Install OpenClaw on Linux
Run OpenClaw on your Linux desktop, server, or homelab. Works great on Ubuntu, Debian, Arch-based distros, and more.
You can use the official one-liner, npm, or build from source.
Option 1 – One-liner (recommended)
In your terminal, run:
curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash
This script installs dependencies (including Node.js if needed) and sets up OpenClaw.
Option 2 – Install via npm
If you already maintain your own Node.js runtime:
npm i -g openclaw
Check the official docs for the recommended Node.js versions.
Option 3 – From source
For developers and tinkerers who want to hack on OpenClaw:
curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --install-method git
Or manually:
git clone https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw.git
cd openclaw
pnpm install
pnpm run build
Then run pnpm run openclaw onboard to start onboarding.
After installing – Onboard
Finish setup with:
openclaw onboard
You’ll connect your model provider, chat apps, and other integrations.
Running as a service (optional)
On many Linux systems you can run OpenClaw as a systemd service so it’s always on, even after reboots.
For a production-ready setup, see the examples on the Docker page or in the official docs.
For distro-specific notes and fixes, visit the Troubleshoot Center.