OpenClaw Installer

A simple, zero-configuration installer for OpenClaw that works on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Author: Gerald Enrique Nelson Mc Kenzie

What It Does

This installer handles everything in one command:

1. Downloads and installs Node.js v22.16.0 (isolated, doesn't affect your system)
2. Installs OpenClaw from npm
3. Starts the OpenClaw gateway on port 18789
4. Opens the dashboard in your browser

No complex configuration needed.

Installation

Prerequisites: Python 3.10+ and an internet connection.

# Install pipx if you don't have it
pip install pipx
pipx ensurepath

# Install the OpenClaw Installer
pipx install openclaw-installer

# Run the installer
openclaw-installer install

Usage

Install OpenClaw

openclaw-installer install

Sets up Node.js in an isolated directory, installs OpenClaw, and starts the gateway at http://localhost:18789.

Open the Dashboard

openclaw dashboard

Or open http://localhost:18789 directly in your browser.

Uninstall

openclaw-installer uninstall

Configure OpenClaw (Required After Install)

Step 1: Run the onboard command

openclaw onboard

This starts an interactive setup where you choose your AI provider and enter your API key:

$ openclaw onboard
? Select authentication provider: (Use arrow keys)
❯ Kimi
  Anthropic
  OpenAI
  Skip (configure later)

? Enter your Kimi API key: sk-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
✓ Configuration saved to ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json

Step 2: Refresh the dashboard

Go back to your browser at http://127.0.0.1:18789 and press F5 (or Ctrl+R / Cmd+R). Your configured AI providers will appear and you're ready to use OpenClaw.

Commands

Installation Locations

Everything is stored in isolated directories — no system files are modified.

• Windows: %LOCALAPPDATA%\openclaw-installer\
• macOS / Linux: ~/.local/share/openclaw-installer/

OpenClaw's own configuration lives in ~/.openclaw/ and is not touched by the installer.

Requirements

• Windows 10/11, macOS 12+, or Linux
• ~200MB free disk space
• Internet connection for initial download

Troubleshooting

Port 18789 is already in use

Find and stop the process using that port:

# macOS / Linux
lsof -i :18789

# Windows
netstat -ano | findstr 18789

Gateway not starting

Check the gateway status and start it manually if needed:

openclaw gateway status
openclaw gateway start

Command not found after install

Make sure the bin directory is on your PATH:

# macOS / Linux
export PATH="$HOME/.local/share/openclaw-installer/bin:$PATH"

# Windows (PowerShell)
$env:PATH = "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\openclaw-installer\bin;$env:PATH"

License

MIT License — see LICENSE