⚠️ Security Warning: OpenClaw grants AI full system access ⚠️

🛑 STOP! Are You Ready?

OpenClaw is NOT a toy. It's a tool for engineers. You must check ALL items to proceed.

This Isn't For Me

Local Installation

macOS, Linux, or Windows (via WSL2)

Prerequisites

  • Node.js v22+

    Many distros ship older versions. Use nvm or NodeSource.

  • pnpm (recommended)

    Official package manager for source builds.

Step 1: Clean Old Versions

# Remove old Clawdbot/Moltbot installations
npm uninstall -g clawdbot moltbot
hash -r  # Clear shell cache - fixes 'command not found' errors

Step 2: Install OpenClaw

npm install -g openclaw@latest

Step 3: Run Onboard Wizard

openclaw onboard --install-daemon

⚠️ IMPORTANT: --install-daemon flag

Without this flag, closing the terminal stops the bot. This is the #1 cause of "my bot doesn't respond" issues.

⚠️ Windows Users

DO NOT use native CMD/PowerShell. OpenClaw requires WSL2.

  1. Install WSL2: wsl --install
  2. Install Ubuntu from Microsoft Store
  3. Run all commands inside Ubuntu terminal