If you're new to OpenClaw and just want it running as fast and safely as possible, you're in the right place.

This is an unofficial, beginner-friendly OpenClaw installation guide, written for:

First-time OpenClaw users
Developers migrating from tools like Auto-GPT or ClawDBot
Anyone who wants a working AI agent in minutes

No theory. No fluff. Just install, run, and verify.

Prerequisites Check:
Before you start, open your terminal and type node -v.
You must see v18.0.0 or higher. If not, click here to fix it.

💡 Want to run OpenClaw 24/7?
Don't want to keep your laptop on all night?
👉 Check out our VPS Guide to run OpenClaw in the cloud for less than $5/mo.

What You'll Have at the End

By the end of this guide, you will have:

OpenClaw running locally on your machine
An AI agent connected to OpenAI or Anthropic
A browser-accessible dashboard
A clean setup that's easy to extend later

Estimated time: about 5 minutes.

Prerequisites

Before installing OpenClaw, make sure you have the following:

1. Node.js (Required)

Node.js version 18 or higher
Check your version:

node -v

If you don't have it, download from: https://nodejs.org

Older Node versions are the most common cause of installation failures.

2. Git

Check whether Git is installed:

git --version

If Git is not installed:

macOS: install via Xcode Command Line Tools
Windows: download from https://git-scm.com

3. AI API Key

You need one API key from either provider:

OpenAI: https://platform.openai.com
Anthropic: https://console.anthropic.com

You can switch providers later without reinstalling OpenClaw.

Installation Steps

Step 1: Clone the OpenClaw Repository

Open your terminal:

macOS: Terminal
Windows: PowerShell or WSL2

Run the following commands:

git clone https://github.com/OpenClaw/OpenClaw.git
cd OpenClaw

If cloning fails, see: Common Errors

Step 2: Install Dependencies

Install all required packages:

npm install

This usually takes one to two minutes.

If the installation fails, it is most likely an environment issue. Refer to: Common Errors

Step 3: Configure Environment Variables

Create your environment file:

cp .env.example .env

Open the .env file and add one API key:

OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-your-openai-key
# or
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your-anthropic-key

⚠️ Do not commit or share your .env file. It contains sensitive credentials.

Step 4: Start OpenClaw

Start the local server:

npm run start

If successful, you should see output similar to:

Server running at http://localhost:3000

Open your browser and visit: http://localhost:3000

If the dashboard loads, the installation is complete. 🎉

Notes for Windows Users

If you are using Windows, it is strongly recommended to use WSL2 instead of the native Command Prompt.

Benefits of WSL2:

Fewer path and permission issues
Better compatibility with Node.js tooling
More consistent behavior with macOS and Linux

Official WSL installation guide: https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/wsl/install

After entering WSL, follow this guide exactly as written.

Quick Verification Checklist

Before moving on, confirm the following:

?The dashboard loads in your browser
?No API key errors appear in the terminal
?The agent responds to basic prompts

If something does not work as expected, check: Common Errors

What to Do Next

Now that OpenClaw is running, consider the following next steps:

Secure your setup: Sandbox Setup Guide
Deploy to a VPS (Run 24/7): VPS Deployment Guide ?Recommended
Fix common errors if something goes wrong

This guide focuses on speed and correctness. Advanced configuration can come later.

Summary

You now have a working local OpenClaw installation.

From here, you can safely experiment, extend functionality, and explore more advanced workflows.

Next recommended guide: Security: Running OpenClaw in a Sandbox