> For clean Markdown of any page, append .md to the page URL. > For a complete documentation index, see https://docs.nvidia.com/nemoclaw/llms.txt. > For AI client integration (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.), connect to the MCP server at https://docs.nvidia.com/nemoclaw/_mcp/server. # Choose Between NemoClaw and OpenShell CLIs > Choose between the NemoClaw CLI and the OpenShell CLI for common sandbox operations. NemoClaw uses two host-side CLIs. Use `nemo-deepagents` for NemoClaw-managed workflows. Use `openshell` when you need a lower-level OpenShell operation that NemoClaw intentionally leaves available. ## Rule of Thumb If the task changes how NemoClaw creates, rebuilds, preserves, or configures a sandbox, start with `nemo-deepagents`. If the task inspects or changes the live OpenShell gateway, TUI, raw policy, port forwarding, inference route, or sandbox file transfer, use `openshell`. Do not create or recreate NemoClaw-managed sandboxes directly with `openshell sandbox create` unless you intend to manage OpenShell yourself. Run `nemo-deepagents onboard` afterward if you need to return to a NemoClaw-managed environment. ## Use `nemo-deepagents` For NemoClaw Workflows Use `nemo-deepagents` for operations where NemoClaw adds product-specific state, safety checks, backup behavior, credential handling, or agent configuration. * Install, onboard, or recreate a NemoClaw sandbox: ```bash nemo-deepagents onboard nemo-deepagents onboard --fresh --name --recreate-sandbox ``` Use `--resume` only when you are recovering an interrupted onboarding session. For a completed sandbox, use `--fresh --name --recreate-sandbox` when you need NemoClaw to recreate it. * List, connect to, check, or delete NemoClaw-managed sandboxes: ```bash nemo-deepagents list nemo-deepagents my-assistant connect nemo-deepagents my-assistant status nemo-deepagents my-assistant logs --follow nemo-deepagents my-assistant destroy ``` * Rebuild or upgrade while preserving workspace state: ```bash nemo-deepagents my-assistant rebuild nemo-deepagents upgrade-sandboxes --check ``` * Snapshot, restore, or mount sandbox state: ```bash nemo-deepagents my-assistant snapshot create --name before-change nemo-deepagents my-assistant snapshot restore before-change nemo-deepagents my-assistant share mount ``` * Add or remove NemoClaw policy presets: ```bash nemo-deepagents my-assistant policy-add pypi --yes nemo-deepagents my-assistant policy-list nemo-deepagents my-assistant policy-remove pypi --yes ``` * Manage NemoClaw credentials, diagnostics, and cleanup: ```bash nemo-deepagents credentials list nemo-deepagents credentials reset nvidia-prod nemo-deepagents debug --sandbox my-assistant nemo-deepagents gc --dry-run ``` ## Use `openshell` For OpenShell Operations Use `openshell` when the docs explicitly call for a live OpenShell gateway operation or when you need a lower-level view beneath the NemoClaw wrapper. * Open the OpenShell TUI for network approvals and live activity: ```bash openshell term ``` * Manage service port forwards: ```bash openshell forward start --background openshell forward list ``` * Inspect the underlying sandbox state: ```bash openshell sandbox list openshell sandbox get openshell logs -n 20 openshell doctor check ``` * Move files or run raw one-off commands when you intentionally want to bypass NemoClaw's sandbox registry and wrappers: ```bash openshell sandbox upload ./local-file /sandbox/ openshell sandbox download /sandbox/output ./output openshell sandbox exec -n -- env | grep '^HOME=' ``` * Merge a single endpoint into the live OpenShell policy: ```bash openshell policy update --add-endpoint api.example.com:443:read-only:rest:enforce ``` * Inspect or replace raw OpenShell policy: Requires OpenShell 0.0.72+ for the round-trippable `policy get --base` and `policy set --wait` syntax. ```bash # shellcheck shell=bash # Source-of-truth review: # invalidState: OpenShell 0.0.72 policy get --base emits metadata before the --- YAML header. # sourceBoundary: OpenShell CLI output is owned by the separate OpenShell project. # whyNotSourceFix: NemoClaw pins OpenShell but cannot change that upstream formatter here. # regressionTest: test/policy-roundtrip-docs.test.ts validates this shared docs pattern. # removalCondition: remove this pipeline after pinned OpenShell emits clean raw YAML. tmp_policy=$(mktemp) openshell policy get --base \ | awk 'found { print } /^---$/ { found = 1 } END { if (!found) exit 1 }' \ > "$tmp_policy" \ && grep -q '^version:' "$tmp_policy" \ && grep -q '^network_policies:' "$tmp_policy" \ && mv "$tmp_policy" current-policy.yaml ``` Edit or review `current-policy.yaml`, then apply it: ```bash openshell policy set --policy current-policy.yaml --wait ``` `openshell policy update` merges