Tutorial
February 26, 202610 min read

Mastering OpenClaw Deployment: A Comprehensive Guide to Self-Hosting AI Assistants

A detailed tutorial for deploying OpenClaw on Ubuntu, covering installation, configuration, and best practices.

TL;DR

  • Deploy OpenClaw on Ubuntu for full control over your AI assistant infrastructure.
  • Linux administration skills and root SSH access are required.
  • Optionally, use EasyClawd for a no-server-management hosting experience.
Illustration of OpenClaw architecture and deployment process

Introduction

OpenClaw, also known as Clawdbot or Moltbot, is an open-source autonomous AI agent framework. It enables developers to create and deploy AI-powered bots.

FeatureUbuntu DeploymentEasyClawd DeploymentNotes
Infrastructure Management✅❌User manages infrastructure on Ubuntu
Scalability✅✅Manual scaling on Ubuntu, automated on EasyClawd
Server Provisioning✅❌User provisions servers on Ubuntu
Security Updates✅❌User responsible for updates on Ubuntu

Prerequisites

Before starting the deployment, ensure you have the following:

  • Ubuntu Server OS version 22.04 or higher.
  • Root SSH access for installation and configuration.
  • A Telegram Bot Token obtained from @BotFather on Telegram.

Setup

To set up OpenClaw on Ubuntu, follow these steps:

# Connect to your Ubuntu Server
ssh root@your-server-ip
# Replace your-server-ip with your VPS server's IP address.

Installation

Install Docker and Docker Compose to manage OpenClaw containers:

# Update the package index
sudo apt update
# Install Docker and Docker Compose
sudo apt install docker.io docker-compose -y

Configuration

# Example configuration file
bot_token: 'your_telegram_bot_token'
port: 18789
# Add other configurations as needed
Diagram showing OpenClaw configuration structure

⚠️ Warning: Ensure your server’s security by keeping software up-to-date and using strong, unique credentials.

Post-Deployment

Once your OpenClaw bot is running, interact with it through Telegram and customize its behavior.

  • Open Telegram and message your OpenClaw bot.
  • Start with /help to see available Clawdbot commands.
  • Customize your bot’s functionality as required.

Managed Hosting Alternative

If server management is not your forte, consider using EasyClawd for a hassle-free deployment experience.

  • EasyClawd handles provisioning, networking, and scaling.
  • Access your dedicated OpenClaw container via a secure URL.
  • Focus on building your agent logic without infrastructure worries.

See Also

  • OpenClaw Documentation — https://openclaw.github.io/docs
  • Comparing Channels for OpenClaw — https://easyclawd.com/blog/channel-comparison
  • EasyClawd Managed Hosting — https://easyclawd.com

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