Install openclaw.ai on Ubuntu/Debian

Beginner ⏱ 15 minutes 📅 Updated Aug 2026

The fastest way to install openclaw.ai! This guide covers Ubuntu 22.04/24.04/26.04 LTS and Debian 12/13.

📋 Prerequisites

Node.js 22+ (see Step 1)
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS+ or Debian 12+
2GB RAM minimum
Sudo access
Internet connection

Install Node.js

openclaw.ai requires Node.js 22.22.3+, 24.15+, or 25.9+ (installer defaults to Node 26).

bash

# Install supported Node.js version
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_26.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

Install openclaw.ai

Run the official installation script:

bash

curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash

Initialize & Onboard

Start the onboarding wizard to configure your agent:

bash

openclaw onboard --install-daemon

Verify Installation

bash

openclaw --version

🔧 Troubleshooting

❌ "openclaw: command not found" ▼

Solution: The install script adds openclaw to your PATH. Restart your terminal or run:
source ~/.bashrc or source ~/.zshrc

❌ "Node.js version too old" ▼

Solution: openclaw.ai requires Node.js 22.22.3+, 24.15+, or 25.9+ (installer defaults to Node 26). Check your version with node --version and reinstall using Step 1 if needed.

❌ Gateway connection issues ▼

Solution: Run openclaw doctor to diagnose configuration issues. Check if the daemon is running with systemctl --user status openclaw-gateway

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📋 Prerequisites

Install Node.js

Install openclaw.ai

Initialize & Onboard

Verify Installation

🔧 Troubleshooting

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