What do I need before setting up my first OpenClaw agent?

You need Node.js 18+, an OpenClaw account, and a basic understanding of the command line. No prior AI experience is required — our setup wizard handles most configuration automatically.

How long does it take to deploy a first agent?

Most users have their first agent running within 15 minutes. The installation takes about 2 minutes, configuration another 5, and your first task deployment about 5-8 minutes.

Can I run OpenClaw agents on my local machine?

Yes! OpenClaw agents can run locally, on cloud VMs, or on dedicated servers. For testing and development, local deployment is perfect. For production workloads, we recommend cloud deployment.

What happens if my agent crashes?

ClawHQ includes automatic health monitoring with configurable restart policies. If an agent crashes, the system can automatically restart it, notify you, and log the failure for debugging.

How to Set Up Your First AI Agent with OpenClaw

Why OpenClaw Is the Best Starting Point for AI Agents

The AI agent ecosystem has exploded in 2026, but getting started can feel overwhelming. Frameworks like LangChain, CrewAI, and AutoGen each have their strengths, but OpenClaw stands out for one reason: it was designed from day one to be managed, monitored, and scaled through a unified control plane.

In this guide, we'll walk through everything you need to go from zero to a fully functional AI agent — connected to ClawHQ for real-time monitoring and task management.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, make sure you have:

Node.js 18+ installed on your machine
A ClawHQ account (free tier works perfectly for getting started)
Basic familiarity with the command line
An API key from your preferred LLM provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, etc.)

Step 1: Install OpenClaw

Open your terminal and run the OpenClaw installer:

npm install -g openclaw

This installs the OpenClaw CLI globally. Verify the installation by running:

openclaw --version

You should see the current version number. If you encounter permission issues on macOS or Linux, prefix the install command with sudo.

Step 2: Initialize Your First Agent

Create a new directory for your agent project and initialize it:

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

The init wizard will ask you a few questions:

Agent name: Give it something descriptive (e.g., "research-assistant")
LLM provider: Select your preferred provider
Base model: Choose your model (GPT-4, Claude, etc.)
Skills: Start with the default skill pack or choose from the Skill Store

This generates a configuration file (openclaw.config.ts) and a basic agent structure.

Step 3: Configure Your Agent

Open the generated config file. Here's what a basic configuration looks like:

export default {
  name: 'research-assistant',
  model: 'claude-3-opus',
  skills: ['web-search', 'summarize', 'file-write'],
  memory: { type: 'persistent', maxTokens: 100000 },
  healthCheck: { interval: '30s', timeout: '10s' },
}

Key configuration options to understand:

Skills define what your agent can do — browse the web, write files, call APIs, etc.
Memory controls how much context your agent retains between tasks
Health Check settings determine how ClawHQ monitors your agent's status

Step 4: Connect to ClawHQ

This is where the magic happens. Link your agent to your ClawHQ dashboard for real-time monitoring:

openclaw connect --dashboard

This authenticates your agent with ClawHQ and enables:

Real-time health monitoring
Task assignment and tracking via the Task Board
Performance analytics
Centralized logging

Once connected, you'll see your agent appear in the ClawHQ dashboard with a green "Online" status indicator.

Step 5: Deploy Your First Task

Now let's give your agent something to do. You can assign tasks through the ClawHQ Task Board or via the CLI:

openclaw task create "Research the latest trends in AI agent orchestration and write a summary"

Watch in your ClawHQ dashboard as the agent picks up the task, processes it, and reports back. You'll see real-time logs, token usage, and completion status.

Step 6: Monitor and Iterate

With your first agent running, use ClawHQ to:

Monitor health: Check CPU, memory, and response time metrics
Review task history: See what your agent accomplished and how long it took
Adjust skills: Add or remove capabilities based on your needs
Set up alerts: Get notified when something needs attention

Common First-Timer Mistakes

Based on thousands of new user experiences, here are the most common pitfalls:

Overloading skills: Start with 3-5 skills max. You can always add more later.
Ignoring memory limits: Set appropriate memory bounds to prevent runaway token costs.
Skipping health checks: Always configure health monitoring — you want to know if something breaks before it costs you.
Not connecting to ClawHQ: Flying blind with AI agents is a recipe for surprises. Even the free tier gives you essential monitoring.