External vs Managed

Managed mode

OpenClaw starts and supervises simplex-chat.

Use when:

• You want single-process orchestration from OpenClaw.
• You prefer fewer moving parts in deployment.

Example:

{
  "channels": {
    "simplex": {
      "connection": {
        "mode": "managed",
        "cliPath": "simplex-chat",
        "wsHost": "127.0.0.1",
        "wsPort": 5225
      }
    }
  }
}

External mode

You operate SimpleX WS separately and OpenClaw only connects.

Use when:

• You need stronger process isolation.
• You already run SimpleX as a separate service.

Example:

{
  "channels": {
    "simplex": {
      "connection": {
        "mode": "external",
        "wsUrl": "ws://127.0.0.1:5225"
      }
    }
  }
}

Decision rule

• Choose managed for fastest setup.
• Choose external for stricter operational isolation and explicit lifecycle control.