Summary

• Problem: openclaw plugins update --all leaves trusted official plugins (codex, brave, discord, whatsapp) pinned to exact beta versions after a stable core upgrade, while openclaw update correctly syncs them to the stable catalog.
• Root Cause: runPluginUpdateCommand() in src/cli/plugins-update-command.ts calls updateNpmInstalledPlugins() without passing syncOfficialPluginInstalls, while the core update-command.ts passes syncOfficialPluginInstalls: true. The bulk --all path never converges official plugin specs to the current catalog.
• Fix: Pass syncOfficialPluginInstalls: params.opts.all ? true : undefined to updateNpmInstalledPlugins() when --all is used. Targeted plugin updates (single plugin, no --all) remain unchanged.
• What changed:
  • src/cli/plugins-update-command.ts — add syncOfficialPluginInstalls: params.opts.all ? true : undefined to updateNpmInstalledPlugins() call
  • src/cli/plugins-cli.update.test.ts — add test verifying syncOfficialPluginInstalls: true is passed for --all
• What did NOT change (scope boundary):
  • Targeted plugins update <id> behavior — still does not sync official catalog (operator-authored specs are preserved)
  • Core openclaw update flow — already works correctly
  • Plugin APIs, activation, gateway loading, npm resolution policy
  • ClawHub/marketplace/git install sources
  • Hook pack update behavior

Root Cause

The updateNpmInstalledPlugins() function in src/plugins/update.ts accepts an optional syncOfficialPluginInstalls parameter (line 1236). When set, it resolves the trusted official catalog entry and uses it as the target spec for the update, converging beta-pinned installs to stable releases.

The core update command (src/cli/update-cli/update-command.ts) passes syncOfficialPluginInstalls: true in several call sites (lines 1839, 1866, 1886, 1906), so openclaw update correctly converges official plugins.

However, runPluginUpdateCommand() in src/cli/plugins-update-command.ts (line 258-279) calls updateNpmInstalledPlugins() without syncOfficialPluginInstalls, regardless of whether --all is set. As a result, the bulk update path treats exact beta official specs as the requested target, leaving them unchanged while the gateway reports version drift.

Real behavior proof

Behavior or issue addressed (#94083): plugins update --all leaves trusted official plugin installs pinned to exact beta specs after a stable core upgrade; fix passes syncOfficialPluginInstalls: true to converge them to the current official catalog during bulk maintenance.

Real environment tested: Linux, Node 22 — Vitest against runPluginUpdateCommand / updateNpmInstalledPlugins

Exact steps or command run after this patch: node scripts/run-vitest.mjs src/cli/plugins-cli.update.test.ts

Evidence before fix:

$ node scripts/run-vitest.mjs src/cli/plugins-cli.update.test.ts

 RUN  v4.1.8 /home/0668001395/openclawProject1

 ❯ |cli| src/cli/plugins-cli.update.test.ts (28 tests | 1 failed) 789ms
     × syncs official catalog specs when --all is used 4ms

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ Failed Tests 1 ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

 FAIL  |cli| src/cli/plugins-cli.update.test.ts > plugins cli update > syncs official catalog specs when --all is used
AssertionError: expected false to be true
 ❯ src/cli/plugins-cli.update.test.ts:1004:53

 Test Files  1 failed (1)
      Tests  1 failed | 27 passed (28)

[test] failed 1 Vitest shard

Evidence after fix:

$ node scripts/run-vitest.mjs src/cli/plugins-cli.update.test.ts

 RUN  v4.1.8 /home/0668001395/openclawProject1

 Test Files  1 passed (1)
      Tests  28 passed (28)
   Start at  00:18:04
   Duration  1.43s

[test] passed 1 Vitest shard

Observed result after fix: updateNpmInstalledPlugins receives syncOfficialPluginInstalls: true when plugins update --all is invoked, causing trusted official npm plugin installs to converge to the current official catalog entry. Targeted plugins update <id> continues to not sync official catalog specs (preserving operator-authored spec overrides).

What was not tested: Live end-to-end plugins update --all against real npm registry with actual beta→stable version drift; Windows platform upgrade path from 2026.6.8-beta.1 to 2026.6.8; ClawHub-sourced official plugin convergence (only npm path validated).

Repro confirmation: New test case on origin/main before the patch fails with AssertionError: expected false to be true (syncOfficialPluginInstalls is false/undefined for --all). After the patch, all 28 test cases succeed including the new test verifying syncOfficialPluginInstalls: true is passed.

Regression Test Plan

• Target test file: src/cli/plugins-cli.update.test.ts
• New test case: "syncs official catalog specs when --all is used" — verifies syncOfficialPluginInstalls: true passed to updateNpmInstalledPlugins
• Existing test: "does not sync official catalog specs for manual plugin updates" — unchanged, must still pass (single-plugin update still omits the flag)
• Run: node scripts/run-vitest.mjs src/cli/plugins-cli.update.test.ts

Review Findings Addressed

None yet — initial PR submission.

Merge Risk

• Risk: Low — one-line parameter addition in a single production file, guarded by params.opts.all ? true : undefined
• Affected code path: Only the bulk --all code path; targeted single-plugin updates are unaffected
• Test coverage: Existing targeted-update test verifies that syncOfficialPluginInstalls remains undefined for single-plugin updates; new test verifies it is true for --all
• Rollback: Trivial — remove the added syncOfficialPluginInstalls line