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117 lines
3.3 KiB
Markdown
117 lines
3.3 KiB
Markdown
---
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summary: "Get OpenClaw installed and run your first chat in minutes."
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read_when:
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- First time setup from zero
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- You want the fastest path to a working chat
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title: "Getting Started"
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---
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# Getting Started
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Install OpenClaw, run onboarding, and chat with your AI assistant — all in
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about 5 minutes. By the end you will have a running Gateway, configured auth,
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and a working chat session.
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## What you need
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- **Node.js** — Node 24 recommended (Node 22.16+ also supported)
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- **An API key** from a model provider (Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, etc.) — onboarding will prompt you
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<Tip>
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Check your Node version with `node --version`.
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**Windows users:** both native Windows and WSL2 are supported. WSL2 is more
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stable and recommended for the full experience. See [Windows](/platforms/windows).
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Need to install Node? See [Node setup](/install/node).
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</Tip>
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## Quick setup
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<Steps>
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<Step title="Install OpenClaw">
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<Tabs>
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<Tab title="macOS / Linux">
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```bash
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curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash
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```
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<img
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src="/assets/install-script.svg"
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alt="Install Script Process"
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className="rounded-lg"
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/>
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</Tab>
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<Tab title="Windows (PowerShell)">
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```powershell
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iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex
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```
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</Tab>
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</Tabs>
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<Note>
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Other install methods (Docker, Nix, npm): [Install](/install).
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</Note>
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</Step>
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<Step title="Run onboarding">
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```bash
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openclaw onboard --install-daemon
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```
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The wizard walks you through choosing a model provider, setting an API key,
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and configuring the Gateway. It takes about 2 minutes.
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See [Onboarding (CLI)](/start/wizard) for the full reference.
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</Step>
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<Step title="Verify the Gateway is running">
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```bash
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openclaw gateway status
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```
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You should see the Gateway listening on port 18789.
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</Step>
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<Step title="Open the dashboard">
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```bash
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openclaw dashboard
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```
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This opens the Control UI in your browser. If it loads, everything is working.
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</Step>
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<Step title="Send your first message">
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Type a message in the Control UI chat and you should get an AI reply.
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Want to chat from your phone instead? The fastest channel to set up is
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[Telegram](/channels/telegram) (just a bot token). See [Channels](/channels)
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for all options.
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</Step>
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</Steps>
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## What to do next
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<Columns>
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<Card title="Connect a channel" href="/channels" icon="message-square">
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WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, iMessage, and more.
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</Card>
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<Card title="Pairing and safety" href="/channels/pairing" icon="shield">
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Control who can message your agent.
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</Card>
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<Card title="Configure the Gateway" href="/gateway/configuration" icon="settings">
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Models, tools, sandbox, and advanced settings.
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</Card>
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<Card title="Browse tools" href="/tools" icon="wrench">
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Browser, exec, web search, skills, and plugins.
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</Card>
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</Columns>
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<Accordion title="Advanced: environment variables">
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If you run OpenClaw as a service account or want custom paths:
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- `OPENCLAW_HOME` — home directory for internal path resolution
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- `OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR` — override the state directory
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- `OPENCLAW_CONFIG_PATH` — override the config file path
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Full reference: [Environment variables](/help/environment).
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</Accordion>
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