Bitwarden CLI
Manage passwords and secrets via the Bitwarden CLI.
References
references/get-started.md
(install + login + unlock flow)references/cli-examples.md
(real bw
examples)
Workflow
- Check CLI present:
bw --version
.
- Check login status:
bw status
(returns JSON with status field).
- If not logged in:
bw login
(stores API key, prompts for master password).
- REQUIRED: create a fresh tmux session for all
bw
commands.
- Unlock vault inside tmux:
bw unlock
(outputs session key).
- Export session key:
export BW_SESSION="<key>"
.
- Verify access:
bw sync
then bw list items --search test
.
REQUIRED tmux session
The Bitwarden CLI requires the BW_SESSION environment variable for authenticated commands. To persist the session across commands, always run
bw
inside a dedicated tmux session.
Example (see
tmux
skill for socket conventions):
SOCKET_DIR="${CLAWDBOT_TMUX_SOCKET_DIR:-${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/openclaw-tmux-sockets}"
mkdir -p "$SOCKET_DIR"
SOCKET="$SOCKET_DIR/openclaw-bw.sock"
SESSION="bw-auth-$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S)"
tmux -S "$SOCKET" new -d -s "$SESSION" -n shell
Unlock and capture session key
tmux -S "$SOCKET" send-keys -t "$SESSION":0.0 -- 'export BW_SESSION=$(bw unlock --raw)' Enter
tmux -S "$SOCKET" send-keys -t "$SESSION":0.0 -- 'bw sync' Enter
tmux -S "$SOCKET" send-keys -t "$SESSION":0.0 -- 'bw list items --search github' Enter
Capture output
tmux -S "$SOCKET" capture-pane -p -J -t "$SESSION":0.0 -S -200
Cleanup when done
tmux -S "$SOCKET" kill-session -t "$SESSION"
Common Commands
| Command | Description |
|---|
bw status
| Check login/lock status (JSON) |
bw login
| Login with email/password or API key |
bw unlock
| Unlock vault, returns session key |
bw lock
| Lock vault |
bw sync
| Sync vault with server |
bw list items
| List all items |
bw list items --search <query>
| Search items |
bw get item <id-or-name>
| Get specific item (JSON) |
bw get password <id-or-name>
| Get just the password |
bw get username <id-or-name>
| Get just the username |
bw get totp <id-or-name>
| Get TOTP code |
bw generate -ulns --length 32
| Generate password |
Guardrails
- Never paste secrets into logs, chat, or code.
- Always use tmux to maintain BW_SESSION across commands.
- Prefer
bw get password
over parsing full item JSON when only password needed.
- If command returns "Vault is locked", re-run
bw unlock
inside tmux.
- Do not run authenticated
bw
commands outside tmux; the session won't persist.
- Lock vault when done:
bw lock
.
Testing with Vaultwarden
This skill includes a Docker Compose setup for local testing with Vaultwarden (self-hosted Bitwarden-compatible server).
Quick Start
# Install mkcert and generate local certs (one-time)
brew install mkcert
mkcert -install
cd /path/to/openclaw-bitwarden
mkdir -p certs && cd certs
mkcert localhost 127.0.0.1 ::1
cd ..
Start Vaultwarden + Caddy
docker compose up -d
Configure bw CLI to use local server
bw config server https://localhost:8443
Or run the setup script:
./scripts/setup-test-account.sh
Test the skill workflow
./scripts/test-skill-workflow.sh
Test Credentials
- Server URL: https://localhost:8443
- Admin Panel: https://localhost:8443/admin (token:
test-admin-token-12345
)
- Suggested test account: test@example.com / TestPassword123!
Node.js CA Trust
The bw CLI requires the mkcert CA to be trusted. Export before running bw commands:
export NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS="$(mkcert -CAROOT)/rootCA.pem"
Or add to your shell profile for persistence.
Cleanup
docker compose down -v # Remove container and data
