Last Updated: February 2026#

📚 Table of Contents#

1. What is OpenClaw
2. Beginner Stage: Getting Started
3. Intermediate Stage: Practical Skills
4. Advanced Stage: Advanced Applications
5. Practice Task Checklist
6. Frequently Asked Questions
7. Learning Resources

What is OpenClaw#

• You: "Help me organize my desktop files"
• AI: "I suggest you can do this: 1. Create folders... 2. Sort by type..."

• You: "Help me organize my desktop files"
• OpenClaw: Directly renames, categorizes, and moves files. "Done! I organized 47 files into 5 folders by type."

Beginner Stage: Getting Started#

Step 1: Environment Preparation#

• Operating System: macOS, Linux, or Windows (requires WSL)
• Node.js: v18 or higher
• AI Model API Key: API key for Claude or GPT

# Check Node.js version
node --version

# If version is below v18, upgrade

# macOS/Linux using nvm
nvm install 18
nvm use 18

# Windows: visit nodejs.org to download and install

Step 2: Install OpenClaw#

# Install OpenClaw globally
npm install -g openclaw

# Verify installation
openclaw --version

# Pull the image
docker pull openclaw/openclaw:latest

# Run the container
docker run -d --name openclaw \
  -v ~/.openclaw:/root/.openclaw \
  openclaw/openclaw:latest

# Clone the project
git clone https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw.git
cd openclaw

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Start
npm run start

Step 3: Initial Configuration#

# Start the initialization wizard
openclaw onboard

1. Selecting an AI model provider (Anthropic Claude / OpenAI GPT / Local Model)
2. Entering your API Key
3. Choosing a messaging platform (Telegram / Discord / WhatsApp, etc.)
4. Configuring system permissions (recommend starting with Sandbox Mode)

• Anthropic Claude: anthropic.com (Recommended, $20/month Pro subscription)
• OpenAI GPT: platform.openai.com
• API Aggregation Service: apiyi.com (Supports multiple models, free credits for new users)

• Successfully configured API Key
• Selected at least one messaging platform
• Completed permission settings (recommend choosing Sandbox Mode first)

Step 4: First Conversation#

# Start OpenClaw
openclaw

# Or start the Dashboard (Web Interface)
openclaw dashboard

1. Search for @BotFather in Telegram
2. Send /newbot to create a new bot
3. Get the Bot Token
4. Configure it in OpenClaw:

openclaw config set channels.telegram.botToken "YOUR_BOT_TOKEN"
openclaw config set channels.telegram.enabled true

1. Search for your bot in Telegram and start a conversation.

Hello, introduce yourself.

What can you help me with?

What time is it?

Step 5: Understand Core Concepts#

• Message Gateway: Telegram, Discord, WhatsApp
• API Gateway: HTTP API interface
• CLI Gateway: Command-line interaction

• Each Skill defines a set of specific tasks
• Third-party Skills can be installed from Clawhub
• You can also write custom Skills yourself

• Your preferences and habits
• Context from previous conversations
• Important information and tasks

• Sandbox Mode: Restricts filesystem, network, and shell access
• Full Access Mode: Complete permissions (use with caution)

# View OpenClaw's working directory
ls ~/.openclaw

# View configuration file
openclaw config list

# View installed Skills
openclaw skills list

# Run a security audit
openclaw security audit

Intermediate Stage: Practical Skills#

Step 6: Install and Use Skills#

# Search for Skills
openclaw skills search email

# View Skill details
openclaw skills info @author/skill-name

# Install Email Management Skill
openclaw skills install @openclaw/email-manager

# Install Calendar Management Skill
openclaw skills install @openclaw/calendar

# Install File Organizer Skill
openclaw skills install @openclaw/file-organizer

# Install Web Search Skill (using Tavily instead of Brave)
openclaw skills install @openclaw/tavily-search

1. Install at least 3 Skills
2. Test the functionality of each Skill
3. Record which Skills are most useful to you

Step 7: Google Workspace Integration#

1. Create a Google Cloud Project
   • Visit console.cloud.google.com and create a new project
   • Enable Gmail API, Google Calendar API, Google Drive API
2. Create a Service Account
   • Go to IAM & AdminService Accounts and create a service account
   • Download the JSON key file
3. Configure OpenClaw

openclaw config set integrations.google.enabled true
openclaw config set integrations.google.credentialsPath "/path/to/credentials.json"

