openclaw-installer 1.0.0

Zero-config installer for OpenClaw AI assistant - works with Kimi, Claude, GPT, and local models

🦞 OpenClaw Installer

Zero-config installer for OpenClaw AI assistant

Install and configure OpenClaw — the AI that actually does things — with a single command. Works with Kimi (Moonshot AI), Claude, GPT-4, OpenRouter, and local Ollama models.

---

✨ Features

• One-command install — No manual Node.js setup
• Multiple AI providers — Kimi, Claude, GPT-4, OpenRouter, Ollama
• Cross-platform — Windows, macOS, Linux
• Bundled Node.js — Uses nodejs-bin, no external dependencies
• Simple YAML config — One file, zero coding
• Auto-starts gateway — Ready to use immediately

---

🚀 Quick Start

Windows Users: Run PowerShell as Administrator (required for npm global installs)

1. Install

pip install openclaw-installer

2. Configure

Create openclaw.yaml:

ai:
  provider: anthropic  # or openai, kimi, ollama
  key: "your-api-key"

channels:
  web: true

gateway:
  autostart: true

3. Install OpenClaw

# Linux/Mac
openclaw-installer install --config openclaw.yaml

# Windows (PowerShell as Administrator)
openclaw-installer install --config openclaw.yaml
```## 1. Install the installer

```bash
pip install openclaw-installer

2. Generate a config

openclaw-installer generate-config > openclaw.yaml

3. Edit the config

ai:
  provider: kimi           # or anthropic, openai, ollama
  key: "sk-your-key-here"  # Get from https://platform.moonshot.cn/

channels:
  web: true

gateway:
  autostart: true

4. Install OpenClaw

openclaw-installer install --config openclaw.yaml

5. Open Dashboard

openclaw dashboard
# or visit: http://localhost:18789

Done! 🎉

---

⚡ vs Official OpenClaw CLI

Why use this installer instead of npm install -g openclaw && openclaw onboard?

Feature	Official Wizard	This Installer
Node.js required?	✅ Yes (install manually)	❌ No (bundled automatically)
Installation style	Interactive prompts	YAML config (unattended)
CI/CD automation	❌ Manual only	✅ Fully automated
Repeatable deploys	❌ Answer prompts each time	✅ Idempotent
Non-technical users	Must understand Node/npm	✅ Edit a file, run a command
Version control	❌ Interactive state	✅ Config in git

When to Use This Installer

✅ Perfect for:

• Teams sharing standard setups
• Docker containers / cloud VMs
• CI/CD pipelines
• Non-technical users who just want it to work
• Repeatable deployments across multiple machines

✅ Example scenario:

# Deploy to 50 company laptops
# 1. Share openclaw.yaml with API key
# 2. One command: pip install openclaw-installer && openclaw-installer install --config openclaw.yaml
# 3. Everyone has identical setup

When to Use Official Wizard Instead

⚠️ Better choice when:

• Exploring OpenClaw for the first time
• Need hand-holding through provider selection
• Already have Node.js installed and prefer interactive setup
• Want to customize every option manually

Community Context

This package fills a specific gap:

• Available on PyPI: Package name openclaw-installer is reserved and ready
• Community demand: Existing GitHub projects like miaoxworld/OpenClawInstaller and Personal-MT-Engineering/openClaw-install show users want easier installation
• Different from armorer: That tool focuses on security sandboxing; this focuses on ease-of-use

Bottom line: After this installer runs, you use the same OpenClaw dashboard/CLI as everyone else. We're just the "easy on-ramp."

---

🖥️ Using the OpenClaw Dashboard

The Dashboard (Control UI) is your central hub for managing OpenClaw.

Opening the Dashboard

Method	Command
CLI	openclaw dashboard
Auto-Login	openclaw-installer auto-login
Browser	http://localhost:18789
Auto-open	Enabled by default after install

Auto-Login (Zero-Interaction)

The auto-login feature automatically connects to the dashboard without requiring manual token entry. It follows the "How to connect" steps:

1. Start the gateway on your host machine
2. Get a tokenized dashboard URL
3. Open the browser with the authenticated URL

# Auto-login with default browser
openclaw-installer auto-login

# Auto-login with specific browser
openclaw-installer auto-login --browser "/path/to/chrome"

# Open dashboard with auto-login (same as above)
openclaw-installer dashboard

Cross-Platform Support:

• ✅ Windows: PowerShell script + Python automation
• ✅ macOS: Bash script + Python automation
• ✅ Linux: Bash script + Python automation

Configure in your YAML:

automation:
  auto_open_dashboard: true  # Auto-open after install
  auto_login: true           # Skip manual token entry
  browser_path: ""           # Use system default
  startup_timeout: 30        # Seconds to wait for gateway

Dashboard Sections

🤖 Agents Panel

• Create Agents: Build specialized AI agents for different tasks
• Configure Memory: Set context windows and persistence
• Agent Teams: Group agents for collaborative workflows
• Skills: Install/enable capabilities (web search, code execution, etc.)