specific endpoint and rule changes into the live sandbox policy. `openshell policy set` replaces the live policy with the file you provide. For normal NemoClaw network access changes, prefer `nemo-deepagents policy-add` so NemoClaw preserves presets and records the change for rebuilds. ## Common Decisions This section covers common decisions when using the NemoClaw CLI and the OpenShell CLI. ### First Setup or Full Recreate Use `nemo-deepagents onboard`. It starts the OpenShell gateway when needed, registers providers, builds the selected agent sandbox image, applies NemoClaw policy choices, and creates the sandbox. Avoid running `openshell gateway start --recreate` or `openshell sandbox create` directly for NemoClaw-managed sandboxes. Those commands do not update NemoClaw's registry, session metadata, workspace-preservation flow, or agent-specific configuration. ### Connect to the Sandbox Use `nemo-deepagents connect` for an interactive NemoClaw sandbox shell. It waits for readiness, handles stale SSH host keys after gateway restarts, and prints agent-specific hints. Use `openshell sandbox connect ` only when you intentionally want the raw OpenShell connection path. For a one-off command in a NemoClaw-managed sandbox, use `nemo-deepagents exec` instead of opening an interactive shell. It resolves the sandbox by its NemoClaw registry name and runs through the standard NemoClaw CLI surface. The command executes as the sandbox user with `HOME=/sandbox` inside the provisioned sandbox, where the agent configuration, inference routing, and policy state are already in place. ```bash nemo-deepagents my-assistant exec -- cat /tmp/gateway.log ``` Use `openshell sandbox exec` for the raw OpenShell execution path, such as when you address a sandbox by its gateway name or intentionally bypass the NemoClaw CLI and registry. ```bash openshell sandbox exec -n my-assistant -- cat /tmp/gateway.log ``` ### Check Health or Logs Use `nemo-deepagents status` and `nemo-deepagents logs` first. They combine NemoClaw registry data, OpenShell state, selected agent process health, inference health, policy details, and messaging-channel warnings for that sandbox. Use `nemo-deepagents status` only for the global all-sandbox and host-service overview. Use `openshell sandbox list`, `openshell sandbox get`, `openshell logs -n 20`, or `openshell doctor check` when debugging lower-level OpenShell behavior. When using `openshell logs` directly, `-n ` controls the line count; use `--tail` only when you want live OpenShell log streaming. ### Approve Blocked Network Requests Use `openshell term`. The OpenShell TUI owns live network activity and operator approval prompts. Approved endpoints are session-scoped unless you also add them to the policy through a NemoClaw preset or raw OpenShell policy update. ### Change Models or Providers For Deep Agents sandboxes, prefer a fresh recreate when you need to change the provider or model. The managed `dcode` configuration is written under `/sandbox/.deepagents` during onboarding, so the recreate path keeps the OpenShell route and the sandbox config aligned while the Deep Agents runtime switch path is still being hardened. ```bash nemo-deepagents onboard --fresh --name --recreate-sandbox ``` For a build-time agent setting change, rerun onboarding so the sandbox configuration is recreated consistently: ```bash nemo-deepagents onboard --fresh --name --recreate-sandbox ``` Verify either path with: ```bash nemo-deepagents status ``` ### Update Network Policy Use `nemo-deepagents policy-add` or `policy-remove` for NemoClaw presets and custom preset files. NemoClaw merges the new policy with the live policy and reapplies presets during rebuilds. Use `openshell policy update` for precise live endpoint or REST rule changes. Use `openshell policy get --base ` and `openshell policy set --policy --wait ` only when you need to edit and replace the round-trippable base policy. Use `--full` only to inspect the effective policy, including provider-composed rules. ### Move Workspace Files Use `nemo-deepagents snapshot create`, `snapshot restore`, or `share mount` for normal workspace preservation and editing. Use `openshell sandbox upload` and `openshell sandbox download` for manual file copies when you need exact control over source and destination paths. ## Related Topics * [Commands](commands) for the full NemoDeepAgents command reference. * [Network Policies](network-policies) for baseline policy and approval behavior. * [Workspace Files](../manage-sandboxes/workspace-files) for Deep Agents state and file transfer guidance. * [Backup and Restore](../manage-sandboxes/backup-restore) for snapshot and restore workflows. * [Inference Options](../inference/inference-options) for provider configuration details.