1. Authorize Access

openclaw integrations google authorize

1. Calendar Management: Have OpenClaw create a meeting invitation for you.

Help me create a 1-hour meeting at 3 PM tomorrow with the subject "Project Review"

1. Email Processing: Have OpenClaw check unread emails.

Check my unread emails and summarize the 3 most important ones.

1. Document Editing: Create a Google Doc.

Create a new Google Doc titled "Weekly Report Template" containing a framework for the weekly work summary.

Step 8: Set Up Scheduled Tasks (Cron Jobs)#

I want you to send me a briefing every morning at 8 AM containing:
1. Today's weather
2. My calendar schedule
3. Number of unread emails
4. An inspirational quote

# List all scheduled tasks
openclaw cron list

# View task details
openclaw cron show <task-id>

# Disable a task
openclaw cron disable <task-id>

# Delete a task
openclaw cron delete <task-id>

1. Daily Briefing: Send weather and schedule every morning.
2. Weekly Summary: Send weekly statistics every Friday afternoon.
3. Scheduled Reminder: Remind you to finish work at 6 PM every day.

Step 9: Configure Persistent Memory#

Remember the following information about me:
- My name is [Your Name]
- My job is [Your Profession]
- My working hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00-18:00
- I like concise replies, not too wordy
- I communicate in Chinese
- My timezone is GMT+8

# View memory file
cat ~/.openclaw/memory/long-term.json

# Or ask in conversation
What information do you remember about me?

1. Give your assistant a name.
2. Tell it your basic information and preferences.
3. Set your work habits and schedule.
4. Test if it remembers this information.

Advanced Stage: Advanced Applications#

Step 10: Write a Custom Skill#

name: "Daily News Summary"
description: "Fetch and summarize today's tech news"
version: "1.0.0"

triggers:
  - "today's news"
  - "tech news"

steps:
  - action: web_search
    query: "latest tech news today"
    max_results: 5
    
  - action: summarize
    content: "{{search_results}}"
    style: "bullet_points"
    
  - action: respond
    message: "📰 Today's Tech News Summary:

{{summary}}"

# Reload Skills
openclaw skills reload

# Test Skill
openclaw skills test "Daily News Summary"

1. Weather Assistant: Query weather for a specified city and format the output.
2. Task Manager: Add, view, and complete to-do items.
3. Website Monitor: Periodically check if a website is accessible.
4. Price Tracker: Monitor price changes for a specific product.

Step 11: Multi-Agent Management#

# Create a Work Agent
openclaw create-agent work
openclaw config --agent work set ai.model "claude-sonnet-4.6"

# Create a Personal Agent
openclaw create-agent personal
openclaw config --agent personal set ai.model "gpt-5.3"

# Switch Agent
openclaw switch-agent work
openclaw switch-agent personal

# List all Agents
openclaw list-agents

• Work Agent: Connect to company email, project management tools.
• Personal Agent: Manage personal schedule, household tasks.
• Experimental Agent: Test new features, new Skills.

• AI Models
• Messaging Platforms
• Skills
• Permission Levels

Step 12: Docker Sandbox Security Practices#

# Install Docker (if not already installed)

# macOS: Download Docker Desktop
# Linux: sudo apt install docker.io

# Configure OpenClaw to use Docker sandbox
openclaw config set sandbox.mode "docker"
openclaw config set sandbox.docker.image "openclaw/sandbox:latest"

# Test the sandbox
openclaw sandbox test

• Filesystem access (only accessible to specified directories)
• Network access (configurable whitelist)
• System command execution
• Resource usage (CPU, memory limits)

1. Enable Docker sandbox mode.
2. Run a security audit: openclaw security audit --deep
3. Fix security issues based on the audit results.
4. Test if the sandbox restrictions are effective.

