Issue

Tool streaming does not work in webchat. Terminal output is only shown after command completes, not in real-time.

Expected Behavior

When running exec commands, output should stream in real-time as the command produces it.

Actual Behavior

• Backend: spawn is used, emitUpdate() is called
• Framework: tool_execution_update events are produced
• Frontend/WebSocket: Only tool_execution_end is sent (bulk output)
• Result: User sees output only after completion, not streaming

Impact

• Long-running commands appear to "freeze" the UI
• Real-time feedback is missing
• User experience is degraded

Environment

• OpenClaw version: 2026.1.29
• Channel: webchat
• Node version: v22.22.0
• OS: Linux 6.14.0-37-generic (x64)

Test Cases

Tested with multiple commands:

• Simple loops with sleep
• Long-running processes
• All show bulk output, no streaming

Workaround

Background exec + process log pattern:

exec(command, background: true)
process log(sessionId)

This provides real-time output but requires manual work.

Additional Notes

• Backend analysis confirmed spawn + emitUpdate() is working correctly
• Framework produces tool_execution_update events
• These events are not streamed to frontend via WebSocket
• Only tool_execution_end event is received by frontend
• This appears to be a frontend/websocket implementation issue, not a backend tool issue