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How to Install OpenClaw

| Weihao Ming

A friend asked me last week how to install OpenClaw and I realized my answer depended entirely on who was asking. A developer comfortable with the terminal? Five minutes. Someone who has never used Docker? Maybe an hour, maybe more, and possibly a frustrating one. The install itself is not hard, but “not hard” means different things to different people.

So here are three paths, ordered from most hands-on to least.

npm install (local or server)

If you have Node.js 18+ on your machine, this is the fastest route.

npm install -g openclaw
openclaw init

The init command walks you through configuration: your AI API key (Anthropic, OpenAI, etc.), your messaging channel (Telegram is most common), and basic preferences. After that, run openclaw start and you are live.

The catch is that OpenClaw needs to stay running. If you close your laptop or the process crashes, the agent stops. For anything beyond testing, you want it on a machine that stays on. A VPS running Ubuntu works well. So does a Mac Mini sitting on a shelf.

Docker is the recommended method for production. It handles dependencies, isolation, and restarts.

docker pull openclaw/openclaw:latest
docker run -d --restart unless-stopped \
  -e ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your_key \
  -e TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN=your_bot_token \
  openclaw/openclaw:latest

You will need to create a Telegram bot through BotFather first and grab the token. The Telegram guide covers that step by step.

And you will probably want a reverse proxy (Nginx or Caddy) for HTTPS, which Telegram requires for webhooks. Most VPS tutorials cover this, but it does add 15-20 minutes to the setup if you haven’t done it before.

Skip the install entirely

Maybe you do not want to manage a server. That is a reasonable position, and more people land there than you might expect given how the developer community talks about self-hosting as a default.

Managed OpenClaw services handle everything: the server, Docker, networking, updates, monitoring. You sign up, connect your API key, and start messaging your agent.

OpenClaw Cloud works through Telegram directly. No terminal, no SSH, no config files. You connect your API key inside the Telegram chat and the agent is ready in about three minutes. The beta is $25/month and includes zero-access architecture so your data stays private.

Which method is right?

If you are a developer who wants control, go with Docker on a VPS. Budget an hour for the initial setup and 30 minutes a month for maintenance.

If you want OpenClaw running today without touching infrastructure, a managed service gets you there faster. Join the waitlist if that sounds right, or check the platform-specific guides for Mac and Ubuntu.

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