refactor(cli): remove bundled cli text providers

Author: steipete

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
 - Agents/tool prompts: remove the duplicate in-band tool inventory from agent system prompts so tool-calling models rely on the structured tool definitions as the single source of truth, improving prompt stability and reducing stale tool guidance.
 - Agents/cache: diagnostics: add prompt-cache break diagnostics, trace live cache scenarios through embedded runner paths, and show cache reuse explicitly in `openclaw status --verbose`. Thanks @vincentkoc.
 - Agents/cache: stabilize cache-relevant system prompt fingerprints by normalizing equivalent structured prompt whitespace, line endings, hook-added system context, and runtime capability ordering so semantically unchanged prompts reuse KV/cache more reliably. Thanks @vincentkoc.
+- Providers/CLI: remove bundled CLI text-provider backends and the `agents.defaults.cliBackends` surface, while keeping ACP harness sessions and Gemini media understanding on the native bundled providers.
 - Providers/OpenAI Codex: add forward-compat `openai-codex/gpt-5.4-mini` synthesis across provider runtime, model catalog, and model listing so Codex mini works before bundled Pi catalog updates land.
 - Providers/OpenAI: add an opt-in GPT personality and move GPT-5 prompt tuning onto provider-owned system-prompt contributions so cache-stable guidance stays above the prompt cache boundary and embedded runner paths reuse the same provider-specific prompt behavior.
 - Docs/IRC: replace public IRC hostname examples with `irc.example.com` and recommend private servers for bot coordination while listing common public networks for intentional use.

docs/cli/gateway.md

@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@ Notes:
 - `--reset`: reset dev config + credentials + sessions + workspace (requires `--dev`).
 - `--force`: kill any existing listener on the selected port before starting.
 - `--verbose`: verbose logs.
-- `--cli-backend-logs`: only show CLI backend logs in the console (and enable stdout/stderr).
 - `--ws-log <auto|full|compact>`: websocket log style (default `auto`).
 - `--compact`: alias for `--ws-log compact`.
 - `--raw-stream`: log raw model stream events to jsonl.

docs/cli/index.md

@@ -501,7 +501,7 @@ Options:
   `openrouter-api-key`, `kilocode-api-key`, `litellm-api-key`, `ai-gateway-api-key`,
   `cloudflare-ai-gateway-api-key`, `moonshot-api-key`, `moonshot-api-key-cn`,
   `kimi-code-api-key`, `synthetic-api-key`, `venice-api-key`, `together-api-key`,
-  `huggingface-api-key`, `apiKey`, `gemini-api-key`, `google-gemini-cli`, `zai-api-key`,
+  `huggingface-api-key`, `apiKey`, `gemini-api-key`, `zai-api-key`,
   `zai-coding-global`, `zai-coding-cn`, `zai-global`, `zai-cn`, `xiaomi-api-key`,
   `minimax-global-oauth`, `minimax-global-api`, `minimax-cn-oauth`, `minimax-cn-api`,
   `opencode-zen`, `opencode-go`, `github-copilot`, `copilot-proxy`, `xai-api-key`,
@@ -1353,7 +1353,6 @@ Options:
 - `--reset` (reset dev config + credentials + sessions + workspace)
 - `--force` (kill existing listener on port)
 - `--verbose`
-- `--cli-backend-logs`
 - `--ws-log <auto|full|compact>`
 - `--compact` (alias for `--ws-log compact`)
 - `--raw-stream`

docs/concepts/model-providers.md

@@ -163,11 +163,9 @@ Current bundled examples:
   normalization (`input` / `output` and `prompt` / `completion` families), the
   shared `openai-responses-defaults` stream family for native OpenAI/Codex
   wrappers, and provider-family metadata
-- `google` and `google-gemini-cli`: Gemini 3.1 forward-compat fallback,
-  native Gemini replay validation, bootstrap replay sanitation, tagged
-  reasoning-output mode, and modern-model matching; Gemini CLI OAuth also owns
-  auth-profile token formatting, usage-token parsing, and quota endpoint
-  fetching for usage surfaces
+- `google`: Gemini 3.1 forward-compat fallback, native Gemini replay
+  validation, bootstrap replay sanitation, tagged reasoning-output mode, and
+  modern-model matching
 - `moonshot`: shared transport, plugin-owned thinking payload normalization
 - `kilocode`: shared transport, plugin-owned request headers, reasoning payload
   normalization, proxy-Gemini thought-signature sanitation, and cache-TTL
@@ -331,21 +329,10 @@ OpenClaw ships with the pi‑ai catalog. These providers require **no**
   (or legacy `cached_content`) to forward a provider-native
   `cachedContents/...` handle; Gemini cache hits surface as OpenClaw `cacheRead`
 
-### Google Vertex and Gemini CLI
-
-- Providers: `google-vertex`, `google-gemini-cli`
-- Auth: Vertex uses gcloud ADC; Gemini CLI uses its OAuth flow
-- Caution: Gemini CLI OAuth in OpenClaw is an unofficial integration. Some users have reported Google account restrictions after using third-party clients. Review Google terms and use a non-critical account if you choose to proceed.
-- Gemini CLI OAuth is shipped as part of the bundled `google` plugin.
-  - Install Gemini CLI first:
-    - `brew install gemini-cli`
-    - or `npm install -g @google/gemini-cli`
-  - Enable: `openclaw plugins enable google`
-  - Login: `openclaw models auth login --provider google-gemini-cli --set-default`
-  - Default model: `google-gemini-cli/gemini-3.1-pro-preview`
-  - Note: you do **not** paste a client id or secret into `openclaw.json`. The CLI login flow stores
-    tokens in auth profiles on the gateway host.
-  - If requests fail after login, set `GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT` or `GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT_ID` on the gateway host.
+### Google Vertex
+
+- Provider: `google-vertex`
+- Auth: gcloud ADC
   - Gemini CLI JSON replies are parsed from `response`; usage falls back to
     `stats`, with `stats.cached` normalized into OpenClaw `cacheRead`.
 

docs/docs.json

@@ -1360,7 +1360,6 @@
                       "gateway/openai-http-api",
                       "gateway/openresponses-http-api",
                       "gateway/tools-invoke-http-api",
-                      "gateway/cli-backends",
                       "gateway/local-models"
                     ]
                   },