How to Install OpenClaw 2026 — Linux, Raspberry Pi, Docker, ClawBox hardware setup guide

How to Install OpenClaw — Complete Setup Guide 2026

🦀 Get ClawBox — OpenClaw, ready out of the box in 5 minutes · 15W · one-time €549 → clawbox.tech

OpenClaw runs on Linux (Ubuntu/Debian), macOS, and comes pre-installed on ClawBox hardware.

Option 1: ClawBox Hardware (5 minutes, recommended)

The fastest path. ClawBox ships with OpenClaw pre-installed and ready.

Plug in power and ethernet
Open the OpenClaw app on your phone
Scan the QR code on the device
Follow the setup wizard

Done. No command line needed.

→ Order ClawBox — €549

Option 2: Linux Server (Ubuntu 22.04+)

Prerequisites

# Ubuntu 22.04 or later
sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y curl git

Install

# Download and run the installer
curl -fsSL https://get.openclaw.ai | bash

# Or manual install
git clone https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw.git
cd openclaw
npm install
npm run build

First run

openclaw start

# Opens setup wizard at http://localhost:3000
# Or run headless:
openclaw setup --headless

Configure channels (example: Telegram)

openclaw config set plugins.telegram.token YOUR_BOT_TOKEN
openclaw restart

Option 3: Raspberry Pi 4/5

Works on 64-bit Raspberry Pi OS.

# Install Node.js 20+
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_20.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt install -y nodejs

# Install OpenClaw
curl -fsSL https://get.openclaw.ai | bash

Performance note: Raspberry Pi 5 runs ~2 tok/s for local inference. Fine for cloud AI (Claude, GPT-4), slow for local models.

Option 4: Docker

# docker-compose.yml
version: '3.8'
services:
  openclaw:
    image: openclaw/openclaw:latest
    ports:
      - "3000:3000"
    volumes:
      - ./workspace:/workspace
      - ./openclaw.json:/app/openclaw.json
    environment:
      - ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=${ANTHROPIC_API_KEY}
      - TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN=${TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN}
    restart: unless-stopped

docker-compose up -d

Configuration Reference

openclaw.json — main config file:

{
  "agents": {
    "defaults": {
      "model": "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6",
      "timeoutSeconds": 120
    }
  },
  "plugins": {
    "telegram": {
      "token": "YOUR_BOT_TOKEN",
      "authorizedUsers": [123456789]
    }
  }
}

Supported AI Models

Anthropic: claude-opus-4-6, claude-sonnet-4-6, claude-haiku-4-5
OpenAI: openai/gpt-4o, openai/gpt-4o-mini
Google: google/gemini-2.0-flash
DeepSeek: deepseek/deepseek-chat
Local (Ollama): ollama/llama3.1:8b

Post-Install Checklist

Set AI model API key
Connect at least one messaging channel
Create workspace/SOUL.md with your assistant's personality
Test with a simple message: "What time is it?"
Enable heartbeat for proactive check-ins

Troubleshooting

Port 3000 in use: openclaw config set gateway.port 3001

Telegram bot not responding: Ensure getUpdates is working — openclaw plugins status

Out of memory (Raspberry Pi): Add swap space or use cloud models only

Full docs: docs.openclaw.ai

Hardware Recommendations

Use Case	Recommended	Notes
Just starting	Raspberry Pi 5 8GB	€80, slow local inference
Serious use	ClawBox	€549, 67 TOPS, plug-and-play
Power user	Mac Mini M4 16GB	€899, fast local inference
Server rack	Ubuntu VPS (4GB+)	Cloud AI only

→ Fastest setup: ClawBox at clawbox.tech

Read the full guide on ClawBox: OpenClaw setup & install guide →

yalexx/gist_openclaw_install.md

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