Module 2: Setup Like a Pro•Lesson 2 of 6

Recommended Setup for Beginners

Let's get you running in 15 minutes.

Prerequisites

You need:

Node.js 20+ (check: node --version)
npm (comes with Node)
Git (check: git --version)
An API key from Anthropic or OpenAI

Step 1: Install OpenClaw

npm install -g openclaw

Verify installation:

openclaw --version

Step 2: Initialize Your Workspace

mkdir my-agent && cd my-agent
openclaw init

This creates:

config.yaml — Main configuration
workspace/ — Where your agent files live

Step 3: Configure Your API Key

Edit config.yaml:

providers:
  anthropic:
    apiKey: "sk-ant-..."  # Your Anthropic key
  # OR
  openai:
    apiKey: "sk-..."  # Your OpenAI key

models:
  default: anthropic/claude-sonnet-4  # Start with Sonnet

Step 4: Start the Gateway

openclaw gateway start

You should see:

✓ Gateway started on port 3000
✓ Workspace: /path/to/my-agent/workspace

Step 5: Connect a Channel

For testing, use the CLI:

openclaw chat

Or connect Telegram:

# In config.yaml
channels:
  telegram:
    botToken: "123456:ABC..."
    allowlist:
      - your_telegram_user_id

You're Running!

That's it. You have a working OpenClaw instance.

In the next lessons, we'll configure it properly.

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