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openclaw setup

openclaw setup is the system-agent entry point. On a configured system, bare openclaw setup opens an interactive OpenClaw chat. On a fresh system, it falls through to guided onboarding. Use -m/--message for one request or --baseline to initialize config/workspace folders without the wizard. Routing order:
  1. Any onboarding option (--wizard, --baseline, workspace, reset, non-interactive, flow, mode, Gateway, daemon, skip, import, remote, or auth options) runs onboarding exactly as openclaw onboard does.
  2. -m/--message or --yes runs the system agent.
  3. With no routing option, a configured interactive system opens OpenClaw. A fresh system runs onboarding. On a configured system, --json prints the system overview even without a TTY; an onboarding option keeps onboarding’s JSON summary.
In guided mode, --workspace <dir> is the workspace proposed to OpenClaw; it is persisted only after you approve that proposal. Baseline, classic, and noninteractive setup persist the supplied workspace through their normal flow on a fresh install. When an existing agent roster would be remapped, the classic wizard requires explicit confirmation; noninteractive setup keeps the current fleet workspace and prints a warning. Guided inference detection runs on the Gateway host on macOS or Linux. The CLI and macOS app call the same Gateway-owned detector, which checks configured models, supported CLI logins, API-key environment variables, and already installed Ollama or LM Studio models. Local models are never downloaded by this discovery pass. Both CLI onboarding and the macOS app wait for you to choose a connection before testing it. A failed or cancelled attempt never selects another provider automatically. Setup saves the credential, then sends one tool-free confirmation turn using the candidate settings in memory. It saves the provider and model configuration only after that turn succeeds. A failed connection keeps the credential and leaves the configuration unchanged. Choose the saved sign-in to retry without signing in again. Custom endpoint settings stay available for retry while the Gateway runs; after a restart, enter the endpoint settings again. Initial Claude Code and Codex detection checks executable versions without running auth-status commands or starting an app server. Readable Codex credentials are reported as stored evidence; the active login remains unverified during detection. Stored credentials do not receive verified-subscription priority over environment API keys. In the Control UI, Model Setup can also select models from installed native agents through the shared model picker. Use saves that model and its runtime without running the setup test; authentication and tools stay with the native agent. Provider Test & use still requires a verified tool-free reply. Gemini CLI and Antigravity are not offered as detected setup routes. setup accepts the same onboarding flags as openclaw onboard, including auth (--auth-choice, --token, provider key flags), Gateway (--gateway-port, --gateway-bind, --gateway-auth, --install-daemon), Tailscale (--tailscale), reset (--reset, --reset-scope), flow (--flow quickstart|advanced|manual|import), and skip flags (--skip-channels, --skip-skills, --skip-bootstrap, --skip-search, --skip-health, --skip-ui, --skip-hooks). Pass --tui to use the same terminal hatch as openclaw onboard --tui. See Onboard and CLI automation for the full flag reference and non-interactive examples. openclaw onboard --modern remains a compatibility entry for the same inference-gated OpenClaw assistant. Local onboarding generates a Gateway secret in token mode by default, without asking you to choose token or password. Existing password-mode configs are preserved. Use --gateway-auth password or --gateway-password <value> to choose a password explicitly; Tailscale Funnel still requires password mode. Use setup --team for the same small-team onboarding as onboard --team. --agent-name <name> names the first agent or, with --team, the coordinator.
openclaw setup is for mutable config installs. In Nix mode (OPENCLAW_NIX_MODE=1) OpenClaw refuses setup writes because the config file is managed by Nix. Use the first-party nix-openclaw Quick Start or the equivalent source config for another Nix package.

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Options

--classic and --non-interactive are mutually exclusive: classic opens the prompted wizard, while noninteractive setup uses the automation path. In interactive onboarding, --remote-url, --remote-token, and --remote-password prefill the remote Gateway step and take precedence over stored remote values for that run. Pass either a token or a password, not both. Changing the URL does not reuse stored credentials unless you also provide a new token or password. The interactive step asks for one Gateway secret and stores it as gateway.remote.token; either field is accepted by the Gateway. The credential remains masked and uses the wizard’s selected plaintext or SecretRef storage mode. --gateway-token, --gateway-token-ref-env, and --gateway-password configure a local Gateway and are not valid in remote mode. For remote token SecretRefs, set OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN and use --remote-token with --secret-input-mode ref.

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Baseline mode

openclaw setup --baseline preserves the older baseline-only behavior: it creates the config, workspace, and session directories, then exits without running onboarding. It accepts --workspace and harmless output controls, but rejects explicit onboarding, Gateway, auth, reset, or daemon options instead of silently ignoring them. If an existing config is invalid, baseline setup preserves it and asks you to run openclaw doctor --fix to apply supported repairs before retrying.

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Examples

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Notes

  • Inside the interactive OpenClaw chat, configure skills, configure web search, and configure gateway run hosted setup flows. open search wizard and open gateway wizard hand credential entry to masked terminal wizards. Gateway setup is local-only and config-only; restart afterward with restart gateway in chat or openclaw gateway restart in the terminal. See openclaw setup operations.
  • import memory copies detected local memory into the existing default agent workspace without importing config, credentials, or skills. Finish onboarding first; the chat reports partial and failed copies instead of assuming success.
  • After baseline setup, run openclaw onboard for the full guided journey, openclaw configure for targeted changes, or openclaw channels add to add channel accounts.
  • If Hermes state is detected, interactive onboarding can offer migration automatically. Import onboarding requires a fresh setup; use Migrate for dry-run plans, backups, and overwrite mode outside onboarding.