OpenClaw AI GitHub Guide: How to Download, Clone & Get Started

You searched for an OpenClaw AI GitHub guide because you want the repository, not a VPS sales pitch or an eleven-step production checklist. 

This guide covers exactly that: where to find OpenClaw on GitHub, how to download or clone it, and how to get a working setup running on the computer you already have.

Everything below runs locally, using the official repository. No server rental, no hosting plan, and no long detour through advanced configuration before you see it work.

Where to Download OpenClaw

The official OpenClaw repository lives at github.com/openclaw/openclaw. That page holds the full source code, the README, and every configuration file the project ships with.

You have two real options for getting it onto your machine. The first is a simple package install, which pulls a ready-to-run build. 

The second is cloning the actual GitHub repository, which gives you the raw source code to run or modify directly.

Avoid downloading OpenClaw from anywhere other than the official repository or the npm registry. 

Copycat repos and unofficial installers have shown up before, and running an unknown install script is a real way to hand over more access than you intended.

What You Need Before Starting

OpenClaw needs Node.js version 22 or newer, since its backend and CLI both depend on it. Check your version with the command below before doing anything else.

node -v

You will also need git installed to clone the repository, and either npm or pnpm to install the project’s dependencies. Most beginners already have npm bundled with Node.js, so this step usually needs no extra setup.

Option 1: The Fast Path (No Cloning Required)

If you want OpenClaw running as quickly as possible, skip the GitHub clone entirely and install the packaged version instead. This is the path most beginners should start with.

npm install -g openclaw@latest openclaw onboard –install-daemon

The first line installs OpenClaw globally on your computer. 

The second line starts the onboarding wizard, which walks you through picking an AI model, connecting a messaging app, and installing the background service that keeps your assistant running.

This method suits anyone who wants to use OpenClaw rather than modify its code. It updates cleanly later with a single command, and it skips the build steps that the from-source method requires.

Option 2: Cloning the GitHub Repository

Clone the repository instead if you want the raw source code, plan to contribute to the project, or want the assistant to be able to inspect and adjust its own code as you work with it. 

This is the method the title of this guide is really about.

Start by opening your terminal and running the clone command below.

git clone https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw.git cd openclaw

This downloads the entire project, including its plugins, default skills, and every channel integration the community has built. 

The folder it creates is large, so give it a moment to finish on a slower connection.

Next, go ahead and install the project’s dependencies. OpenClaw’s own team recommends pnpm for source checkouts specifically, since the repository is set up as a pnpm workspace.

pnpm install

If you don’t have pnpm yet, install it first with a quick global npm command, then re-run the install step above.

npm install -g pnpm

Running OpenClaw From Source

Once dependencies finish installing, run the setup command. 

This writes your local configuration and creates the workspace folder where your agent’s personality and memory will live.

pnpm openclaw setup

From here, you have two ways to run it. For everyday use, start the gateway in its normal watch mode, which automatically reloads whenever you change a source file or config value.

pnpm gateway: watch

If you would rather run a full production build instead of the live dev loop, build the project first, then launch it the same way you would a packaged install.

pnpm build pnpm ui: build pnpm openclaw onboard –install-daemon

Either path gets you to the same onboarding wizard as Option 1, asking which AI model to connect and which messaging app you want to talk to your assistant through.

Can You Run This on Your Main Computer?

Yes, and most beginners should start exactly there. OpenClaw is designed to run on a personal machine, including a Mac, a Linux desktop, or Windows through WSL2.

Running it on your main computer means it can already see files and apps you use daily, which is part of the appeal. 

The tradeoff is that OpenClaw only stays online while your computer is on and connected, so people who want 24/7 uptime often move to a spare machine or a small VPS later, once they know they will keep using it.

Can You Run OpenClaw for Free?

The software itself costs absolutely nothing to run. 

Both installation paths above use the open-source repository directly, with no license fee attached to running OpenClaw on your own hardware.

The one ongoing cost comes from the AI model connected behind it, since providers like Anthropic and OpenAI charge for usage. 

Light daily use typically costs a few dollars a month, and you can set a spending limit directly in your provider’s dashboard so this never surprises you.

Is Installing OpenClaw Safe?

Installing it carries no more risk than installing any other open-source developer tool, provided you follow a few sensible defaults. 

The project’s own security guidance is worth reading in full, but the core practices come down to a short list.

• Keep the dashboard bound to localhost rather than exposing it publicly on the open internet

• Set an allowlist so only your own accounts can message the assistant on any connected channel

• Store API keys in environment variables instead of pasting them directly into a shared config file

• Set a spending limit on your AI provider account before connecting anything

Run the built-in diagnostic command any time you want a quick health check on your setup.

openclaw doctor.

This scans your configuration for common issues, from missing API keys to risky default settings, and reports back with a clear pass or fail on each check.

If Something Goes Wrong

A stalled clone or a failed dependency install is usually a version mismatch, not a deeper problem. 

Confirm your Node.js version first, since anything below version 22 causes obscure errors further into the setup, rather than a clear message upfront.

If pnpm install fails partway through, clearing its cache and trying again resolves most cases.

pnpm store prune pnpm install

Once OpenClaw is running, the built-in doctor command is the fastest way to confirm everything is wired up correctly before you start connecting messaging apps or skills.

Getting Started After Installation

Once the onboarding wizard finishes, send your assistant a first test message through whichever app you connected, like Telegram or WhatsApp. 

A working reply confirms your GitHub clone or package install is fully wired up.

From there, the natural next step is installing a skill, which gives your assistant an actual ability, like reading email or checking a calendar. 

Skills come from ClawHub, the community skill registry linked in the official repository’s README.

Where to Go From Here

This guide covered getting OpenClaw downloaded and running, nothing more.

If you want to understand what happens behind each reply once it is running, our guide on how OpenClaw AI works breaks down that process step by step.