OpenClaw went viral for a reason. While most AI tools wait for you to ask them something OpenClaw actually does things — managing files, sending emails, browsing the web and automating tasks autonomously. This guide shows you exactly how to get started with OpenClaw even if you’ve never used a command line tool before.
What You Need Before Starting
Before installing OpenClaw you need three things:
Node.js — the technical framework OpenClaw runs on. Download it free from nodejs.org. Choose the LTS version — it’s the most stable.
An API key — OpenClaw needs an AI model to power its thinking. You can use Claude, ChatGPT or Google Gemini. You’ll need an API key from whichever you choose — available through each company’s developer platform.
A terminal — on Mac this is called Terminal and is already installed. On Windows use Command Prompt or PowerShell. On Linux you already know what you’re doing.
Step 1 — Install Node.js
- Go to nodejs.org
- Download the LTS version for your operating system
- Run the installer and follow the instructions
- Once installed open your terminal and type: node –version
- If a version number appears Node.js is installed correctly
Step 2 — Install OpenClaw
- Open your terminal
- Type this command and press Enter:
npm install -g openclaw
- Wait for the installation to complete — this takes about a minute
- Once done type: openclaw –version
- If a version number appears OpenClaw is installed correctly
Step 3 — Add Your API Key
OpenClaw needs an API key to connect to an AI model. Here’s how to add it:
- Get your API key from your chosen provider:
- Claude — platform.anthropic.com
- ChatGPT — platform.openai.com
- Gemini — aistudio.google.com
- In your terminal type:
openclaw config set api-key YOUR_API_KEY_HERE
Replace YOUR_API_KEY_HERE with your actual key.
- Set your preferred model:
openclaw config set model claude (or openai or gemini)
Step 4 — Your First OpenClaw Task
Now the interesting part. Navigate to a folder you want to work with:
cd Documents
Then start OpenClaw:
openclaw
You’ll see a prompt appear. Type a simple instruction in plain English:
“List all the files in this folder and tell me which ones are largest”
OpenClaw will read your folder and give you the answer. That’s the basic loop — plain English instructions, real actions on your computer.
Step 5 — Useful Things to Try First
Start with simple tasks before building complex automations:
File organisation:
“Find all PDF files in my Downloads folder and move them to a new folder called Documents/PDFs”
Summarise a document:
“Read the file report.pdf and give me a summary of the key points”
Create a file:
“Create a new text file called meeting-notes.txt with today’s date as the title”
Check folder size:
“Tell me which folders in my Documents are taking up the most space”
These simple tasks build your confidence with how OpenClaw understands instructions before you move to more complex automations.
Step 6 — More Advanced Uses
Once you’re comfortable with basic tasks OpenClaw can handle significantly more complex workflows:
Multi-step tasks:
“Go through all the files in my project folder, find any that haven’t been modified in over 6 months and create a list of them in a file called archive-candidates.txt”
Working with code:
“Read all the Python files in this project and tell me if there are any obvious errors or inconsistencies”
Batch processing:
“Rename all the image files in this folder from their current random names to sequential numbers — image-001, image-002 etc”
Research and summarise:
“Search for the latest news about [topic] and summarise the key points in a file called research-notes.txt”
Setting Up AgentSkills
OpenClaw comes with over 100 pre-built AgentSkills — ready made capabilities you can add to expand what it can do. Popular ones include:
Web browsing — lets OpenClaw navigate websites and extract information
Email — lets OpenClaw draft and send emails on your behalf
Calendar — lets OpenClaw read and manage your calendar
To install a skill:
openclaw skills install web-browser
Then you can use it naturally:
“Go to the BBC News website and summarise the top five stories”
Ghost Mode — For Private Tasks
If you want OpenClaw to complete a task without any record being kept:
openclaw –ghost
Ghost mode leaves no logs or history of the session — useful for sensitive tasks you don’t want stored anywhere.
Important Safety Tips
OpenClaw has direct access to your files and system. A few sensible precautions:
Start in a test folder — when learning OpenClaw create a test folder with dummy files. Practice there before giving it access to important documents.
Be specific with instructions — vague instructions can lead to unintended actions. “Delete old files” is dangerous. “Delete files in the test folder that are older than 30 days” is specific and safe.
Review before confirming — OpenClaw will usually show you what it plans to do before doing it. Always read this carefully before confirming.
Don’t give it more permissions than needed — only connect the services OpenClaw actually needs for what you’re doing.
How Much Does OpenClaw Cost?
OpenClaw itself is completely free and open source. The cost comes from API usage — every task OpenClaw completes uses AI model calls that you pay for based on usage.
For light use the costs are minimal — a few pence per session. For heavy automated workflows costs can add up. Monitor your API usage through your provider’s dashboard to avoid surprises.
OpenClaw vs Standard Claude or ChatGPT
| OpenClaw | Claude/ChatGPT | |
|---|---|---|
| Takes action | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| File access | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Works autonomously | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Easy to start | ⚠️ Some setup | ✅ Instant |
| Cost | API usage | Subscription |
| Best for | Automation | Conversation |
They’re not competitors — OpenClaw uses Claude or ChatGPT as its brain. Think of it as giving your AI assistant hands.
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For developers and power users getting started with OpenClaw:
- Monitor for Home Office — running OpenClaw alongside your regular work is much easier with more screen space
- Logitech MX Keys Wireless Keyboard — working in the terminal is significantly more comfortable with a quality keyboard
- The Coming Wave by Mustafa Suleyman — understand where AI agents like OpenClaw are heading and what they mean for the future of work
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