2026-08-07 · NextClaw v0.28.1

Published: 2026-08-07 Tags: release npm patch

NextClaw v0.28.1 shortens the path from installation to the first conversation. Fresh installations now include OpenCode Zen free-trial models, with no API key required before sending the first message. Chat input, sidebar navigation, and message rendering are also clearer and more stable.

Features

• Fresh installations enable OpenCode Zen Free Trial and select big-pickle as the initial model. Open a task and send the first message immediately.
• The model selector includes seven currently verified free-trial models. Existing provider, model, and API key configuration remains unchanged.

Enhancements

• The welcome screen and chat input toolbar are simpler, with more consistent feedback for skills, models, image attachments, inline tokens, and rich-text selections.
• The conversation sidebar stays stable across time, project, and other views without leaving a stale conversation selected. The add-project action is also easier to recognize.
• Conversation-list previews for reasoning, tool calls, run failures, and interrupted work now follow the interface language.

Fixes

• Fixed occasional overlapping or duplicated chat records when concurrent messages finish, and removed stray text left by silent replies.
• Conversation content now fades more naturally above the composer, while global completion notifications remain fully opaque on hover.

Defaults and Compatibility

• Existing configuration requires no migration. OpenCode Zen free trials use a public gateway, so models, quotas, and availability may change; do not send sensitive or confidential information.
• Existing npm installations can update through the stable channel or reinstall nextclaw@latest.

Learn more: Install NextClaw · Model selection and configuration