OpenClaw Quick Start: Installation to First Conversation

3 min read

Getting started with OpenClaw takes less than 10 minutes. Whether you're setting up Moltbot for customer support or Clawdbot for team collaboration, this comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know.

System Requirements

Before installing OpenClaw, ensure your system meets these requirements:

  • Node.js 16.x or higher
  • npm 8.x or higher (or yarn 1.22+)
  • A Discord, Slack, or Telegram account
  • Basic command line knowledge

1Install OpenClaw CLI

The OpenClaw command-line interface simplifies installation and configuration. Install it globally using npm:

npm install -g openclaw-cli

Verify the installation by checking the version:

openclaw --version

You should see output similar to: openclaw-cli v2.4.1

2Create Your First Project

Initialize a new OpenClaw project in your desired directory:

openclaw init my-assistant
cd my-assistant

This creates a project structure with configuration files and example templates. The CLI will prompt you to choose between Moltbot and Clawdbot configurations.

3Configure Your Bot

Edit the openclaw.config.js file to customize your assistant's behavior:

module.exports = {
  name: 'MyAssistant',
  platform: 'discord', // or 'slack', 'telegram'
  language: 'en',
  features: {
    naturalLanguage: true,
    contextAware: true,
    learningMode: 'adaptive'
  },
  responses: {
    greeting: 'Hello! How can I assist you today?',
    fallback: 'I\'m not sure I understand. Could you rephrase that?'
  }
};
💡 Pro Tip: Start with default settings and customize gradually as you understand your users' needs. OpenClaw learns from interactions and improves over time.

4Obtain API Credentials

You'll need platform-specific credentials. For Discord:

  1. Visit the Discord Developer Portal
  2. Click "New Application" and name your bot
  3. Navigate to the "Bot" section and click "Add Bot"
  4. Copy the bot token (keep this secret!)
  5. Enable required intents: Message Content, Server Members

Add your token to the .env file:

DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN=your_token_here
OPENCLAW_API_KEY=your_openclaw_key
⚠️ Security Warning: Never commit your .env file to version control. Add it to .gitignore immediately.

5Start Your Assistant

Launch OpenClaw in development mode to test your configuration:

openclaw dev

You should see output indicating successful connection:

✓ OpenClaw initialized
✓ Connected to Discord
✓ Bot online as MyAssistant#1234
→ Listening for messages...

6Test Your First Conversation

Invite your bot to a Discord server and send a test message:

@MyAssistant hello

OpenClaw should respond with your configured greeting. Try asking questions to test natural language understanding:

  • "What can you do?"
  • "Help me with..."
  • "Tell me about..."

Production Deployment

Once testing is complete, deploy OpenClaw to production:

# Build for production
openclaw build

# Start in production mode
openclaw start --production

# Or use PM2 for process management
pm2 start openclaw --name my-assistant
✅ Congratulations! Your OpenClaw assistant is now running. Monitor the logs and adjust configurations based on user interactions.

Next Steps

Now that OpenClaw is operational, explore these advanced features:

  • Custom Commands: Define specific commands for your use case
  • Integration Plugins: Connect to external APIs and services
  • Analytics Dashboard: Track usage patterns and performance
  • Multi-Platform Support: Expand to Slack and Telegram simultaneously

For detailed platform-specific guides, check our Discord, Slack, and Telegram integration tutorials. Join the OpenClaw community for support and best practices.