PR #69421: update: skip package install when already on target version (#69412)

• Repository: openclaw/openclaw
• Author: sk7n4k3d
• State: open | merged: False
• Link: https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/pull/69421

Description (problem / solution / changelog)

Summary

Fixes #69412. When openclaw update runs on a package install and the running version already matches the resolved channel target, the command short-circuits before invoking the global package manager. Without this guard, npm i -g openclaw@latest (or the pnpm/bun equivalent) is executed even when the install would be a no-op, which takes 20-60 seconds, triggers network traffic, and occasionally rewrites node_modules with no user-visible change.

Behavior

• Package-mode runs where currentVersion === targetVersion, no --tag, no install-kind switch, and the tag is registry-resolvable → log Already on <version> (<channel>). Nothing to update. and exit 0.
• --json output emits { status: "skipped", reason: "already-on-target", mode: "package", currentVersion, targetVersion, channel, tag, installKind, root }.
• --tag <version> always reinstalls (same behavior as before, so operators who want to force a reinstall still can).
• Git installs, mode switches (switchToGit/switchToPackage), and non-registry specs fall through to the existing flow unchanged.

Implementation

• src/cli/update-cli/update-command.ts: early-exit block inserted after the package runtime preflight, before the "Updating OpenClaw…" header. Gated on updateInstallKind === "package" && !switchToPackage && !switchToGit && !explicitTag && canResolveRegistryVersionForPackageTarget(tag) with a compareSemverStrings equality check.
• src/cli/update-cli.test.ts: three regression cases — text mode short-circuit, JSON mode payload shape, explicit --tag still reinstalls.
• CHANGELOG.md: entry under Unreleased → Fixes.

Verification

• pnpm test src/cli/update-cli.test.ts → 49 passing (3 new).
• pnpm check:changed → green for this diff; pre-existing failures on extensions/browser/src/browser/chrome.internal.test.ts (Chrome not installed in sandbox) and test/ui.presenter-next-run.test.ts (French locale) are unrelated.

Test plan

• Unit: pnpm test src/cli/update-cli.test.ts
• Typecheck + lint via pnpm check:changed on touched files
• Manual: openclaw update while already on @latest → expect Already on <v>... and exit 0 without calling npm
• Manual: openclaw update --json same scenario → expect structured status:"skipped" payload
• Manual: openclaw update --tag <current-version> → still reinstalls

Disclosure: this patch was drafted with AI assistance; manual review applied.

Changed files

• CHANGELOG.md (modified, +1/-0)
• src/cli/update-cli.test.ts (modified, +77/-0)
• src/cli/update-cli/update-command.ts (modified, +40/-0)