Getting Started8 min read
OpenClaw Quickstart: From Zero to Working in 30 Minutes
From preparing your model key to receiving your first reply, covering installation, configuration, health checks, and common startup failures.
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OpenClaw Guides
Tutorial Authors
1. Prerequisites
Before installing OpenClaw, make sure your system meets the following requirements:
- Node.js 22 or higher (LTS recommended)
- npm or pnpm package manager
- A stable internet connection
To check your Node.js version:
bash
node --version # Should output v22.x.x or higher
2. One-Line Installation
Open your terminal and run:
bash
curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash
The installation script will automatically detect your system environment and complete all configurations.
Alternative: Using npm
If you prefer using npm directly:
bash
# Install OpenClaw globally npm install -g openclaw@latest # Start the onboarding wizard openclaw onboard
3. Initial Configuration
After installation, run the configuration wizard:
bash
openclaw onboard
The wizard will guide you through:
- API Key Setup - Enter your Anthropic API key
- Default Model Selection - Choose between Claude 3.5 Haiku, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, or Claude Sonnet 4
- Chat Platform Connection - Connect WhatsApp, Telegram, or Discord
4. Start the Gateway Service
Launch the OpenClaw gateway:
bash
openclaw gateway start
You should see output like:
π¦ OpenClaw Gateway v1.0.0 β Model provider connected β Gateway listening on http://127.0.0.1:18789 β Ready to receive messages
5. Verify Your Installation
Check the service status:
bash
openclaw status
If everything is working correctly, you should see:
Gateway: Running β Model: Connected β Channels: 0 active
Troubleshooting
Port Already in Use
If you see EADDRINUSE error:
bash
# Find what's using port 18789 lsof -i :18789 # Kill the process or use a different port openclaw gateway start --port 18790
API Key Issues
If you get 401 Unauthorized:
bash
# Reconfigure your API key openclaw config set api-key