# How to connect Candid to OpenClaw (no API keys) > Connect Candid to OpenClaw with ClawLink in one click — 6 tools your AI agent can call from chat via hosted OAuth. No API keys, no manual setup. Web version: https://claw-link.dev/openclaw/candid The usual route to Candid access for OpenClaw is an MCP server you configure and keep running, plus your own OAuth app or API keys. ClawLink gives OpenClaw a more practical Candid setup: install one ClawHub skill, connect Candid in the browser, and OpenClaw can call real Candid actions from any chat surface with no auth, token refresh, or tool wiring to build yourself. ## Setup It takes three steps to connect OpenClaw to Candid. 1. **Install ClawLink** — add the plugin to OpenClaw once. 2. **Connect Candid** — one-click OAuth in the ClawLink dashboard. 3. **Use it from chat** — ask OpenClaw in plain English. **Paste this into OpenClaw to set up ClawLink:** > I want to connect my apps to OpenClaw through ClawLink. > Please install the ClawLink plugin from ClawHub and enable it: `openclaw plugins install clawhub:clawlink-plugin` > When it is installed, tell me and stop. After I reply, give me the ClawLink pairing link. Setup notes, if you need them: https://claw-link.dev/skill.md **Alternative for any agent (no plugin needed):** if the OpenClaw plugin route isn't available or doesn't work, any AI agent with shell access can use the ClawLink CLI instead: ```bash npx -y @useclawlink/cli login # sign in via browser — no API key to paste npx -y @useclawlink/cli connect candid # connect Candid (browser OAuth) npx -y @useclawlink/cli actions candid # list available actions npx -y @useclawlink/cli run candid --input '' # execute (add --confirm for writes) ``` ### Install by command The setup prompt above does all of this in one paste. By hand, it is one install command plus a browser approval: ```bash openclaw plugins install clawhub:clawlink-plugin ``` Then ask OpenClaw to set up ClawLink. It starts browser pairing and prints an approval link — open it, approve the device, return to the chat, and say `done`. Finally, connect Candid in the [ClawLink dashboard](https://claw-link.dev/dashboard) — a one-click OAuth approval, no API keys. Verify the connection by asking OpenClaw: > Use Candid to mcp current date and walk me through the result in plain English. ### Using a different agent? The OpenClaw plugin is one client of ClawLink's MCP server. Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, or any agent that can run a shell command pairs with the same ClawLink account through the CLI: ```bash npx -y @useclawlink/cli login ``` `login` opens the same browser approval and stores a credential locally. Once Candid is connected in the dashboard, that agent calls the same 6 Candid tools over MCP. Full setup for MCP clients and shell agents: [connect apps to any AI agent](https://claw-link.dev/learn/connect-apps-to-any-ai-agent). ## Candid MCP for OpenClaw Looking for a Candid MCP server for OpenClaw? ClawLink connects Candid to OpenClaw and exposes 6 Candid tools your agent can call over [MCP](https://claw-link.dev/learn/what-is-an-mcp-server), with [hosted auth](https://claw-link.dev/learn/oauth-for-ai-agents) and nothing to run or maintain yourself. Using Hermes instead? The [Hermes Candid integration](https://claw-link.dev/hermes/candid) works the same way. ## What the OpenClaw Candid integration can do 6 Candid tools are ready for OpenClaw once the account is connected. ### All 6 Candid tools for OpenClaw | Tool | What it does | |---|---| | **Mcp current date** `candid_mcp_current_date` | Get the current day to reference for any time-sensitive data requests | | **Mcp identify locations** `candid_mcp_identify_locations` | Uses natural language processing to find and match named geographies found in the supplied text | | **Mcp identify mentioned organizations** `candid_mcp_identify_mentioned_organizations` | Resolve and link organization names to official Candid nonprofit profiles | | **Mcp knowledge resources** `candid_mcp_knowledge_resources` | Get answers to questions about the social and philanthropic sector directly fom Candid's | | **Mcp search organizations** `candid_mcp_search_organizations` | Find nonprofits and grantmaking organizations in Candid's database by name, mission, EIN | | **Mcp taxonomy terms** `candid_mcp_taxonomy_terms` | Uses natural language processing to align input text to Candid's taxonomy, the Philanthropy | ## Example prompts **Mcp Current Date** > Use Candid to mcp current date and walk me through the result in plain English. **Mcp Identify Locations** > Use Candid to mcp identify locations and walk me through the result in plain English. **Mcp Identify Mentioned Organizations** > Use Candid to mcp identify mentioned organizations and walk me through the result in plain English. **Mcp Knowledge Resources** > Use Candid to mcp knowledge resources and walk me through the result in plain English. ## ClawLink vs. building it yourself The alternative to ClawLink is usually manual OAuth app setup plus your own token handling, permission troubleshooting, and tool plumbing for OpenClaw. That is fine if you want to build and maintain the integration yourself. Most teams just want Candid working from chat. | | Manual | ClawLink | |---|---|---| | **Connection flow** | Register a Candid app, configure redirect URLs, manage consent details, and reconnect users when auth settings drift. | Users connect Candid through the hosted browser flow and ClawLink keeps the token lifecycle out of your app code. | | **Ongoing maintenance** | You own refresh logic, permission debugging, environment config, and every provider-specific edge case for Candid. | ClawLink handles the repetitive integration plumbing so your team can focus on the workflow instead of the infrastructure. | | **Agent usability** | You still need to expose the right Candid actions to the runtime in a format your agent can reliably use. | 6 tools for Candid are already exposed through ClawLink, so the agent can read and act from chat immediately. | ## ClawLink vs. Composio Composio also exposes Candid to AI agents. It is developer infrastructure: Python and TypeScript SDKs, an MCP server, and a catalog past 1,000 apps, aimed at teams shipping agent products. ClawLink is built for OpenClaw users instead. You install the plugin once, connect Candid in the browser, and the 6 tools above work from chat. There is no SDK, no config file, and no API key handling. Choosing between them? Read the full [Composio alternatives](https://claw-link.dev/hub/composio-alternatives) comparison. ### OpenClaw installed the Candid skill but can't call the tools The ClawHub skill teaches OpenClaw about Candid, but the calls run through the ClawLink plugin and your connected account. Make sure Candid is connected in the dashboard, then start a fresh chat so OpenClaw reloads the tool catalog. If OpenClaw runs as a persistent gateway, restart it so the new tools register. ### Connection succeeds but no tools appear Reconnect Candid from the dashboard, then start a fresh chat if the runtime still has the old tool catalog loaded. ### "Tool schema not loaded yet" error when calling Candid tools Candid tool schemas load on demand the first time a tool runs and are cached after that, so this error usually clears on its own: wait a few seconds and retry the same request. If every Candid call keeps failing with it in a fresh chat, reconnect from the dashboard, and contact support if it still persists — that pattern points to a configuration problem on our side, not something you can fix by reconnecting again. ### Candid returns 403 or "permission denied" on one action while others work Two usual causes. The connected account may not have access to the specific workspace, inbox, store, or project in the request — check that first. If access looks right, the agent may have sent a placeholder value (like "YOUR_ID" or an example id from documentation) instead of a real one: ask it to run a list or search tool first, then retry the action with a real id from those results. Most failures at this stage are one of these two, not ClawLink bugs. ### OAuth finished in the browser but the account is still missing Try reconnecting Candid and complete the consent flow in the same browser session. Partial OAuth approvals or switching accounts mid-flow can leave the connection incomplete. ### Is there a OpenClaw Candid integration? Yes. ClawLink is the fastest way to connect OpenClaw to Candid: link your Candid account once in the browser and OpenClaw can call the Candid API through 6 ready-made tools — no custom code or token handling. ### How do I add Candid to OpenClaw with ClawLink? Paste the setup prompt from this page into OpenClaw. It installs the ClawLink Candid skill from ClawHub, then you click Connect in the dashboard to authorize Candid. OpenClaw calls the tools from the next message — no config files or API keys to manage. ### How long does it take to connect Candid to OpenClaw? About two minutes. Sign in, click Connect next to Candid in the dashboard, authenticate, and OpenClaw can use it from the next chat message. ### Why use ClawLink instead of wiring Candid up myself? The alternative to ClawLink is usually manual OAuth app setup plus your own token handling, permission troubleshooting, and tool plumbing for OpenClaw. That is fine if you want to build and maintain the integration yourself. Most teams just want Candid working from chat. ### OpenClaw installed the Candid skill but can't call the tools The ClawHub skill teaches OpenClaw about Candid, but the calls run through the ClawLink plugin and your connected account. Make sure Candid is connected in the dashboard, then start a fresh chat so OpenClaw reloads the tool catalog. If OpenClaw runs as a persistent gateway, restart it so the new tools register. ## Related - [Connect DataRobot](https://claw-link.dev/openclaw/datarobot) — DataRobot is a machine learning platform that automates model building, deployment, and monitoring, enabling organizations to derive predictive insights from large datasets. - [Chatbotkit tools](https://claw-link.dev/openclaw/chatbotkit) — ChatBotKit is a platform that enables developers to build and manage AI-powered chatbots, offering comprehensive APIs and SDKs for seamless integration into applications. - [Just One API tools](https://claw-link.dev/openclaw/just-one-api) — Just One API provides unified access to public social media, creator, entertainment, and ecommerce data across hundreds of metered endpoints.