feat: add Claude Code channels as alternative backend

[ngmaloney]

Summary

Adds Claude Code channels as a second backend option alongside OpenClaw. ClawChat can now connect to a Claude Code instance running with a custom MCP channel server, using the Max subscription instead of requiring an OpenClaw gateway.

What changed

src/lib/gateway-client.ts

• Added BackendType ('openclaw' | 'channel') and backend field to GatewayClientOptions
• New handler for connect.welcome event — channel servers use this simplified handshake instead of OpenClaw's connect.challenge → Ed25519 → hello-ok flow
• OpenClaw flow is completely untouched — the channel path is additive

src/components/ConnectScreen.tsx

• Replaced single connect form with tabbed interface: OpenClaw | Claude Channels
• Each backend maintains its own URL and token state (switching tabs doesn't clobber values)
• SSH tunnel toggle only shows for OpenClaw (channels connect directly)
• Token is optional for channel backend (server may not require auth)
• Defaults: OpenClaw → ws://localhost:18789, Channels → ws://tc1.home.wrox.us:9700

src/App.tsx

• Credentials now include backend type
• Channel credentials persisted separately (channelUrl/channelToken vs gatewayUrl/token)
• Auto-connect on launch loads the correct credentials based on last-used backend

src/hooks/useGateway.ts

• Passes backend through to GatewayClient
• Allows empty token for channel backend (doesn't block client creation)

README.md

• Updated tagline and intro to mention both backends
• Added full Claude Channels setup guide: Docker compose, channel server, MCP config, first-time container setup, launching Claude with channels, and optional personality via CLAUDE.md
• Restructured "Connecting" section with separate instructions per backend

How it works

The channel server is an MCP server that runs as a subprocess of Claude Code. It has two interfaces:

• stdio → talks to Claude Code (MCP channel notifications)
• WebSocket → talks to ClawChat (same req/res/event protocol)

ClawChat ──WebSocket──→ Channel Server (MCP + WS)
                            │ stdio
                            ▼
                        Claude Code (interactive, with --dangerously-load-development-channels)

When ClawChat sends a chat.send request:

1. Channel server acks immediately with a runId
2. Sends notifications/claude/channel to Claude via MCP
3. Claude processes the message and calls the send_reply tool
4. Channel server broadcasts the reply as a chat event (state: final) with the matching runId
5. ClawChat displays the response

What's NOT changed

• OpenClaw gateway flow — zero changes to handshake, crypto, protocol, or behavior
• useChat.ts — no changes needed, both backends emit the same event format
• useSessions.ts — channel server implements sessions.list compatibly
• All existing tests pass unchanged
• MessageBubble, MessageInput, ChatView, Dashboard — all unchanged

Known limitations

• No streaming deltas from channels — Claude's response arrives as a single final event (not incremental deltas). The response appears all at once rather than streaming word-by-word.
• Channel server requires Claude Code running interactively (in tmux) with --dangerously-load-development-channels — this is a research preview feature
• The dev channels warning prompt must be accepted manually after each container restart
• Single conversation per Claude Code instance (no multi-session support yet)

Test plan

• Select OpenClaw tab → enter gateway URL + token → Connect → verify full chat flow with streaming deltas
• Select Claude Channels tab → enter channel server URL → Connect → verify chat flow with final responses
• Switch between tabs → verify URL/token fields are independent and don't clobber each other
• Connect to channels → disconnect → reconnect → verify auto-reconnect works
• Verify saved credentials load correctly on app restart for both backends
• Run npm test — all 12 tests pass
• Run npx tsc --noEmit — clean build

🤖 Generated with Claude Code