Step 13: Browser Control#

# Install the browser control plugin
openclaw plugins install @openclaw/browser-control

# Configure the browser
openclaw config set browser.enabled true
openclaw config set browser.headless false  # false means show the browser window

Open the browser, visit GitHub, search for "openclaw", and tell me the top 3 results

Help me search for "mechanical keyboard" on Amazon, find the top 3 highest-rated products, and record their prices

1. Information Gathering: Scrape data from a website and organize it
2. Form Filling: Automatically fill out an online form
3. Price Comparison: Compare prices of the same product across multiple websites

Step 14: Integration with Other Tools#

# Install the Linear Skill
openclaw skills install @openclaw/linear

# Configure the API Key
openclaw config set integrations.linear.apiKey "YOUR_LINEAR_API_KEY"

Create a new task in Linear: "Fix the login page bug", priority high

# Install the Obsidian Skill
openclaw skills install @openclaw/obsidian

# Configure the Obsidian vault path
openclaw config set integrations.obsidian.vaultPath "/path/to/obsidian/vault"

Create a new note in Obsidian with the title "OpenClaw Learning Notes"

• Project Management: Linear, Jira, Trello
• Note-Taking: Obsidian, Notion, Evernote
• Code: GitHub, GitLab
• Communication: Slack, Discord, Teams
• Other: Based on your needs

Step 15: Advanced Configuration Optimization#

# Configure caching
openclaw config set cache.enabled true
openclaw config set cache.ttl 3600

# Configure concurrent requests
openclaw config set ai.maxConcurrentRequests 3

# Configure timeout
openclaw config set ai.timeout 30000

# Set daily API call limit
openclaw config set ai.dailyLimit 1000

# Set monthly budget (USD)
openclaw config set ai.monthlyBudget 50

# View usage statistics
openclaw stats usage
openclaw stats cost

# Enable verbose logging
openclaw config set logging.level "debug"

# View logs
openclaw logs

# View logs for a specific time
openclaw logs --since "2026-02-20"

# Export logs
openclaw logs --export logs.txt

1. Optimize performance configuration based on your usage
2. Set up cost controls to avoid unexpected high fees
3. Configure logging for easier debugging
4. Monitor usage and costs for one week

• Cost controls are configured
• Can view usage statistics
• Understands the logging system

Practice Task Checklist#

• Task 1: Check and install Node.js v18+
• Task 2: Complete OpenClaw installation (choose one method)
• Task 3: Run the initialization wizard, configure the API Key
• Task 4: Have your first conversation with OpenClaw
• Task 5: Explore the workspace and configuration files

• Task 6: Install and test at least 3 Skills
• Task 7: Complete Google Workspace integration (at least 2 features)
• Task 8: Create at least 2 scheduled tasks
• Task 9: Personalize your assistant, configure the memory system

• Task 10: Create a custom Skill
• Task 11: Configure multiple Agents for different scenarios
• Task 12: Enable Docker sandbox and pass a security audit
• Task 13: Complete a browser automation task
• Task 14: Integrate at least 2 third-party tools
• Task 15: Optimize configuration and set up cost controls

• Project 1: Build an automated workflow that sends a personalized briefing every morning
• Project 2: Create an automatic email classification and reply system
• Project 3: Build a multi-channel message aggregation center
• Project 4: Develop a price monitoring and alert system
• Project 5: Build an automated content publishing system (blog/social media)

Frequently Asked Questions#

Q1: What are the technical requirements for OpenClaw?#

• Be comfortable using the command line
• Understand environment variable configuration
• Know the concept of an API Key

