How to make OpenClaw just work

Source: Dev.to

Versions

Installation

1. Install Node.js if it isn’t already on your system.

2. Install the specific OpenClaw release:

   npm install -g openclaw@2026.4.22
   # added 498 packages in 51s

3. Verify the installation:

   openclaw -v
   # OpenClaw 2026.4.22 (00bd2cf)

Note: The guide pins to version 2026.4.22 for reproducibility. Newer releases may introduce breaking changes.

Initial Setup

OpenClaw requires a model provider and an API key. This guide uses Google AI Studio.

1. Create a Gemini API key in Google AI Studio and store it securely.

2. Run the onboarding command:

   openclaw onboard

   The command may take a few minutes while additional components are installed. When the prompt appears, answer the questions as shown below to complete a quick‑start setup.

   Question	Answer
   I understand this is personal‑by‑default and shared/multi‑user use requires lock‑down. Continue?	yes
   Setup Mode	QuickStart
   Model/auth provider	Google
   Enter Gemini API key	Paste the key you generated
   Model	google/gemini-2.5-flash
   Select channel (QuickStart)	Skip for Now
   Search provider	Skip for Now
   Configure skills now? (recommended)	No
   Enable hooks?	Skip for now
   How do you want to hatch your bot?	Do this later

3. Confirm the default model:

   openclaw models
   # (output should list google/gemini-2.5-flash as the default)

First Chat with the Agent

Open two terminals:

• Terminal 1 – start the gateway (server):

  openclaw gateway

• Terminal 2 – open the text UI (client):

  openclaw tui

When the UI is ready, type a greeting such as Hello. The agent should respond, confirming that the setup works.

Congrats, You Made It Work

You can now interact with the OpenClaw agent, define its behavior, personality, and tasks, and continue exploring its capabilities.

Extra: Things to Consider

• Budget safety: Set a low spending limit (e.g., $1) on your Google Gemini API key to avoid unexpected charges.

• Process cleanup: On Windows, terminating the OpenClaw processes may require:

  taskkill /F /IM node.exe /T

• Version updates: If you prefer to try newer releases, replace 2026.4.22 with the desired version in the npm install command, but be prepared for potential breaking changes.