💬 Conversations

• Chat with your AI across all connected channels
• View conversation history
• Export/backup important chats

🔌 Integrations (Channels)

• Web UI: Always available at http://localhost:18789
• WhatsApp: Pair by scanning QR code
• Telegram: Configure bot token
• Discord: Add bot to servers
• Slack: Install workspace app
• iMessage: macOS only (requires Full Disk Access)

⚙️ Settings

• AI Provider: Switch between Claude, GPT, Kimi, Ollama
• Model Selection: Choose specific models per task
• System Prompts: Customize agent behavior
• Memory: Configure long-term storage
• Gateway: Port, logging, security settings

First-Time Setup in Dashboard

1. Verify AI Connection: Settings → AI → Test Connection
2. Enable Skills: Agents → Skills → Install (see below)
3. Create First Agent: Agents → New → Select skills
4. Test Chat: Conversations → New → Send test message

---

🤖 Supported AI Providers

Provider	Model Example	Setup	Best For
Kimi (Moonshot AI)	kimi-k2.5	platform.moonshot.cn	Chinese/English, 256K context
Anthropic	claude-3-5-sonnet	console.anthropic.com	Coding, reasoning
OpenAI	gpt-4o	platform.openai.com	General tasks
OpenRouter	anthropic/claude-3.5-sonnet	openrouter.ai	Model flexibility
Ollama	llama3.2	ollama.ai	Privacy, offline

---

📁 Example Configurations

Kimi (Moonshot AI) - Recommended for Chinese users

ai:
  provider: kimi
  key: "sk-your-moonshot-key"
  model: "kimi-k2.5"

channels:
  web: true
  telegram: true
  telegram_token: "${TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN}"

Claude with all channels

ai:
  provider: anthropic
  key: "${ANTHROPIC_API_KEY}"
  model: "claude-3-5-sonnet"

channels:
  web: true
  whatsapp: true
  telegram: true
  telegram_token: "your-bot-token"

Local Ollama (offline)

ai:
  provider: ollama
  key: ""  # No key needed
  model: "llama3.2"

gateway:
  port: 18789

---

🛠️ Commands

Command	Description
openclaw-installer install --config file.yaml	Install OpenClaw from config
openclaw-installer generate-config	Print example config
openclaw-installer generate-config -o config.yaml	Save example config
openclaw-installer uninstall	Remove OpenClaw
openclaw-installer auto-login	Auto-login to dashboard (zero-interaction)
openclaw-installer dashboard	Open web dashboard with auto-login
openclaw dashboard	Open web dashboard (standard)
openclaw gateway status	Check if gateway running
openclaw daemon start/stop	Control background service
openclaw logs	View logs
--dry-run	Simulate without changes

---

🛡️ Best Practices

🔐 Security

API Key Management

# ✅ GOOD: Use environment variables
ai:
  key: "${ANTHROPIC_API_KEY}"  # Reads from env var

# ❌ BAD: Hardcoded key
ai:
  key: "sk-ant-api03-actual-key-here"

Set environment variables:

# Linux/macOS
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="sk-ant-..."
export KIMI_API_KEY="sk-..."

# Windows PowerShell
$env:ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="sk-ant-..."

# Windows CMD
set ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-...

Gateway Security

• Default: Runs on 127.0.0.1 (localhost only) — SAFE
• Remote access: Set host: 0.0.0.0 only with authentication
• Firewall: Block port 18789 from external networks unless needed

# Local only (secure default)
gateway:
  host: 127.0.0.1
  port: 18789

# Remote access (use with caution)
gateway:
  host: 0.0.0.0  # Accessible from network
  port: 18789
  # Add reverse proxy with auth (nginx/traefik)

File System Permissions

# Workspace should be user-readable only
chmod 700 ~/openclaw-workspace

# Config files with API keys
chmod 600 openclaw.yaml

---

🧩 Installing & Managing Skills

Skills extend OpenClaw capabilities (web search, code execution, file operations).

