Install OpenClaw on Ubuntu 24.04 in 15 Minutes

Problem: Running a Personal AI Assistant 24/7

You want an AI assistant that runs on your own infrastructure, integrates with your messaging apps, and doesn't send your data to third-party clouds.

You'll learn:

• How to install OpenClaw on Ubuntu 24.04
• Configure it with any LLM provider (Anthropic, OpenAI, local models)
• Connect it to WhatsApp, Telegram, or Discord
• Set up the systemd service for 24/7 operation

Time: 15 min | Level: Intermediate

Why OpenClaw on Ubuntu 24.04

OpenClaw is an open-source AI assistant that runs entirely on your infrastructure. Ubuntu 24.04 LTS provides the best supported environment with systemd integration for automatic startup and background operation.

What makes it different:

• Runs on your hardware - full data control
• Works with any LLM - Claude, GPT, Gemini, or local models
• Chat integration - WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack, iMessage
• Persistent memory - remembers context across conversations
• Extensible skills - build custom capabilities

Common use cases:

• Email management and calendar automation
• File organization and search
• Web browsing and data extraction
• Code execution and system tasks
• 24/7 availability from any messaging app

Requirements

System specs:

• Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (22.04 also works)
• 2GB RAM minimum (4GB recommended for production)
• 10GB free disk space
• sudo/root access

Software:

• Node.js 22+ (we'll install this)
• Internet connection for package downloads

Optional:

• VPS for 24/7 operation (DigitalOcean, Hetzner, AWS)
• AI provider API key (Anthropic, OpenAI, or Google)

Solution

Step 1: Update System and Install Node.js 22

OpenClaw requires Node.js 22 or newer for modern JavaScript features and performance.

# Update package lists
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

# Install required build tools
sudo apt install -y curl build-essential

# Install Node.js 22 from NodeSource
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_22.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt install -y nodejs

Expected output:

Node.js 22.x repository successfully configured
Reading package lists... Done
Setting up nodejs (22.x.x-1nodesource1) ...

Verify installation:

node --version  # Should show v22.x.x
npm --version   # Should show 10.x.x or higher

If it fails:

• Error: "curl: command not found": Run sudo apt install curl -y first
• Node version wrong: The NodeSource script sometimes fails silently - try running the curl command again

Step 2: Install OpenClaw

Use npm to install OpenClaw globally, making it available system-wide.

# Install OpenClaw globally
npm install -g openclaw@latest

# Verify installation
openclaw --version

Expected: Version number like openclaw v2026.1.30

Why global install: This makes the openclaw command available from any directory and allows systemd to find it easily.

If npm install hangs on 1GB RAM VPS:

# Increase Node memory limit for installation
export NODE_OPTIONS="--max-old-space-size=2048"
npm install -g openclaw@latest

Alternative: Create swap if needed:

# Only if install still fails due to memory
sudo fallocate -l 2G /swapfile
sudo chmod 600 /swapfile
sudo mkswap /swapfile
sudo swapon /swapfile
echo '/swapfile none swap sw 0 0' | sudo tee -a /etc/fstab

Step 3: Run the Onboarding Wizard

The interactive wizard configures your AI provider, gateway settings, and optional messaging channels.

# Start onboarding with daemon installation
openclaw onboard --install-daemon

What happens:

1. Choose AI provider - Select Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, or local model
2. Enter API key - Paste your provider's API key
3. Select model - Choose from available models (e.g., Claude Sonnet, GPT-4)
4. Configure gateway - Default port 18789, localhost binding
5. Optional channels - Skip for now (we'll add later)
6. Install service - Creates systemd unit for auto-start

For Anthropic (Claude):

• Get API key from https://console.anthropic.com
• Recommended model: claude-sonnet-4-20250514 (fast, capable)

For local models:

• Select "Custom API endpoint"
• Point to Ollama, LM Studio, or other local server
• No API key needed

Expected output:

✓ AI provider configured: Anthropic
✓ Model selected: claude-sonnet-4-20250514
✓ Gateway config written to ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json
✓ Systemd service installed
✓ Gateway started successfully

Step 4: Verify Gateway is Running

Check that the OpenClaw gateway service started correctly.

