🦞 Adopt a Lobster

5 minutes, from scratch, to your first AI lobster running on your own machine.

Supports Windows · macOS · Linux

📋 Before You Start

✅ A computer with internet access (Windows 10+, macOS 12+, or Ubuntu 20.04+)

✅ An LLM API Key (recommended: Anthropic Claude or OpenAI)

✅ A Telegram account (for chatting with your lobster — other IMs work too)

💡 You do NOT need: coding skills, a server, or a domain. Your laptop is enough.

Adoption Flow Overview 🦞 ① Install Node.js Runtime env → ② Install OpenClaw One command → ③ Enter API Key Give it a brain → ④ Connect Telegram Chat channel → 🦞 Chat! 4 steps, about 5 minutes total ⏱️ Official docs: docs.openclaw.ai
🪟

Windows Installation

Windows 10 / 11

1

Install Node.js

Head to nodejs.org, download the LTS version, double-click, and click "Next" all the way through.

Once installed, open PowerShell (right-click Start → Terminal) and verify:

node --version    # should show v20.x or higher
npm --version     # should show 10.x or higher

💡 If you get "not recognized", restart your computer and try again.

2

Install OpenClaw

In PowerShell, run:

npm install -g openclaw

Verify the install:

openclaw --version
3

Initialize Configuration

Run the setup wizard:

openclaw init

Follow the prompts to enter your API Key and Telegram Bot Token.

No Bot Token yet? Go to @BotFather on Telegram, send /newbot, and you're done in 30 seconds.

4

Launch!

openclaw gateway start

Find your bot on Telegram, say "hello" — congrats, your lobster is alive! 🦞

💡 Want auto-start on boot? Check our Field Notes for the Task Scheduler + VBS approach.

🍎

macOS Installation

macOS 12+ (Monterey and later)

1

Install Homebrew + Node.js

Open Terminal (Terminal.app) and run:

# Install Homebrew (macOS package manager)
/bin/bash -c \
  "$(curl -fsSL \
  https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

# Apple Silicon Macs (M1/M2/M3/M4) also need:
echo 'eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)"' \
  >> ~/.zprofile
eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)"

# Install Node.js
brew install node
2

Install OpenClaw

npm install -g openclaw
openclaw --version
3

Initialize + Launch

openclaw init      # enter your API Key and Bot Token
openclaw gateway start

Message your bot on Telegram — the lobster lives! 🦞

4

Auto-start on Login (optional)

# Install as a launch agent
openclaw gateway install
# or manually create ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.openclaw.gateway.plist
🐧

Linux Installation

Ubuntu 20.04+ / Debian 11+ / CentOS 8+

1

Install Node.js

# Ubuntu / Debian
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_20.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt install -y nodejs

# Verify
node --version
npm --version
2

Install + Init + Start

npm install -g openclaw
openclaw init
openclaw gateway start
3

Systemd Auto-start (recommended)

# OpenClaw ships with a systemd installer
openclaw gateway install

# or manually
sudo systemctl enable openclaw-gateway
sudo systemctl start openclaw-gateway
sudo systemctl status openclaw-gateway

🛡️ Responsible Lobster Keeping

The Responsible Keeper's Code 🦞🛡️ 🔐 Protect Your Keys Never expose API keys Not in public repos ⚖️ Legal Use Only No attacking systems No leaking private data 🧪 Grant Carefully Confirm risky actions Back up before changes Your lobster is a tool — use it for good ❤️

🔐 Key Security

  • • Never commit API Keys to public repos (GitHub etc.)
  • • If your Bot Token leaks, reset it via @BotFather immediately
  • • SSH keys should be chmod 600 — never share them
  • • Rotate API keys periodically

🛡️ Permission Control

  • • High-risk actions (delete, send email) should require human confirmation
  • • Use trash instead of rm (recoverable)
  • • Always back up config before changing it
  • • Use allowFrom in group chats to restrict access

⚖️ Legal Use

  • • Don't use your lobster to attack other systems
  • • Don't use it to send spam
  • • Don't use it to steal data
  • • Follow the laws of your country

💡 Best Practices

  • • Test in a staging environment before going to production
  • • Review your lobster's logs and behavior regularly
  • • Have your lobster log lessons to MEMORY.md
  • • Trust but verify — AI makes mistakes too

🎉 Ready to go?

Open your terminal. One command. Your lobster awaits.

npm install -g openclaw && openclaw init

Official docs: docs.openclaw.ai · Source: GitHub · Community: Discord