6 custom skills (assign-task, dispatch-webhook, daily-briefing, task-capture, qmd-brain, tts-voice) with technical documentation. Compatible with Claude Code, OpenClaw, Codex CLI, and OpenCode.
3.2 KiB
Getting Started
Goal
Go from zero → first working chat (with sane defaults) as quickly as possible.
Fastest chat: Open the Control UI. Run openclaw dashboard and chat in the browser, or open http://127.0.0.1:18789/ on the gateway host.
Recommended path: Use the CLI onboarding wizard (openclaw onboard). It sets up:
- model/auth (OAuth recommended)
- gateway settings
- channels (WhatsApp/Telegram/Discord/Mattermost)
- pairing defaults (secure DMs)
- workspace bootstrap + skills
- optional background service
Sandboxing Configuration
Non-main sandbox mode uses session.mainKey (default "main"), so group/channel sessions are sandboxed. For main agent to always run on host:
{
"routing": {
"agents": {
"main": {
"workspace": "~/.openclaw/workspace",
"sandbox": { "mode": "off" }
}
}
}
}
0) Prerequisites
- Node
>=22 pnpm(optional; recommended for source builds)- Recommended: Brave Search API key for web search
macOS: Install Xcode/CLT if building apps. Node sufficient for CLI + gateway. Windows: Use WSL2 (Ubuntu recommended).
1) Install the CLI
curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash
Windows (PowerShell):
iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex
Alternative (global install):
npm install -g openclaw@latest
2) Run the Onboarding Wizard
openclaw onboard --install-daemon
Configuration choices:
- Local vs Remote gateway
- Auth: OpenAI Code subscription (OAuth) or API keys
- Providers: WhatsApp QR login, Telegram/Discord bot tokens, etc.
- Daemon: background install (launchd/systemd; WSL2 uses systemd)
- Gateway token: auto-generated
Auth Storage
- Anthropic (recommended): API key or
claude setup-token - OAuth credentials:
~/.openclaw/credentials/oauth.json - Auth profiles:
~/.openclaw/agents/<agentId>/agent/auth-profiles.json
3) Start the Gateway
openclaw gateway status
Manual run:
openclaw gateway --port 18789 --verbose
Dashboard: http://127.0.0.1:18789/
⚠️ Bun warning: Known issues with WhatsApp + Telegram. Use Node for the Gateway.
3.5) Quick Verification
openclaw status
openclaw health
openclaw security audit --deep
4) Pair + Connect Chat Surface
WhatsApp (QR login)
openclaw channels login
Scan via WhatsApp → Settings → Linked Devices.
Telegram / Discord / Others
openclaw channels login
5) DM Safety (Pairing Approvals)
Default behavior: unknown DMs receive a short code. Messages aren't processed until approved.
openclaw pairing list whatsapp
openclaw pairing approve whatsapp <code>
From Source (Development)
git clone https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw.git
cd openclaw
pnpm install
pnpm ui:build
pnpm build
openclaw onboard --install-daemon
Gateway from repo:
node openclaw.mjs gateway --port 18789 --verbose
7) Verify End-to-End
openclaw message send --target +15555550123 --message "Hello from OpenClaw"
Next Steps (Optional)
- macOS menu bar app + voice wake
- iOS/Android nodes (Canvas/camera/voice)
- Remote access (SSH tunnel / Tailscale Serve)
- Always-on / VPN setups