Practical guide

OpenClaw Installation and Model API Setup Guide

A practical OpenClaw guide covering the runtime, model API setup, permission and key management, basic workflows and pre-deployment checks.

What is OpenClaw?

The fastest-growing open-source personal AI assistant (243K Stars)

Your Personal AI Assistant

OpenClaw is a completely free, open-source (MIT License) personal AI assistant created by Peter Steinberger (@steipete). As of March 2026: 243,000+ GitHub Stars, 47,000+ Forks, 944 contributors, 56 releases.

"At this point I don't even know what to call OpenClaw. It is something new." — @davemorin

What Can It Do?

OpenClaw is not a chatbot — it's a real AI assistant that actually does things: clears your inbox, sends emails, manages your calendar, checks you in for flights. All from channels you already use.

•14+ messaging platforms — WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, Google Chat, Signal, iMessage, Microsoft Teams, Matrix, Zalo, WebChat
•Browser control — Browse web, fill forms, take screenshots, extract data via CDP
•Full system access — Read/write files, run shell commands, execute scripts
•Voice interaction — Voice Wake + Talk Mode on macOS/iOS/Android with ElevenLabs
•Live Canvas — AI-driven visual workspace with A2UI
•Cron & Heartbeat — Background automation without manual triggers
•Skills & plugins — ClawHub 5,700+ community skills

Officially Recommended Models

OpenClaw strongly recommends Anthropic Pro/Max (100/200) + Claude Opus 4.6 for long-context strength and better prompt-injection resistance.

Provider	Model ID	Notes
Anthropic	`anthropic/claude-opus-4-6`	Officially recommended
Anthropic	`anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-5`	Great value option
OpenAI	`openai/gpt-5.1-codex`	Strong coding capabilities
OpenAI	`openai-codex/gpt-5.3-codex`	Latest Codex model
Google	`google/gemini-3-pro-preview`	Gemini 3 Pro Preview
Venice AI	`venice/claude-opus-45`	Venice best performance
MiniMax	`minimax/minimax-m2.1`	Community recommended budget pick
Ollama	Llama, Qwen, Mistral, etc.	Run locally, completely free

Need Claude API without an international credit card? Get API top-up services through Neuronicx with Alipay, WeChat Pay & more.

Deploy OpenClaw in 10 Minutes

Based on official docs at docs.openclaw.ai

Step 1: Prepare Environment

Requirements: macOS 13+, Ubuntu 22.04+, or Windows 11 (WSL2 strongly recommended). Install Node.js 22+. Minimum 2GB RAM, 4GB+ recommended.

Step 2: Install OpenClaw

Recommended one-liner: curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash (auto-installs Node.js). Or: npm install -g openclaw@latest / pnpm add -g openclaw@latest.

Step 3: Run Onboard Wizard

Run openclaw onboard --install-daemon for the interactive setup wizard. Supports quickstart (minimal prompts) and manual (full configuration) modes.

Step 4: Configure AI Model

Officially recommended: anthropic/claude-opus-4-6. Get API Key at console.anthropic.com. Also supports OpenAI Codex, Gemini, Ollama local models. Use Neuronicx for API top-up without international card.

Step 5: Connect Messaging

WhatsApp: openclaw channels login to pair. Telegram: set Bot Token. Discord/Slack: configure Bot Token. 14+ platforms supported, plus built-in WebChat.

Step 6: Start Using

Test with openclaw agent --message "Ship checklist". Open Gateway dashboard at http://127.0.0.1:18789/. Chat through connected platforms — your personal AI assistant is ready!

OpenClaw Install Commands

Copy & paste (source: openclaw.ai official docs)

# macOS / Linux (recommended, auto-installs Node.js)
curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash

# Windows (PowerShell)
iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex

# Run onboard wizard (installs Gateway daemon)
openclaw onboard --install-daemon

View OpenAI Docs →

Check Before You Act or Buy

Use the current listing, official documentation and actual account state

Confirm the Service Type

Distinguish a membership, API credits and software access before ordering.

Check Account Eligibility

Review the account region, current plan, sign-in method and applicable restrictions.

Review Current Terms

Confirm price, term, quota, delivery steps and available payment methods on the listing.

Confirm Support Scope

Use the listing, help center and order notes for the current support scope and hours.

OpenClaw Interface & Ecosystem

Features showcased on openclaw.ai

Gateway Dashboard

Centralized control at 127.0.0.1:18789

14+ Platforms

WhatsApp/Telegram/Discord/Slack

Browser Control

CDP protocol automation

ClawHub Skills

5,700+ community skills

CLI Commands

openclaw agent/gateway

Multi-Model

Claude/GPT/Gemini/Ollama

Video Tutorials

Follow along to set up OpenClaw

OpenClaw 2026 Setup Tutorial

OpenClaw for Beginners (No Jargon)

OpenClaw Automation in Action

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about OpenClaw

The software is completely free and open source (MIT License at github.com/openclaw/openclaw). AI API calls cost money (~$5-10/month for light use). Use Ollama for free local models.

Use the Neuronicx platform for Claude API, OpenAI API, Gemini API top-up services. We currently accept USDT (TRC20) only.

Officially strongly recommended: anthropic/claude-opus-4-6 for long-context strength. Community also recommends minimax/minimax-m2.1 as a budget-friendly alternative.

ChatGPT is just a chat interface. OpenClaw actually does things: browser automation, emails, calendar, scripts, 14+ messaging platforms. As the community says: "It's open-source Siri that Apple slept on for years."

Self-hosted — all data stays local. Default DM pairing verification (dmPolicy="pairing"). Supports Docker sandboxes, Tailscale Serve/Funnel. Run openclaw doctor to check security.

Yes, via WSL2 (strongly recommended). Install with: iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex in PowerShell.

Run openclaw channels login to pair via QR code. Configure allowlist via channels.whatsapp.allowFrom. See docs.openclaw.ai for details.

Join Discord (discord.gg/clawd), check GitHub Issues, read docs.openclaw.ai, or run openclaw doctor for auto-diagnosis. Chinese speakers can also contact Neuronicx support.

Need to Check the Current Listing?

Tutorials explain a general workflow. Use the current listing for price, stock, eligibility, delivery time and support scope.

Third-party product names identify relevant listings and do not imply authorization, endorsement or partnership.

Direct answer

Before deploying OpenClaw, verify current project documentation, runtime and model API requirements. Limit tool permissions and protect API keys and sensitive data; capabilities depend on the installed version.

Third-party product names and trademarks identify relevant listings and remain the property of their respective owners. Unless a listing expressly states otherwise, no authorization, endorsement or partnership is implied.