---
name: add-signal
description: Add Signal channel integration via signal-cli device-link. Native adapter — no Chat SDK bridge.
---

# Add Signal Channel

Adds Signal support via a native adapter that speaks JSON-RPC to a
[signal-cli](https://github.com/AsamK/signal-cli) daemon — no Chat SDK bridge,
only Node.js builtins. NanoClaw links to Signal as a *secondary device* on your
existing phone: no new number, no bot API. Your assistant sends and receives as
the number on the phone that scans the link.

## Apply

### 1. Install signal-cli

NanoClaw talks to Signal through signal-cli, which has no bot API of its own.
Install it if it isn't on PATH yet — Homebrew on macOS, the native release binary
on Linux (neither needs Java). If it's already installed this is a no-op:

```nc:run effect:external
command -v signal-cli >/dev/null 2>&1 || bash setup/install-signal-cli.sh
```

### 2. Copy the adapter and its registration test

Fetch the `channels` branch and copy the Signal adapter and its registration test
into `src/channels/` (overwrite — the branch is canonical):

```nc:copy from-branch:channels
src/channels/signal.ts
src/channels/signal-registration.test.ts
```

### 3. Register the adapter

Append the self-registration import to the channel barrel (skipped if the line is
already present). This one line is the skill's only reach-in into core:

```nc:append to:src/channels/index.ts
import './signal.js';
```

### 4. Install the QR-rendering dependency

The device-link step renders the linking URL as a terminal QR via `qrcode`.
Pinned to exact versions — the supply-chain policy rejects ranges and `latest`:

```nc:dep
qrcode@1.5.4
@types/qrcode@1.5.6
```

The adapter itself consumes only Node.js builtins, so there is no adapter package
to install — `qrcode` is purely for rendering the link during setup.

### 5. Build and validate

Build first: it guards the adapter's typed core-API consumption. Then run the one
integration test.

```nc:run effect:build
pnpm run build
```
```nc:run effect:test
pnpm exec vitest run src/channels/signal-registration.test.ts
```

`signal-registration.test.ts` imports the real channel barrel and asserts the
registry contains `signal`. It goes red if the `import './signal.js';` line is
deleted or drifts, or if the barrel fails to evaluate — so the channel genuinely
would not register. The adapter has no npm dependency to guard; its typed
core-API consumption is covered by the build. End-to-end delivery against a real
Signal account is verified manually once the service runs.

## Link your Signal account

This is the whole credential step. signal-cli opens a device-link handshake,
prints a `sgnl://linkdevice…` URL, and renders it as a scannable QR. You scan it
once from the phone that already runs Signal; that phone's number becomes the
account NanoClaw sends and receives as — no number is registered.

The device-link runs signal-cli, so it must be reachable first — on `PATH`, or at
`$SIGNAL_CLI_PATH`. If step 1's install didn't land, the link step has nothing to
drive; confirm it's present before linking (re-run step 1 if this fails):

```nc:run effect:check
command -v signal-cli >/dev/null 2>&1 || [ -x "$SIGNAL_CLI_PATH" ]
```

Tell the user:

```nc:operator
Link NanoClaw to your Signal account:
1. On the phone that runs Signal, open Signal → Settings → Linked Devices → Link New Device.
2. Scan the QR code shown below — or open the `sgnl://linkdevice…` link printed under it on that phone.
3. Wait for confirmation. The linking URL expires after ~3 minutes; re-run this step for a fresh one.
```

Run the device-link. It blocks until you scan, then reports the linked phone
number back as the account — that number is both your owner handle and the
conversation address the wiring step needs:

```nc:run effect:step capture:platform_id=ACCOUNT,owner_handle=ACCOUNT
pnpm exec tsx setup/index.ts --step signal-auth
```

`owner_handle` and `platform_id` both come back as the bare phone number (e.g.
`+15551234567`). Your assistant reaches you through Signal's Note to Self, so the
owner conversation is addressed by your own number — not a per-contact UUID.

## Persist the account

Store the linked number so the adapter binds the right account on start, then sync
it into the container env:

```nc:env-set
SIGNAL_ACCOUNT={{platform_id}}
```
## Restart

Restart the service so it loads the Signal adapter and binds the account you just
linked, and wait for its CLI socket before wiring:

```nc:run effect:restart
bash setup/lib/restart.sh
```

## Wiring

### DMs

After the service starts, send any message to the Signal number from your
personal Signal app. The router auto-creates a `messaging_groups` row. Then:

```bash
pnpm exec tsx scripts/q.ts data/v2.db \
  "SELECT id, platform_id FROM messaging_groups WHERE channel_type='signal' ORDER BY created_at DESC LIMIT 5"
```

Pass the `id` to `/init-first-agent` or `/manage-channels` to wire it to an agent group.

