Setup Guide

Follow this interactive guide to get your AI assistant running. Takes about 30-60 minutes depending on your experience.

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Step 1

What You'll Need

Before we start, make sure you have these ready

Requirements Checklist

  • 1

    A VPS or computer that can run 24/7

    We recommend Hostinger ($5/month) — reliable and beginner-friendly

  • 2

    An Anthropic API key

    Get one at console.anthropic.com

  • 3

    Telegram account

    For chatting with your AI (easiest to set up)

  • 4

    30-60 minutes of time

    Depending on your experience level

Don't have a VPS yet?

We recommend Hostinger — reliable VPS starting at $5/month with great support. Create an account and spin up an Ubuntu 22.04 server.

Step 2

Connect to Your Server

SSH into your VPS or open a terminal

Step 3

Install Node.js

OpenClaw requires Node.js 20 or higher

Step 4

Install OpenClaw

Install the OpenClaw CLI globally

Step 5

Run Onboarding

The interactive setup wizard will guide you through configuration

Step 6

Connect Telegram

Set up Telegram as your chat interface

Step 7

Start the Gateway

Launch your AI assistant

Step 8

Run as a Service (Optional)

Keep your assistant running even after you disconnect

Stuck? Need Help?

Don't waste hours troubleshooting. Book a 30-minute call and I'll set it up for you while you watch.

Book Expert Setup — $197