Your battle-tested OpenClaw production setup, packaged as a beginner-friendly installer.
What it is: Everything you need to go from zero to a running 24/7 AI assistant in 15-20 minutes. Not just an installer — a curated playbook from real production use, simplified for first-time users.
Audience: Technical-curious founders and first-time OpenClaw users. Basic comfort with Terminal helpful but not required.
Current version: v2.8.0 (2026-02-15)
Status: Production-ready — live tested and PRISM-audited
Coverage: 13/20 PRISM reviews complete (security ✅, UX ✅, docs ✅)
What works:
- ✅ One-command install (
openclaw-autosetup.sh) - ✅ Security-hardened (Keychain isolation, input validation, atomic file ops)
- ✅ Interactive companion page (
companion.html) - ✅ Starter pack with 5 pre-configured cron jobs (~$0.37/month)
- ✅ 3 workflow packages (content creator, app builder, workflow optimizer)
- ✅ Post-install verification (18 checks)
In progress:
- ⏳ Template checksum re-enablement (security enhancement)
- ⏳ Accessibility improvements (WCAG Level AA compliance)
- ⏳ End-to-end user testing with non-technical users
companion.html Step 3 for instructions.
Option 1: One-Command Install (recommended)
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jeremyknows/clawstarter/main/openclaw-autosetup.sh | bashOption 2: Interactive Guide
Open companion.html in your browser and follow the step-by-step walkthrough. (Works offline, no internet needed.)
| File | What it is | Best for |
|---|---|---|
companion.html |
Interactive setup wizard (10 steps) | Most people (recommended) |
QUICKSTART.md |
Ultra-brief 3-step guide | "Just get it working" |
docs/OPENCLAW-SETUP-GUIDE.md |
Comprehensive manual setup (8 steps, 45-90 min) | People who prefer detailed instructions |
| File | What it is | Best for |
|---|---|---|
docs/OPENCLAW-CLAUDE-CODE-SETUP.md |
Prompt for Claude Code (CLI) | Having an AI agent run commands for you |
The companion wizard also generates a customized setup prompt on its final page.
| File | What it is | Best for |
|---|---|---|
openclaw-autosetup.sh |
Automated setup script (19 steps) — handles ~80% of the work | "Just do it for me" people |
openclaw-verify.sh |
Post-setup diagnostic (18 checks) — checks for common issues | Verifying everything is working |
| File | What it is |
|---|---|
docs/OPENCLAW-FOUNDATION-PLAYBOOK-TEMPLATE.md |
Optional hardening guide (security, backups, monitoring). 8 phases you can do at your own pace. |
docs/CROSS-DEVICE-PROTOCOL.md |
Multi-device setup (access your bot from phone, laptop, remote machines) |
templates/workspace-scaffold-prompt.md |
First-run workspace setup prompt |
ClawStarter provides three layers of configuration:
1. Workspace Templates (templates/workspace/)
Universal base files for any agent. The installer copies these automatically:
| File | Purpose |
|---|---|
AGENTS.md |
Operating manual — startup procedure, safety rules, memory discipline |
SOUL.md |
Personality and communication style |
IDENTITY.md |
Name, emoji, vibe |
USER.md |
Owner profile and preferences |
MEMORY.md |
Long-term memory template |
HEARTBEAT.md |
Daily rhythm configuration |
BOOTSTRAP.md |
First-run wizard (asks 9 questions, then deletes itself) |
TOOLS.md |
Environment-specific infrastructure (optional) |
2. Starter Pack (starter-pack/)
Production-tested configs simplified for beginners:
- Simplified operating manual (7KB vs 24KB production)
- 5 pre-configured cron jobs (morning briefing, email monitor, evening memory, cost report, health check)
- 2 specialist agents (Librarian for research, Treasurer for cost tracking)
- Security audit prompt (self-service checklist)
- Operating cost: ~$0.37/month
3. Workflow Packages (workflows/)
Domain-specific bundles with specialized AGENTS.md + skills + cron jobs:
| Workflow | Best For | Difficulty | Time to Value |
|---|---|---|---|
content-creator |
Social media, video, podcasts | Beginner | 5-10 min |
app-builder |
Coding, GitHub, dev tools | Intermediate | 10-15 min |
workflow-optimizer |
Email, calendar, tasks | Beginner | 5-10 min |
Each workflow includes: domain-specific behavior patterns, one-command skill installer, troubleshooting guide, and pre-configured automation jobs.