### Groups

Add the Signal number to a group from your phone, send any message, then wire the resulting row the same way. Each group gets its own session with the default `shared` mode (one session per agent + messaging group). Create the wiring with `ncl` — **the host service must be running** (`ncl` connects to it over a Unix socket):

```bash
# Engage mode/pattern default to the Signal adapter's declared channel defaults
ncl wirings create --messaging-group-id mg-GROUPID --agent-group-id ag-AGENTID
```

### Grant user access

New Signal users (including the owner's Signal identity) are silently dropped with `not_member` until granted access. After the user's first message appears in `messaging_groups` (host service running):

```bash
ncl users create --id "signal:UUID" --kind signal --display-name "<name>"
ncl roles grant --user "signal:UUID" --role owner
ncl members add --user "signal:UUID" --group ag-AGENTID
```

Find the UUID from `messaging_groups.platform_id` or the `users` table.

## Next Steps

If you're in the middle of `/setup`, return to the setup flow now. Otherwise wire
this channel with `/init-first-agent` (or `/manage-channels`).

## Channel Info

- **type**: `signal`
- **terminology**: Signal has "chats" (1:1 DMs) and "groups." The owner reaches their own assistant through Note to Self.
- **platform-id-format**:
  - Owner DM (Note to Self): the bare phone number `+<number>` (e.g. `+15551234567`) — your own messages route back as inbound with `isFromMe`, addressed by your number.
  - Third-party DM: `signal:{UUID}` — the sender's Signal ACI, **not** their phone number.
  - Group: `signal:{base64GroupId}` — base64-encoded GroupV2 ID.
- **how-to-find-id**: The owner number comes back from the device-link step above. For third parties or groups, send a message to the bot, then query `messaging_groups`.
- **supports-threads**: no
- **typical-use**: Personal assistant via Signal DMs or small group chats
- **default-isolation**: One agent per Signal account. Multiple chats with the same operator can share an agent group; groups with other people should typically get their own agent group (the default `shared` session mode already gives each messaging group its own session).

### Features

- Markdown formatting — `**bold**`, `*italic*` / `_italic_`, `` `code` ``, ` ```code fence``` `, `~~strike~~`, `||spoiler||` (converted to Signal's offset-based text styles).
- Quoted replies — `replyTo*` fields populated from Signal quotes.
- Typing indicators — DMs only (Signal doesn't support group typing).
- Note to Self — messages you send to your own account from another device route to the agent as inbound with `isFromMe: true`.
- Voice attachments — detected but not transcribed by default; the agent receives a `[Voice Message]` placeholder. Run `/add-voice-transcription` for local transcription.

Not supported yet: outbound file attachments (logged and dropped), edit/delete messages, reactions.

## Alternatives

### Register a dedicated number instead of linking

The device-link above joins Signal as a *secondary device* on an existing number.
If you'd rather give the assistant its own number, register a dedicated SIM or
VoIP number that NanoClaw owns entirely. This path takes a captcha, an SMS (or
voice) verification, and an optional profile name.

> **VoIP numbers:** Signal requires SMS verification before voice. Some VoIP providers are blocked even for voice calls. If registration fails with an auth error, try a different provider or a physical SIM.

**Step 1: Solve the CAPTCHA**

Signal requires a CAPTCHA on first registration:

1. Open `https://signalcaptchas.org/registration/generate.html` in a browser
2. Solve the captcha
3. Right-click the **"Open Signal"** button → **Copy Link**
4. The link starts with `signalcaptcha://` — the token is everything after that prefix

**Step 2: Request SMS verification**

```bash
signal-cli -a +1YOURNUMBER register --captcha "PASTE_TOKEN_HERE"
```

**Step 3: Voice call fallback (if your number can't receive SMS)**

Wait ~60 seconds after the SMS request, then:

```bash
signal-cli -a +1YOURNUMBER register --voice --captcha "SAME_TOKEN"
```

Signal calls your number and reads a 6-digit code. The same captcha token is reusable — no need to solve a new one.

> You must request SMS first. Requesting voice immediately fails with `Invalid verification method: Before requesting voice verification…`

**Step 4: Verify**

```bash
signal-cli -a +1YOURNUMBER verify CODE
```

No output = success.

**Step 5: Set profile name (optional)**

> ⚠ Stop NanoClaw before running signal-cli commands — the daemon holds an exclusive lock on its data directory while running.