Q2: How do I manage security risks?#

1. Use Sandbox Mode: Use sandbox mode during initial testing
2. Don't Store Sensitive Passwords: Do not store plain-text passwords in configuration files
3. Regular Review: Regularly check automation rules
4. Understand Permissions: Only enable the permissions you need
5. Dedicated Device: It is recommended to run on a dedicated device (e.g., Mac Mini, old laptop)
6. Separate Accounts: Create separate email addresses and accounts for OpenClaw

Q3: What are the approximate API costs?#

• Light Usage (10-20 conversations/day): Approximately $5-10/month
• Moderate Usage (50-100 conversations/day + scheduled tasks): Approximately $20-30/month
• Heavy Usage (heavy automation + browser control): Approximately $50-100/month

• Use API aggregation services for better prices
• Set daily/monthly usage limits
• Prioritize using cheaper models
• New users usually have free credits

Q4: Can I use local models?#

# Install Ollama
curl -fsSL https://ollama.ai/install.sh | sh

# Download a model
ollama pull llama3.2

# Configure OpenClaw
openclaw config set ai.provider "ollama"
openclaw config set ai.model "llama3.2"
openclaw config set ai.baseUrl "http://localhost:11434"

Q5: Does OpenClaw support Chinese?#

• GitHub: MaoTouHU/OpenClawChinese
• Provides a Chinese interface and Chinese documentation
• Automatically syncs official updates every hour

Q6: How do I back up my configuration?#

# Back up the entire working directory
cp -r ~/.openclaw ~/.openclaw-backup

# Or use Git for synchronization (recommended)
cd ~/.openclaw
git init
git add .
git commit -m "Initial backup"
git remote add origin YOUR_GITHUB_REPO
git push -u origin main

Q7: How do I debug when encountering problems?#

# 1. View logs
openclaw logs

# 2. Run a health check
openclaw doctor

# 3. Run a security audit
openclaw security audit

# 4. Enable debug mode
openclaw config set logging.level "debug"
openclaw

# 5. View configuration
openclaw config list

Q8: Can I run it on a server?#

• DigitalOcean (has one-click deployment)
• AWS EC2
• Alibaba Cloud Lightweight Application Server
• Cloudflare Workers ($5/month plan)

• Ensure server security configuration
• Use HTTPS connections
• Configure a firewall
• Update the system regularly

Learning Resources#

• Official Website: https://openclaw.ai/
• GitHub Repository: github.com/openclaw/openclaw
• Official Documentation: https://docs.openclaw.ai/en
• Skills Marketplace: github.com/VoltAgent/awesome-openclaw-skills

• freeCodeCamp Full Tutorial (1 hour): YouTube
• OpenClaw Beginner's Guide (30 minutes): YouTube
• Master OpenClaw in 30 Minutes: YouTube
• OpenClaw Crash Course: YouTube

• freeCodeCamp Beginner's Tutorial: freecodecamp.org
• DigitalOcean Deployment Tutorial: digitalocean.com
• Reddit Detailed Guide: reddit.com/r/clawdbot

• CSDN Chinese Version Tutorial: blog.csdn.net
• OpenClaw Chinese Usage Tutorial: lua.ren
• Alibaba Cloud Deployment Tutorial: help.aliyun.com
• Apifox Installation Guide: apifox.com

• Reddit: r/clawdbot, r/AiForSmallBusiness
• Discord: OpenClaw Official Discord Server
• GitHub Discussions: Ask questions in the Discussions section of the GitHub repository
• Chinese Community: MaoTouHU/OpenClawChinese

Next Steps#

1. Deep Dive into an Area: Choose a feature that interests you most (e.g., browser automation, email management) and study it in depth
2. Join the Community: Contribute code on GitHub, or share your Skills on Clawhub
3. Build Practical Projects: Use OpenClaw to solve problems in your actual work or life
4. Explore Advanced Features: Research advanced topics like multi-agent collaboration, custom plugin development, etc.

Thread#

I've been learning about OpenClaw these past few days, and the sheer volume of information is a bit overwhelming.#