How to start OpenClaw?

To start OpenClaw, you typically install it from its public repository, configure your API keys, and then run the local service so it can connect to your preferred chat app (like WhatsApp, Telegram, or Discord). The usual flow is: install dependencies (for example Node.js), clone the OpenClaw repo, add a configuration file with model provider credentials and permissions, then start the agent runtime. After that, you link OpenClaw to a messaging account, where you talk to it like a normal chat contact while it performs actions on your machine. Many community tutorials provide copy-paste commands plus security checklists so you can choose between sandboxed and full-access setups.