Via Dashboard (Recommended)

1. Open Dashboard: openclaw dashboard
2. Navigate: Agents → Skills
3. Browse skill marketplace
4. Click Install on desired skills
5. Configure skill settings

Via CLI

# List available skills
openclaw skills list

# Install a skill
openclaw skills install web-search
openclaw skills install code-execution
openclaw skills install file-manager

# Enable/disable
openclaw skills enable web-search
openclaw skills disable code-execution

Essential Skills

Skill	Purpose	Install
web-search	Search Google/DuckDuckGo	openclaw skills install web-search
code-execution	Run code safely	openclaw skills install code-execution
file-manager	Read/write files	Built-in
browser	Web browsing	openclaw skills install browser
memory	Long-term memory	Built-in

Custom Skills

Create custom skills in your workspace:

mkdir -p ~/openclaw-workspace/skills/my-skill
cd ~/openclaw-workspace/skills/my-skill

Create skill.yaml:

name: my-custom-skill
description: Does something awesome
version: 1.0.0
entry: main.py

Create main.py:

def run(command: str) -> str:
    """Execute the skill."""
    return f"Executed: {command}"

---

👥 Creating Agent Teams

Agent teams let multiple specialized agents collaborate on complex tasks.

Dashboard Method

1. Agents → Teams → Create Team

2. Add agents with specific roles:

   • Researcher: Web search, data gathering
   • Coder: Code execution, debugging
   • Writer: Documentation, summaries
   • Reviewer: Quality checks

3. Set Orchestrator: The lead agent that delegates tasks

Example: Development Team

# Team configuration (in Dashboard)
team:
  name: "Dev Team"
  orchestrator: "tech-lead"
  agents:
    - name: "tech-lead"
      model: "claude-3-5-sonnet"
      skills: ["planning", "architecture"]

    - name: "code-reviewer"
      model: "claude-3-5-sonnet"
      skills: ["code-review", "security-audit"]

    - name: "researcher"
      model: "gpt-4o"
      skills: ["web-search", "documentation"]

CLI Method

# Create team
openclaw teams create dev-team --orchestrator tech-lead

# Add agents
openclaw teams add dev-team tech-lead --model claude-3-5-sonnet
openclaw teams add dev-team code-reviewer --model claude-3-5-sonnet
openclaw teams add dev-team researcher --model gpt-4o

# Activate team
openclaw teams use dev-team

---

🔗 Nodes (Distributed OpenClaw)

Nodes allow running OpenClaw across multiple machines for load distribution or specialized hardware.

Use Cases

• GPU Node: Remote machine with GPU for local AI (Ollama)
• Cloud Node: VPS running 24/7 for webhooks
• Home Node: Raspberry Pi for always-on gateway

Setting Up a Node

On Node Machine:

# Install OpenClaw with node role
openclaw-installer install --config node-config.yaml

# Expose node (behind firewall/VPN recommended)
openclaw node serve --port 18790 --token SECURE_TOKEN

On Main Machine:

# main-config.yaml
nodes:
  - name: "gpu-server"
    url: "http://192.168.1.100:18790"
    token: "SECURE_TOKEN"
    capabilities: ["ollama", "gpu"]

  - name: "cloud-vps"
    url: "https://vps.example.com:18790"
    token: "SECURE_TOKEN"
    capabilities: ["webhook", "always-on"]

# Route specific tasks to nodes
routing:
  ollama-requests: "gpu-server"
  webhook-handlers: "cloud-vps"

Node Commands

# List connected nodes
openclaw nodes list

# Check node health
openclaw nodes status gpu-server

# Send command to specific node
openclaw nodes exec gpu-server "ollama list"

---

💾 Backup & Migration

What to Backup

# Configuration
cp openclaw.yaml ~/backups/

# Workspace (agents, memory, skills)
tar -czf openclaw-backup.tar.gz ~/openclaw-workspace/

# Environment variables
env | grep OPENCLAW > openclaw-env.txt

Restore

# Restore workspace
tar -xzf openclaw-backup.tar.gz -C ~/

# Reinstall OpenClaw
openclaw-installer install --config openclaw.yaml

---

🚀 Performance Optimization

For Fast Response

ai:
  provider: anthropic
  model: "claude-3-5-haiku"  # Faster than sonnet

For Complex Tasks

ai:
  provider: anthropic  
  model: "claude-3-opus"  # Best reasoning

Local AI (Privacy + Speed)

ai:
  provider: ollama
  model: "llama3.2"  # Runs offline, no latency

---

🔧 Troubleshooting

Dashboard Won't Load

# Check gateway status
openclaw gateway status

# Restart gateway
openclaw daemon restart

# Check logs
openclaw logs | tail -50

API Key Not Working

# Test directly
export OPENCLAW_API_KEY="your-key"
openclaw config set ai.apiKey "$OPENCLAW_API_KEY"
openclaw config test-connection

Reset Everything

# Uninstall and clean
openclaw-installer uninstall
rm -rf ~/openclaw-workspace

# Fresh install
openclaw-installer install --config openclaw.yaml

---

📋 Requirements

• Python 3.9+
• No Node.js required (bundled)
• No npm required (bundled)

---

📄 License

MIT License

---

Not affiliated with OpenClaw. This is a community installer.