OpenClaw Setup: CLI vs GUI — The Complete Installation Guide (2026)

Let's be honest: installation is where most people give up on OpenClaw.

Not because OpenClaw is hard to use — once it's running, it's genuinely magical. But getting from "I want to try this" to "my first agent is alive" involves installing Node.js, configuring API keys, setting up messaging channels, and wrangling environment variables. For developers, that's a Tuesday afternoon. For everyone else, it's a wall.

The good news? The OpenClaw community has built two excellent tools that make the whole process dramatically easier. One is a command-line installer that handles everything in a single script. The other is a full desktop application with buttons, dashboards, and zero terminal required.

This guide covers both. By the end, you'll know exactly which method fits your style — and you'll have OpenClaw up and running.

Before You Start: What You Need

Regardless of which installation method you choose, you'll need:

• A machine to run OpenClaw — a VPS (DigitalOcean, Hetzner, AWS), a Raspberry Pi, or your own laptop/desktop. Minimum 2GB RAM, 1GB disk space.
• An API key from at least one AI provider — Anthropic (Claude), OpenAI (GPT), Google (Gemini), or others. Most people start with Anthropic. Sign up at console.anthropic.com.
• A messaging account (optional but recommended) — Telegram, Discord, WhatsApp, Slack, or Feishu for connecting your agent to a chat interface.

Total cost to get started: roughly $5–15/month for API usage, plus whatever your server costs (or free if you're running locally).

Method 1: CLI Installation with OpenClawInstaller

Best for: developers, sysadmins, VPS users, anyone comfortable with a terminal.

OpenClawInstaller is a one-line deployment script created by miaoxworld. It automates the entire OpenClaw setup process on macOS and Linux — dependency installation, AI model configuration, messaging channel connection, and service startup. One command, and you're done.

System Requirements

Requirement	Details
OS	macOS 12+ / Ubuntu 20.04+ / Debian 11+ / CentOS 8+
Node.js	v22 or higher (auto-installed if missing)
RAM	Minimum 2GB, recommended 4GB+
Disk	Minimum 1GB free

Step-by-Step: Install OpenClaw via CLI

Step 1: Run the one-liner.

Open your terminal and paste:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/miaoxworld/OpenClawInstaller/main/install.sh | bash

That's it. The script automatically detects your system environment, installs any missing dependencies (including Node.js if needed), installs OpenClaw globally, and launches an interactive setup wizard.

Step 2: Configure your AI model.

The wizard will ask you to choose an AI provider. Supported options include:

• Anthropic Claude (claude-sonnet-4-5, claude-opus-4-5, claude-haiku-4-5)
• OpenAI GPT (gpt-4o, gpt-4o-mini, gpt-4-turbo)
• Google Gemini (gemini-2.0-flash, gemini-1.5-pro)
• OpenRouter (multi-model gateway — one key for all models)
• Groq (ultra-fast inference with Llama and Mixtral)
• Mistral AI
• Ollama (local deployment, no API key needed)

Enter your API key when prompted. If you're using a custom API proxy (OneAPI, NewAPI, etc.), you can enter a custom base URL first.

Step 3: Set up a messaging channel (optional).

The wizard will offer to configure messaging channels. For Telegram, you'll need a Bot Token from @BotFather and your User ID from @userinfobot. For Discord, you'll need a Bot Token and Channel ID. The script walks you through each one.

Step 4: Start the service.

After configuration, the script asks if you want to start OpenClaw immediately. Say yes. It launches the gateway as a background daemon.

# Verify it's running
openclaw gateway status

Step 5: Open the config menu anytime.

Need to change settings later? Run the interactive config menu:

bash ~/.openclaw/config-menu.sh

Or download and run it directly:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/miaoxworld/OpenClawInstaller/main/config-menu.sh | bash

CLI Installation: Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Fastest path from zero to running — literally one command
• Works over SSH on remote servers (VPS, cloud instances)
• Lightweight — no GUI overhead
• Full access to all OpenClaw CLI commands for advanced management
• Interactive wizard guides you through every decision
• Supports custom API proxies and self-hosted models (Ollama)

Cons:

• Requires terminal comfort — not ideal if you've never used a command line
• macOS and Linux only (no Windows support)
• Text-based interface means no visual dashboards or real-time monitoring
• Configuration changes require re-running the menu script

Method 2: GUI Installation with OpenClaw Manager

Best for: visual learners, Windows users, anyone who prefers clicking over typing.

OpenClaw Manager is a desktop application built by miaoxworld using Tauri 2.0, React, TypeScript, and Rust. It gives you a modern, polished interface for installing, configuring, and monitoring OpenClaw — complete with a real-time dashboard, visual AI model configuration, and one-click service management.

It runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux.

System Requirements

Requirement	Details
OS	macOS, Windows, or Linux
RAM	4GB+ recommended
Disk	1GB+ free

Step-by-Step: Install OpenClaw via GUI

Step 1: Download OpenClaw Manager.

Head to the GitHub releases page and download the installer for your platform:

• macOS: .dmg file
• Windows: .msi or .exe installer
• Linux: .deb or .AppImage

Step 2: Install and launch.

On macOS, drag the app to your Applications folder. If macOS blocks it (Gatekeeper), run:

xattr -cr /Applications/OpenClaw\ Manager.app

Or go to System Preferences → Privacy & Security and click "Open Anyway."

On Windows, run the .msi installer and follow the prompts. On Linux, install the .deb package or run the .AppImage directly.

Step 3: Configure AI models.

Open the app and navigate to the AI Configuration panel. You'll see a clean interface listing 14+ AI providers:

• Anthropic, OpenAI, Google Gemini, DeepSeek, Moonshot, and more
• Custom API endpoints compatible with OpenAI format
• One-click primary model selection

Enter your API key, pick a model, and click save. That's it — no editing config files, no environment variables.

Step 4: Set up messaging channels.

Switch to the Channels panel. OpenClaw Manager supports:

• Telegram — enter your Bot Token and configure private/group chat policies
• Feishu (Lark) — enter App ID/Secret, WebSocket connection, multi-region deployment
• Discord, Slack, WhatsApp, iMessage, WeChat, DingTalk

Each channel has a dedicated configuration form. Fill in the fields, save, and you're connected.

Step 5: Start the service.

Go to the Dashboard. You'll see real-time service status including port, process ID, memory usage, and uptime. Click the Start button. OpenClaw launches in the background.

The dashboard also gives you:

• One-click stop, restart, and diagnostics
• Real-time log viewer with auto-refresh
• System environment checks and AI connection tests

GUI Installation: Pros and Cons

Pros:

• No terminal knowledge required — everything is point-and-click
• Works on Windows (the CLI installer doesn't)
• Real-time dashboard with service monitoring (memory, uptime, process status)
• Visual configuration for AI models and messaging channels
• Built-in diagnostics and connection testing
• Modern dark-theme UI with smooth animations
• Extremely low memory footprint thanks to Rust backend

Cons:

• Requires downloading and installing a desktop app
• Less suitable for headless servers (VPS without a desktop environment)
• Slightly more setup steps than the one-liner CLI
• Building from source requires Node.js, Rust, and platform-specific dependencies

CLI vs GUI: Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature	CLI (OpenClawInstaller)	GUI (OpenClaw Manager)
Installation speed	~2 minutes (one command)	~5 minutes (download + install)
Platform support	macOS, Linux	macOS, Windows, Linux
Terminal required	Yes	No
Visual dashboard	No	Yes (real-time monitoring)
AI providers	7+ (via interactive menu)	14+ (visual configuration)
Messaging channels	Telegram, Discord, WhatsApp, Slack, Feishu, iMessage, WeChat	Same, with visual forms
Remote server (VPS)	Excellent (works over SSH)	Not ideal (needs desktop)
Learning curve	Low (if you know terminal)	Very low (point and click)
Configuration style	Interactive text menus	GUI forms with save buttons
Service management	CLI commands	Dashboard buttons
Diagnostics	openclaw doctor command	Built-in testing panel
Best for	Developers, sysadmins, VPS	Visual learners, Windows users, local setups
Custom API proxies	Full support	Full support
Open source	MIT License	MIT License

The short version: If you're deploying on a remote server or you live in the terminal, go CLI. If you want a visual experience or you're on Windows, go GUI. Both tools are maintained by miaoxworld and both get you to the same result — a fully configured, running OpenClaw instance.

After Installation: Configure Your First Agent

Regardless of which method you used, OpenClaw is now running. Here's how to set up your first agent and make it actually do something.