Run from your NanoClaw project root:

```bash
source setup/lib/install-slug.sh

# macOS
launchctl unload ~/Library/LaunchAgents/$(launchd_label).plist
signal-cli -a +1YOURNUMBER updateProfile --name "YourBotName"
# optionally: --avatar /path/to/avatar.jpg
launchctl load ~/Library/LaunchAgents/$(launchd_label).plist

# Linux
systemctl --user stop $(systemd_unit)
signal-cli -a +1YOURNUMBER updateProfile --name "YourBotName"
systemctl --user start $(systemd_unit)
```

Once registered, set `SIGNAL_ACCOUNT` to this number (as under **Persist the account** above) and restart the service.

## Optional configuration

These `.env` keys tune how NanoClaw talks to the signal-cli daemon. All are
optional — the defaults work for the device-link flow above.

```bash
# TCP daemon host and port (default: 127.0.0.1:7583)
SIGNAL_TCP_HOST=127.0.0.1
SIGNAL_TCP_PORT=7583

# Path to the signal-cli binary (default: resolved on PATH)
SIGNAL_CLI_PATH=/usr/local/bin/signal-cli

# Whether NanoClaw manages the daemon lifecycle (default: true).
# Set to false if you run signal-cli daemon externally.
SIGNAL_MANAGE_DAEMON=true

# signal-cli data directory (default: ~/.local/share/signal-cli)
SIGNAL_DATA_DIR=~/.local/share/signal-cli
```

**Security note:** keep the TCP host on `127.0.0.1`. The daemon has no auth — binding it to a public interface would expose your full Signal account to the network.

## Troubleshooting

### Daemon not reachable

```bash
grep "Signal" logs/nanoclaw.log | tail
```

If you see `Signal daemon failed to start. Is signal-cli installed and your account linked?`:
- Confirm `signal-cli` is on PATH (or set `SIGNAL_CLI_PATH`)
- Confirm the account is linked: `signal-cli -a +YOURNUMBER listIdentities` should succeed without prompting

If you see `Signal daemon not reachable at 127.0.0.1:7583` and `SIGNAL_MANAGE_DAEMON=false`, start the daemon yourself: `signal-cli -a +YOURNUMBER daemon --tcp 127.0.0.1:7583`.

### Bot not responding

1. Channel initialized: `grep "Signal channel connected" logs/nanoclaw.log | tail -1`
2. Channel wired: `pnpm exec tsx scripts/q.ts data/v2.db "SELECT mg.platform_id, mg.name FROM messaging_groups mg JOIN messaging_group_agents mga ON mg.id = mga.messaging_group_id WHERE mg.channel_type='signal'"`
3. Service running: `launchctl print gui/$(id -u)/"$(. setup/lib/install-slug.sh && launchd_label)"` (macOS) / `systemctl --user status "$(. setup/lib/install-slug.sh && systemd_unit)"` (Linux)
4. **Check for duplicate service instances** — if `logs/nanoclaw.error.log` shows `No adapter for channel type channelType="signal"` despite the adapter starting, two NanoClaw processes are racing. See the `/debug` skill section "No adapter for channel type / Messages silently lost" for the full fix.

### Messages delivered but never arrive (null platformMsgId)

Signal responses show `platformMsgId=undefined` in the main log. This means the delivery poll ran but found no adapter — likely a duplicate service instance issue (see above). Affected messages cannot be retried; the user must resend.

### Lost connection mid-session

If you see `Signal channel lost TCP connection to signal-cli daemon` in the logs, the daemon dropped the connection. Restart the service to re-establish.

### Messages dropped with `not_member`

The Signal user hasn't been granted membership. New Signal senders — including the owner's Signal identity — are gated until granted access. `/init-first-agent` grants the owner automatically; for other users, grant access as shown under **Grant user access** in the Wiring section (or via `/manage-channels`) after their first message appears in `messaging_groups`. This affects every new Signal user, since their Signal identity is a separate user record from their identity on other channels even if it's the same person.

### Captcha required

Signal requires a captcha for new registrations. Go to `https://signalcaptchas.org/registration/generate.html`, solve it, right-click "Open Signal", copy the link, extract the token after `signalcaptcha://`.

### `Invalid verification method: Before requesting voice verification…`

You must request SMS first, wait ~60 seconds, then request voice. Both steps can use the same captcha token.

### Config file in use / daemon lock

signal-cli holds an exclusive lock on its data directory while the daemon is running. Stop NanoClaw before running any `signal-cli` commands directly, then restart afterward.

### Group replies going to DM instead of group

Modern Signal groups use GroupV2. The adapter must extract the group ID from `envelope?.dataMessage?.groupV2?.id` — not `groupInfo?.groupId`, which is GroupV1/legacy. If group messages are routing as DMs, check `src/channels/signal.ts` and confirm the groupId extraction falls through to `groupV2.id`.

### QR / linking URL expired

The `sgnl://linkdevice…` URL (and the Path A registration captcha) expire after a few minutes. Re-run the device-link step to get a fresh QR.