OpenClaw Guide
Get up and running in minutes with simple CLI commands.
Quick Start (3 Steps)
openclaw onboard --install-daemonConnect a chat channel (Telegram, Discord, WhatsApp) and model
openclaw models listSee available models
openclaw dashboardOpen the Control UI and start chatting!
Channel Configuration
Connect your messaging platforms to OpenClaw. Run the onboarding wizard or configure manually.
Setup Channels
openclaw onboardopenclaw configureopenclaw channels listChannel Commands
openclaw channels add telegramopenclaw channels add discordopenclaw channels add whatsappCommon Commands
Setup & Config
openclaw onboardopenclaw onboard --flow quickstartopenclaw configureopenclaw dashboardModels
openclaw models listopenclaw models set <model>openclaw models statusopenclaw models scanGateway
openclaw gatewayopenclaw gateway statusopenclaw gateway restartopenclaw gateway installAgents
openclaw agents add <name>openclaw agents listopenclaw agents remove <name>openclaw chat --agent <name>Channels
openclaw channels listopenclaw pairing listopenclaw pairing approveopenclaw devices listDebugging
openclaw logs --followopenclaw doctoropenclaw doctor --fixopenclaw statusWhat the Wizard Sets Up
Running openclaw onboard walks you through:
1. Model & Auth
API key setup (Anthropic, OpenAI, or custom), default model selection
2. Workspace
Agent files location (~/.openclaw/workspace)
3. Gateway
Port (default 18789), bind address, auth token, Tailscale
4. Channels
Telegram, Discord, WhatsApp, Google Chat, Mattermost, iMessage
5. Daemon
LaunchAgent (macOS) or systemd (Linux) for auto-start
6. Skills
Recommended skills and tool dependencies
Guides
Getting Started
Complete walkthrough from installation to first message.
openclaw onboardChat Channels
Connect Telegram, Discord, or WhatsApp.
openclaw onboardModels
Choose and configure AI models.
openclaw models setDocker Setup
Run OpenClaw in a container.
docker runConfiguration
Customize models, fallbacks, and settings.
openclaw configureTroubleshooting
Common errors and fixes.
openclaw doctorCommon Environment Variables
Core
OPENCLAW_HOME - Config directoryOPENCLAW_STATE_DIR - State directoryOPENCLAW_CONFIG_PATH - Custom config pathModel Backend
MODEL_BACKEND_URL - Ollama, vLLM URLANTHROPIC_API_KEY - Anthropic keyOPENAI_API_KEY - OpenAI keyMore Resources
- • Official Docs - Complete reference
- • CLI Reference - All commands
- • Setup Guide - Detailed installation
- • Compare - OpenClaw vs alternatives