OpenClaw Manual OpenClaw
Getting Started 8 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.

O

OpenClaw Manuals

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:

  1. API Key Setup - Enter your Anthropic API key
  2. Default Model Selection - Choose between Claude 3.5 Haiku, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, or Claude Sonnet 4
  3. 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:

🦞 OpenClaw Gateway v1.0.0
✓ Model provider connected
✓ Gateway listening on http://127.0.0.1:18789
✓ 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 ✓
Model: Connected ✓
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

Next Steps