Getting Started with OpenClaw

Install and run a self-hosted AI agent gateway that connects your favorite messaging apps to any LLM — in about 5 minutes.

OpenClaw is an open-source, self-hosted gateway that bridges AI coding agents to the chat apps you already use — Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord, Slack, Signal, and more. You run a single Gateway process on your own machine or server; it handles routing, sessions, and channel connections. Your data stays on your hardware.

Prerequisites

✓ Node.js 24 (Node 22.14+ also supported) — check with node --version
✓ API key from any model provider: Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, etc.
✓ Windows users: WSL2 is recommended over native Windows for the best experience

Step 1: Install OpenClaw

Run the install script for macOS or Linux. On Windows, use the PowerShell equivalent.
curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash
iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex
npm install -g openclaw@latest
Step 2: Run Onboarding

The onboarding wizard walks you through selecting a model provider, entering your API key, and configuring the Gateway. Takes about 2 minutes. The --install-daemon flag sets up the Gateway as a background service so it starts automatically.
```
openclaw onboard --install-daemon
```
Step 3: Verify and Open the Dashboard

Check that the Gateway is listening, then open the browser-based Control UI.
```
openclaw gateway status
openclaw dashboard
```
The Gateway runs on port 18789 by default. The dashboard will open at http://127.0.0.1:18789/. Type a message in the chat — you should receive an AI reply.

Step 4: Connect a Channel

OpenClaw supports a wide range of messaging platforms. Telegram is the fastest to set up — you only need a bot token. WhatsApp requires QR pairing. Multiple channels can run simultaneously from a single Gateway.

Channel	Setup Method	Notes
Telegram	Bot token	Fastest; recommended for first setup
WhatsApp	QR pairing	Most popular; stores state on disk
Discord	Bot API + Gateway	Supports servers, channels, and DMs
Slack	Bolt SDK workspace app	MPIM routes as group chat
Signal	signal-cli	Privacy-focused
Microsoft Teams	Bot Framework	Enterprise support (bundled plugin)

See the full list at docs.openclaw.ai/channels.

Step 5: Basic Configuration (Optional)

Config lives at ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json. Without any changes, OpenClaw uses its bundled Pi agent with per-sender sessions. To restrict who can message your agent, add an allowlist. The example below limits WhatsApp access to one number and requires an @mention in group chats.
```
{
  "channels": {
    "whatsapp": {
      "allowFrom": ["+15555550123"],
      "groups": { "*": { "requireMention": true } }
    }
  },
  "messages": {
    "groupChat": { "mentionPatterns": ["@openclaw"] }
  }
}
```