Installing OpenClaw
Once you have chosen a machine, installing OpenClaw takes about five minutes. What slows people down is rarely the install itself; it is doing the steps in the wrong order, or skipping the check that would have caught the problem.
The rule
Node first, then npm install, then onboard.
You need three things before you start: a recent version of Node.js, credentials for your model provider (usually an API key), and a terminal on the machine where the Gateway will run.
# 1. Check that Node.js is installed and recent enough
node --version
# 2. Install the openclaw command globally
npm install -g openclaw@latest
# 3. Start the guided setup
openclaw onboard-ginstalls the package globally, so theopenclawcommand works from any folder, not just one project.@latestasks npm for the newest published release.- The Node.js version OpenClaw requires can change between releases. Check the official docs for the current requirement rather than trusting an old tutorial.
Updating later is the same command again: npm install -g openclaw@latest fetches the newest release. Do it regularly, because many security fixes arrive in small patch releases.
Docker: the isolated install. Instead of installing onto the machine directly, you can run OpenClaw inside a Docker container, an isolated environment with its own filesystem and software. The install stays clean, it cannot clash with other programs on the machine, and removing or updating it means swapping the container. It also fits the security checklist: inside a container, the agent can reach only what you choose to share with it.
The shortcut
Each step proves the one before it. Do not move on until the current step has shown you it worked.
Check Node
node --versionprints a version number. Compare it with the docs' requirement and upgrade first if it is older.
The trap is skipping the Node check. An outdated Node.js can fail in confusing ways during the install or on first run, and the error rarely says "your Node is too old".
Drills
Answer fast — trust the rule.
What does -g do in npm install -g openclaw@latest?
Where should you check which Node.js version OpenClaw needs?
What comes right after a successful install?
After installing, your shell says openclaw: command not found. What is the likely cause?
What is a benefit of installing OpenClaw with Docker?
Remember
- Node first, then npm install, then onboard.
- Each step proves the one before:
node --version, thenopenclaw --help. - Docker gives an isolated install; always check the Node requirement in the current docs.