Qwen Code Skill (background-first)

Use bash background mode for non-interactive coding work with Qwen Code CLI.

The Pattern: workdir + background

# Start Qwen Code in target directory
bash workdir:~/project background:true yieldMs:30000 command:"qwen -p 'Build a Flask API'"
# Returns sessionId for tracking

# Monitor progress
process action:log sessionId:XXX

# Check if done
process action:poll sessionId:XXX

# Send input (if Qwen asks a question)
process action:write sessionId:XXX data:"y"

# Kill if needed
process action:kill sessionId:XXX

Why workdir matters: Agent wakes up in a focused directory, doesn't wander off reading unrelated files.

Quick Start

Prerequisites

# Install Qwen Code CLI
npm install -g @qwen-code/qwen-code@latest

# Verify installation
qwen --version

# Authenticate (Option 1: OAuth)
qwen auth login

# Or Option 2: API Key
export DASHSCOPE_API_KEY="sk-xxx"

Basic Usage

# Check status
scripts/qwen-code.js status

# Run a task
scripts/qwen-code.js run "Create a Flask API"

# Code review
scripts/qwen-code.js review src/app.ts

# Headless mode (JSON output)
scripts/qwen-code.js headless "Analyze code" -o json

Commands

OpenClaw Integration

Background Execution

# Basic task
bash workdir:~/project background:true yieldMs:30000 \
  command:"qwen -p 'Create Python Flask API'"

# Specify model
bash workdir:~/project background:true yieldMs:30000 \
  command:"qwen -p 'Analyze code structure' -m qwen3-coder-plus"

# YOLO mode (auto-approve)
bash workdir:~/project background:true yieldMs:30000 \
  command:"qwen -p 'Refactor this function' -y"

Process Management

# View logs
process action:log sessionId:XXX

# Check completion
process action:poll sessionId:XXX

# Send input (if Qwen asks)
process action:write sessionId:XXX data:"y"

Headless Mode (Automation/CI/CD)

# JSON output
qwen -p "Analyze code structure" --output-format json

# Pipeline operations
git diff | qwen -p "Generate commit message"

# Batch processing
find src -name "*.ts" | xargs -I {} qwen -p "Review {}"

Models

Qwen Code supports Alibaba Cloud models:

• qwen3.5-plus - General purpose (default)
• qwen3-coder-plus - Coding specialized
• qwen3-coder-next - Latest coding model
• qwen3-max-2026-01-23 - Most capable

Specify model:

bash workdir:~/project background:true yieldMs:30000 \
  command:"qwen -p 'Refactor this' -m qwen3-coder-plus"

Authentication

OAuth (Recommended)

qwen auth login

Opens browser for OAuth flow. Token auto-refreshes.

API Key

export DASHSCOPE_API_KEY="sk-xxx"

Get key from: https://dashscope.console.aliyun.com/

⚠️ Rules

1. Respect tool choice — if user asks for Qwen, use Qwen. NEVER offer to build it yourself!
2. Be patient — don't kill sessions because they're "slow"
3. Monitor with process:log — check progress without interfering
4. YOLO mode for building — --yolo auto-approves changes (use in workspace only)
5. Review mode for safety — production code should use review mode
6. Parallel is OK — run many Qwen processes at once for batch work
7. NEVER start Qwen in ~/clawd/ — it'll read your soul docs! Use target project dir or /tmp
8. Workspace safety — YOLO mode is safe in agents.defaults.workspace, not elsewhere

For

• Developers using Qwen Code for programming tasks
• Teams needing code review and analysis
• Automation scripts and CI/CD integration
• OpenClaw Sub-Agent and Skills management
• Batch code analysis and refactoring

Not For

• Environments without Qwen Code CLI installed
• GUI-based interaction requirements
• Non-Alibaba Cloud LLM users
• Offline environments (requires network connection)

Security & Boundaries

⚠️ Security Notes

• This Skill does not execute code directly, only calls Qwen Code CLI
• All code generation and modifications require user confirmation
• Use review mode in production environments
• Disable YOLO mode for sensitive projects

Examples

See assets/examples/ for complete examples:

References

• 📖 Qwen Code Official Docs
• 📝 Command Reference
• 📦 Example Code
• 🦌 OpenClaw Documentation

Troubleshooting

"qwen: command not found"

npm install -g @qwen-code/qwen-code@latest

"Authentication required"

qwen auth login
# Or set API key
export DASHSCOPE_API_KEY="sk-xxx"

Session stuck/waiting for input

# Check what Qwen is asking
process action:log sessionId:XXX

# Send approval
process action:write sessionId:XXX data:"y"

Kill stuck session

process action:kill sessionId:XXX

Qwen Code Skill 🦌 - Your AI coding partner powered by Alibaba Cloud