How to install OpenClaw for beginners (2026 guide)

OpenClaw is powerful.
It is not beginner-friendly by accident.

If you’re confused about where to install it, why it crashes, why the web UI won’t open, or why it keeps talking about gateways and tokens, you’re not alone.

This guide explains everything from zero, in plain language.

By the end, you’ll know:

• what OpenClaw actually is
• where it should run
• how to install it safely
• how to access the web dashboard
• and when it makes sense to skip the pain and use managed hosting

What Is OpenClaw

OpenClaw is a self-hosted AI agent system.

That means:

• it runs on your machine or your server
• it stays online as long as that machine stays online
• it exposes a local web dashboard (very secure)
• it connects to AI models (like OpenAI, Anthropic, Claude and more) using your credentials

OpenClaw is not:

• a SaaS you sign up for
• a website you log into
• something hosted “for you” by default

Important mindset shift:

You don’t log into OpenClaw.
You run OpenClaw.

Once you understand that, everything else starts to make sense.

Where Should You Run OpenClaw?

This is the most important decision you’ll make.

Option 1: Run OpenClaw on Your Local Computer

This works for:

• testing
• learning the CLI
• curiosity
• short sessions

It breaks when:

• your laptop sleeps
• your browser closes
• memory fills up
• you want it running 24/7

Local installs are fine for experiments.
They are not ideal for real usage.

Option 2: Run OpenClaw on a VPS (Recommended)

A VPS (Virtual Private Server) is:

• always online
• has dedicated RAM
• doesn’t sleep
• doesn’t close your browser
• works from anywhere
• Secured for OpenClaw when purchased by BoostedHost

This is why most serious OpenClaw users move to a VPS very quickly.

If OpenClaw matters to you, it should not live on a laptop.

Shortcut option:
If you want OpenClaw pre-installed and ready, you can use BoostedHost OpenClaw VPS, which skips most of the setup below.

OpenClaw System Requirements (Read This Carefully)

OpenClaw is memory-hungry by design.

Minimum

• 2 vCPU
• 2 GB RAM
• 20 GB SSD
• Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04

Recommended (high usage)

• 2–4 vCPU
• 8 GB RAM
• 40+ GB SSD

Comfortable / production

• 4+ vCPU
• 8 GB RAM or more

Important:

• 0.5 – 1 GB RAM will crash
• swap does not fix this
• most “cheap” VPS plans are too small

How to Install OpenClaw (Manual Method)

If you’re installing it yourself, this is the cleanest approach.

Step 1: Get a Clean Linux System

Recommended:

• Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04
• root or sudo access
• internet access

Step 2: Install Node.js (Required)

OpenClaw runs on Node.js.

curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_22.x | bash -
apt install -y nodejs

Verify:

node -v
npm -v

Step 3: Install OpenClaw

Run this command:

curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --install-method git --no-prompt --no-onboard

This installs OpenClaw globally.

Verify:

openclaw --version

If you see a version number, installation worked.

First-Time Setup (Onboarding)

Now you must run onboarding once.

openclaw onboard

This step:

• connects OpenClaw to your AI provider
• creates config files
• sets up the gateway
• generates a secure token

Follow the prompts carefully.

This is not optional.

How the OpenClaw Web Dashboard Works

This part confuses almost everyone.

Key facts:

• the dashboard runs on localhost
• default port is 18789
• it is not public by default
• it requires HTTPS or localhost for security

OpenClaw does this on purpose.

Accessing the Dashboard on a VPS (Correct Way)

You do not open it directly in your browser via the server IP.

You use an SSH tunnel.

On your local machine, run:

ssh -N -L 18789:127.0.0.1:18789 root@YOUR_SERVER_IP

Keep this window open.

Then open in your browser:

http://localhost:18789/

Token Required (This Is Normal)

If you see:

unauthorized: gateway token missing

Run this on the server:

openclaw dashboard --no-open

Copy the tokenized URL and open it via localhost in your browser.

Tokens are a security feature, not a bug.

Common Beginner Mistakes (Avoid These)

• Running OpenClaw on 2 GB RAM
• Exposing it directly over HTTP
• Disabling the firewall blindly
• Killing the gateway accidentally
• Closing the SSH tunnel
• Ignoring tokens

If OpenClaw feels “fragile”, it’s almost always a setup issue.

When Managed OpenClaw Hosting Makes Sense

You should consider managed hosting if:

• you don’t want to debug Linux
• you want OpenClaw ready instantly
• you want sane defaults
• you want enough RAM from day one
• you don’t want to think about security

This is why BoostedHost OpenClaw Hosting exists:

• OpenClaw pre-installed
• correct RAM sizing
• firewall configured
• secure by default
• no guesswork

You can still SSH in and customize everything.
You just skip the painful part.

Final Thoughts

OpenClaw is not hard.
It is unforgiving.

If you:

• run it on the right hardware
• understand how access works
• respect its security model

…it becomes extremely powerful.

If you cut corners, it will bite.