Getting Started with OpenClaw (Moltbot)

Prerequisites

Before installing:

Node.js 22+ — Download from nodejs.org
AI API key — Anthropic Claude (recommended) or OpenAI
Chat platform — WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, etc. (optional)

Installation

NPM (Recommended)

npm install -g openclaw@latest

One-Line Installer

curl -fsSL https://molt.bot/install.sh | bash

From Source

git clone https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw.git
cd openclaw
pnpm install
pnpm run build

View detailed installation guide →

Initial Setup

Run the onboarding wizard:

openclaw onboard --install-daemon

This will guide you through:

AI model selection and API key setup
Channel configuration (WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.)
Permissions and security settings
Starting the daemon for 24/7 operation

First Commands

Check OpenClaw (Moltbot) status:

openclaw status

Send messages from your configured chat app:

Basic Examples

Hello! What can you do?

What's the weather like today?

Create a file called test.txt with "Hello World"

Advanced Examples

Analyze my calendar for this week

Check my GitHub notifications

Create a daily briefing

Configuration

Config is stored in ~/.openclaw/

View Config

openclaw config show

Run Diagnostics

openclaw doctor

View Logs

openclaw logs

Setting Up Channels

WhatsApp

openclaw channels login whatsapp

Scan the QR code with your phone.

Telegram

openclaw channels login telegram

Discord

openclaw channels login discord

View all integration guides →

Installing Skills

Browse skills in the official docs

List Available Skills

openclaw skills list

Enable a Skill

openclaw skills enable skill-name

Learn more about skills →

Common Issues

OpenClaw (Moltbot) won't start

Check Node.js version:

node --version  # Should be 22.0.0+

API key or auth errors

Re-run the onboarding or run diagnostics:

openclaw doctor

View full troubleshooting guide →

Next Steps

Getting Started