Reinventing.AI
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OpenClaw Guides

Installing OpenClaw

Complete installation guide for macOS, Linux, and Windows. Get OpenClaw running on your machine in 10 minutes or less.

System Requirements

  • Operating System: macOS, Linux, or Windows (WSL2 strongly recommended for Windows)
  • Node.js: Version 22 or higher
  • Git: For cloning the repository (optional if using npm)
  • RAM: Minimum 4GB, 8GB+ recommended
  • Disk Space: At least 2GB free

Method 1: NPM Installation (Recommended)

The fastest way to get OpenClaw running is via npm. This installs the latest stable release globally on your system.

Step 1: Install OpenClaw

npm install -g openclaw@latest

Or if you prefer pnpm:

pnpm add -g openclaw@latest

Step 2: Run the Onboarding Wizard

OpenClaw includes an interactive setup wizard that guides you through configuration:

openclaw onboard --install-daemon

The wizard will help you:

  • Set up your workspace directory
  • Configure AI model providers (OpenRouter, Anthropic, OpenAI)
  • Connect messaging channels
  • Install the system daemon for auto-start

Method 2: From Source (Development)

For developers who want to customize OpenClaw or contribute to the project, install from source:

Step 1: Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw.gitcd openclaw

Step 2: Install Dependencies

pnpm installpnpm ui:buildpnpm build

Step 3: Run the Onboarding Wizard

pnpm openclaw onboard --install-daemon

Platform-Specific Notes

macOS

OpenClaw includes a native macOS menu bar app with voice control, Canvas UI, and system integration. The daemon runs via launchd.

Install menu bar app:

cd platforms/mac && pnpm install && pnpm build

Linux

OpenClaw runs as a systemd user service on Linux. The daemon auto-starts on login.

Check daemon status:

openclaw status

Windows (WSL2)

For Windows users, WSL2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux) is strongly recommended. Native Windows support is experimental.

  1. Install WSL2 with Ubuntu
  2. Install Node.js 22+ inside WSL
  3. Follow the Linux installation steps

Verifying Installation

After installation, verify OpenClaw is working:

openclaw --versionopenclaw statusopenclaw doctor

The openclaw doctor command checks your configuration for common issues and suggests fixes.

Starting the Gateway

The Gateway is OpenClaw's control plane that manages sessions, channels, and tools. Start it manually:

openclaw gateway start

Or run in verbose mode for debugging:

openclaw gateway --port 18789 --verbose

If you installed the daemon with --install-daemon, the Gateway starts automatically on boot.

Common Issues

Node.js Version Error

OpenClaw requires Node.js 22 or higher. Check your version:

node --version

Update Node.js using nodejs.org or nvm.

Permission Errors

If you encounter permission errors during npm install, avoid using sudo. Instead, configure npm to use a user-owned directory.

Gateway Won't Start

Check if another process is using port 18789:

lsof -i :18789

Kill the conflicting process or configure a different port in your config.

Next Steps