readable reasons; never fall back to latest.
• Support explicit and stored-channel foreground updates, status, Gateway handoff, and the existing downgrade gate.
• Reject Git checkouts without mutation and exclude the channel from startup/background auto-update.
• Keep post-core plugins on the existing stable/latest line until extended-stable plugin publication is implemented separately.

Alternatives considered

• Reusing or renaming stable: rejected because stable already maps to npm latest and is a shipped config/CLI contract.
• Using --tag extended-stable only: rejected because it does not provide persisted channel semantics, shared status behavior, Git safeguards, or startup/background boundaries.
• Falling back to latest: rejected because it can silently install a different release line than the operator selected.

Impact

Affected: Operators who want the trailing supported-month npm release.

Severity: Blocks use of the new release line through supported CLI/config workflows.

Frequency: Every install, update, or status check targeting that line.

Consequence: Without this, operators must use raw package-manager commands and cannot rely on OpenClaw's downgrade, staging, plugin-convergence, Gateway restart, or status contracts.

Evidence/examples

• Desired command: openclaw update --channel extended-stable
• Desired persisted value: update.channel: "extended-stable"
• Existing stable publication work: feat(release): add monthly npm extended-stable publication #99352

Additional information

This is intentionally package-only and foreground/on-demand for the first release. It does not add a daily channel or extended-stable plugin selectors.