clawstarter/
├── openclaw-autosetup.sh # Primary installer (19 steps, resume support)
├── openclaw-verify.sh # Post-install diagnostic (18 checks)
├── companion.html # Interactive setup walkthrough
├── index.html # Marketing landing page
├── docs/
│ └── CODEBASE_MAP.md # Full architecture documentation
├── templates/
│ └── workspace/ # 8 universal templates
├── starter-pack/ # Beginner configs + 5 cron jobs
├── workflows/ # 3 domain-specific bundles
│ ├── content-creator/
│ ├── app-builder/
│ └── workflow-optimizer/
├── fixes/ # Security patches + test suites
└── reviews/ # 20-PRISM marathon analysis
Total: 187 files, ~784K tokens analyzed and documented
- Mac (Apple Silicon or Intel)
- macOS 13+ (Ventura or newer)
- Admin access to install dependencies (Homebrew, Node.js, OpenClaw)
- Time: 15-20 minutes with quickstart script, 30 minutes for full manual setup
You are here
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────┐
│ openclaw-setup-guide.html │──── The main guide. Start here.
│ (or OPENCLAW-SETUP-GUIDE.md) │
└──────────────┬──────────────────┘
│
┌───────────┼───────────────┐
▼ ▼ ▼
Manual Script mode AI-assisted
(follow (runs (paste prompt
steps) autosetup.sh) into Claude)
│ │ │
└───────────┼───────────────┘
▼
Workspace scaffolded ──── Templates copied, daily log created
│
▼
openclaw-verify.sh ──── Confirms everything is working
│
▼
BOOTSTRAP.md ──── First-chat personalization (bot asks 9 questions)
│
▼
Foundation Playbook ──── Optional post-setup hardening
For full architecture documentation, data flow diagrams, and a navigation guide for contributors, see docs/CODEBASE_MAP.md.
First chat:
Your bot will run BOOTSTRAP.md automatically — it asks 9 personalization questions (name, timezone, preferences) and takes about 5 minutes. After completion, it deletes itself.
Post-setup hardening:
Open OPENCLAW-FOUNDATION-PLAYBOOK-TEMPLATE.md — an optional 8-phase guide. Phase 1 (Security Hardening) is urgent — complete it within the first week. The rest can be done at your own pace.
Expansion packs:
- Install a workflow package:
bash workflows/content-creator/skills.sh - Add skill packs: weather, summarize, image generation, TTS
- Configure Discord/Telegram/X (Twitter) integration — see
docs/x-twitter-integration.md - Connect X (Twitter) — see
docs/x-twitter-integration.md - Set up additional cron jobs for automation
Learning resources:
starter-pack/STARTER-PACK-MANIFEST.md— Complete guide with learning pathdocs/CODEBASE_MAP.md— Full architecture and navigationreviews/PRISM-MARATHON-EXECUTIVE-SUMMARY.md— Strategic analysis
Recommended: v2026.2.9 (latest). Minimum: v2026.1.29 (security patches). The guide and scripts check your version automatically.
ClawStarter implements defense-in-depth security with 6 layers:
- Input validation — All user inputs validated against strict allowlists
- Safe file creation — Atomic operations (touch + chmod 600 simultaneously)
- XML escaping — Prevents LaunchAgent plist injection attacks
- Quoted heredocs — Blocks shell expansion in literal content
- Checksum verification — SHA256 hashes for all templates (re-enablement pending)
- Secrets isolation — API keys in macOS Keychain + LaunchAgent env vars, not config files
Security fixes applied (v2.7.0):
- ✅ stdin/TTY handling (usability fix for
curl | bash) - ✅ API key security (Keychain isolation)
- ✅ Command injection prevention (input validation)
- ✅ Race condition elimination (atomic file creation)
- ✅ XML injection protection (LaunchAgent escaping)
Risk reduction: 90% (CVSS 9.0 critical → 1.0 low)
Best practices:
- Use a dedicated Mac user account (recommended in setup guide)
- Enable FileVault disk encryption
- Keep OpenClaw updated (min 2026.1.29, recommended 2026.2.9+)
- Review all skill pack code before installation
- Run
openclaw-verify.shafter setup (18 security checks)
For full security documentation, see SECURITY.md.
We welcome contributions! See CONTRIBUTING.md for:
- Development workflow
- Cross-file consistency requirements
- Code style guidelines (bash, Python, HTML)
- Testing requirements
Key areas for contribution:
- Additional workflow packages (researcher, data analyst, home automation)
- Template improvements (accessibility, mobile, error handling)
- Security enhancements (template checksums, GPG signing, sandboxing)
- Documentation (video walkthroughs, troubleshooting guides)
MIT License. See LICENSE for details.
Made with care by Jeremy Knows • OpenClaw.ai • Join us on Discord