OpenClaw Field Playbook

The open-source guide to installing OpenClaw properly.
Written by a practitioner. Field-tested. Shared with everyone.

I failed 3 installations before I figured it out. This playbook is the result: 96 sections, 7 chapters, 20 bugs fixed by a field agent. Everything is here so you don't have to struggle like I did. — Alex Willemetz

What is OpenClaw? Start installing GitHub

Who are you?

This guide adapts to your profile. Choose yours.

Entrepreneur / Artisan

You run a business and want to understand what AI can do for you — no jargon.

 CTO / Tech Team

You want to deploy an AI agent for your team, on your infra, with your constraints.

 Independent Developer

You know what Docker is. You want the commands, not the fluff.

 AI Agent

You are an agent. You clone this repo and follow the sections as a runbook.

Where to start

Chapters

0
Reading Guide
How to read this guide and where to start
1
Definition
What OpenClaw is and what it isn't
2
Installation
Install OpenClaw from scratch on a VPS
3
Configuration
Configure the agent for your context
4
Customization
Adapt behavior, tone, and workflows
5
Maintenance
Keep the agent reliable over time
6
Use Cases
Real examples by organization type
7
Localization
Adapt OpenClaw to other languages and contexts

Tools

Interactive Checklist

Track your progress step by step. Auto-saved.

 Contribute

Fix an error, add a use case, suggest a section.

 What is OpenClaw?

For those starting from zero. No jargon.

 Report a problem

A command that doesn't work? A broken link? Let us know.