Understanding the Workspace

Every OpenClaw agent lives in a workspace — a folder containing markdown files that define its personality, memory, and capabilities. The default workspace is at ~/.openclaw/workspace/.

Key files:

• SOUL.md — Your agent's personality, values, and communication style
• IDENTITY.md — Name, role, expertise, and responsibilities
• USER.md — Information about you (so the agent knows who it's helping)
• AGENTS.md — Operating instructions for the agent
• memory/ — Where the agent stores daily notes and long-term memories

Create a Simple Agent

Let's create a basic assistant. Open ~/.openclaw/workspace/SOUL.md and write:

# Soul: Personal Assistant

## Personality
You are helpful, concise, and proactive. You anticipate needs
and give clear recommendations instead of just listing options.

## Communication Style
- Be direct and action-oriented
- Use bullet points for clarity
- End every response with a clear next step

Then edit IDENTITY.md:

# Identity: Assistant

- **Name:** Atlas
- **Role:** Personal Assistant
- **Expertise:** Research, scheduling, writing, task management

That's it. Your agent now has a personality. Send it a message on Telegram (or whichever channel you configured), and it'll respond as Atlas.

Test It

Send your agent a message like: "What can you do?" or "Summarize the top 3 tech news stories today."

If it responds, congratulations — your OpenClaw setup is complete. You've gone from zero to a working AI agent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use both the CLI installer and GUI manager together?

Yes. They configure the same underlying OpenClaw installation (~/.openclaw/). You could install via CLI on your server, then use OpenClaw Manager on your desktop to monitor and adjust settings. They're complementary tools, not competing ones.

Do I need a powerful server to run OpenClaw?

No. OpenClaw itself is lightweight — it's essentially a Node.js process that coordinates API calls to AI providers. The heavy computation happens on Anthropic's/OpenAI's/Google's servers. A $5/month VPS with 1GB RAM works fine for personal use.

Which AI model should I start with?

Most people start with Anthropic's Claude Sonnet (claude-sonnet-4-5). It offers the best balance of intelligence, speed, and cost. If you want the most capable model and don't mind higher costs, try Claude Opus. For budget-friendly options, Google Gemini Flash or Groq's Llama models are excellent.

Can I run OpenClaw on Windows?

With OpenClaw Manager (GUI), yes — it has native Windows support. The CLI installer currently supports macOS and Linux only. If you're on Windows and prefer the command line, you can use WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) to run the CLI installer.

How do I update OpenClaw after installation?

Via CLI:

npm update -g openclaw

Via OpenClaw Manager: check the app for update notifications, or re-download the latest release from GitHub.

Is my data safe? Does OpenClaw send data to third parties?

OpenClaw runs entirely on your machine. Your conversations, memory files, and configurations stay local. The only external communication is with the AI provider you configured (Anthropic, OpenAI, etc.) — and that's just the API calls needed to generate responses. No telemetry, no tracking, no data harvesting.

I'm getting an error during installation. What should I do?

For CLI: run openclaw doctor to diagnose common issues. Check that Node.js v22+ is installed (node --version) and that your API key is valid.

For GUI: use the built-in Testing & Diagnostics panel to check system environment, AI connection, and channel connectivity.

Can I run multiple agents on one OpenClaw instance?

Yes. OpenClaw supports multiple agents, each with their own workspace, personality, and connected channels. You can have a research agent, a writing agent, and a customer support agent all running simultaneously.

What's Next?

You've got OpenClaw installed and your first agent configured. That's the hardest part — seriously. From here, the possibilities open up fast:

• Build custom skills — teach your agent new abilities by writing simple markdown files
• Connect multiple channels — have the same agent respond on Telegram, Discord, and Slack
• Set up agent teams — create specialized agents that coordinate with each other
• Automate workflows — from daily briefings to content creation to code deployment

If you want to go deeper, OpenClawWay has step-by-step courses and ready-made agent templates that save you hours of configuration. Whether you're building a personal assistant, a content pipeline, or a full AI-powered business workflow, the templates give you a working starting point you can customize.

Both OpenClawInstaller and OpenClaw Manager are open-source projects by miaoxworld. If they saved you time, consider starring the repos on GitHub — it helps more people discover these tools.

Now go build something cool with your new agent. The setup is done. The fun part starts now.