# Quick Start

OpenClaw is a communication gateway platform requiring Node 22+. The documentation index is available at https://docs.openclaw.ai/llms.txt.

## Installation Options

Users can install via npm or pnpm package managers with a single global command to get the latest version.

```bash
npm install -g openclaw@latest
```

## Initial Setup Process

The onboarding workflow involves three main steps:

1. Running the onboard command with daemon installation
2. Authenticating WhatsApp integration through the channels login
3. Launching the Gateway service on a specified port (default: 18789)

```bash
openclaw onboard --install-daemon
openclaw channels login
openclaw gateway --port 18789 --verbose
```

The Gateway subsequently operates as a user service after initial setup, though manual execution remains possible.

## Development Installation

For contributors, the project can be cloned from GitHub, dependencies installed via pnpm, and the UI built locally before running onboarding commands.

```bash
git clone https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw.git
cd openclaw
pnpm install
pnpm ui:build
pnpm build
openclaw onboard --install-daemon
```

## Advanced Configuration

Multiple Gateway instances can run simultaneously by specifying different configuration paths and state directories as environment variables, each on distinct ports.

## Verification

Testing functionality requires an active Gateway and uses the message send command to deliver test communications to specified phone numbers.

```bash
openclaw message send --target +15555550123 --message "Hello from OpenClaw"
```

**Note:** Switching between npm and git installs later is easy through the doctor command to update service entry points.