# Check service status
openclaw gateway status

Expected:

● openclaw-gateway.service - OpenClaw Gateway
   Loaded: loaded
   Active: active (running) since [timestamp]
   Main PID: 1234

If not running:

# Start the service manually
openclaw gateway start

# View logs if issues
journalctl -u openclaw-gateway.service -n 50

Start on boot: The --install-daemon flag already enabled this. Verify with:

systemctl is-enabled openclaw-gateway.service
# Should output: enabled

Step 5: Access the Control UI

The Control UI lets you chat with OpenClaw in your browser without setting up messaging apps first.

# Open dashboard (auto-launches browser)
openclaw dashboard

Default URL: http://127.0.0.1:18789

Security note: The URL includes a one-time token for authentication. Each openclaw dashboard command generates a new secure session.

For remote VPS access: Use SSH tunnel to securely access the dashboard:

# On your local machine
ssh -L 18789:127.0.0.1:18789 username@your-vps-ip

# Then open browser to http://127.0.0.1:18789

Try a test message:

Hello! What can you help me with?

If OpenClaw responds, your installation is working.

Step 6: Connect Messaging Apps (Optional)

Add WhatsApp, Telegram, or Discord integration for mobile access.

Telegram (Easiest)

# Start channel setup
openclaw channels add

# Select Telegram
# Follow prompts to create bot via @BotFather
# Get bot token and paste it
# Authorize with your phone number

Get Telegram bot token:

1. Open Telegram and message @BotFather
2. Send /newbot
3. Choose name and username
4. Copy the token provided

WhatsApp

openclaw channels add
# Select WhatsApp Web
# Scan QR code with your phone

Requires: Phone stays connected to internet. WhatsApp Web uses your phone as relay.

Discord

openclaw channels add
# Select Discord
# Create bot in Discord Developer Portal
# Get bot token and client ID
# Invite bot to your server

Discord bot setup:

1. Go to https://discord.com/developers/applications
2. New Application → Bot → Reset Token
3. Enable "Message Content Intent"
4. Generate OAuth2 URL with bot permissions

Verification

Test full workflow:

# 1. Check gateway is running
openclaw gateway status

# 2. View real-time logs
openclaw logs --follow

# 3. Send test message via dashboard
openclaw dashboard

Expected behavior:

• Gateway responds within 1-2 seconds
• Messages appear in logs
• Responses are coherent and context-aware

Check configuration:

# View current config
cat ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json | jq .

What You Learned

• OpenClaw runs as a persistent gateway service on Ubuntu
• Node.js 22+ is required for modern JavaScript features
• The onboarding wizard handles most configuration automatically
• systemd integration provides reliable 24/7 operation
• Control UI works immediately, messaging apps need channel setup

Limitations:

• 2GB RAM minimum - lower specs cause OOM errors during heavy use
• WhatsApp requires phone connection - Telegram doesn't
• API costs apply to cloud models - local models are free but slower

When to upgrade:

• More than 10 messages/minute → 4GB RAM
• Multiple concurrent channels → Consider dedicated VPS
• Production use → Add reverse proxy (nginx) with HTTPS

Next Steps

Add capabilities:

• Create custom skills - extend with Python or JavaScript
• Connect Gmail - email automation
• Browser automation - web scraping and testing
• File management - organize local files

Production hardening:

• Set up nginx reverse proxy with SSL
• Configure firewall rules (UFW)
• Add monitoring with Prometheus/Grafana
• Implement backup strategy for ~/.openclaw/

Community resources:

• Official Discord - get help and share skills
• ClawHub - download community skills
• GitHub Issues - report bugs

Tested on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, OpenClaw v2026.1.30, Node.js 22.12.0

Common errors and fixes: