docs: align digitalocean root setup

sallyom · sallyom · commit 79853b2fe8ff · 2026-05-07T23:31:03.000-04:00
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -165,6 +165,7 @@ Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
 ### Fixes
 
 - Control UI/chat: hide retired and non-public Google Gemini model IDs from chat model catalogs and route the bare `gemini-3-pro` alias to Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview instead of the shut-down Gemini 3 Pro Preview. Thanks @BunsDev.
+- CLI/install: refuse state-mutating OpenClaw CLI runs as root by default, keep an explicit `OPENCLAW_ALLOW_ROOT=1` escape hatch for intentional root/container use, and update DigitalOcean setup guidance to run OpenClaw as a non-root user. Fixes #67478. Thanks @Jerry-Xin and @natechicago.
 - Gateway/watch: leave `OPENCLAW_TRACE_SYNC_IO` disabled by default in `pnpm gateway:watch:raw` so watch mode avoids noisy Node sync-I/O stack traces unless explicitly requested.
 - Codex app-server: close stdio stdin before force-killing the managed app-server, matching Codex single-client shutdown behavior and avoiding unsettled CLI exits after successful runs.
 - CLI/Codex: dispose registered agent harnesses during short-lived CLI shutdown so successful Codex-backed `agent --local` runs do not leave app-server child processes alive.
diff --git a/docs/install/digitalocean.md b/docs/install/digitalocean.md
@@ -50,9 +50,18 @@ DigitalOcean is the simplest paid VPS path. If you prefer cheaper or free option
 
     # Install OpenClaw
     curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash
+
+    # Create the non-root user that will own OpenClaw state and services.
+    adduser openclaw
+    usermod -aG sudo openclaw
+    loginctl enable-linger openclaw
+
+    su - openclaw
     openclaw --version
     ```
 
+    Use the root shell only for system bootstrap. Run OpenClaw commands as the non-root `openclaw` user so state lives under `/home/openclaw/.openclaw/` and the Gateway installs as that user's systemd service.
+
   </Step>
 
   <Step title="Run onboarding">
@@ -97,8 +106,8 @@ DigitalOcean is the simplest paid VPS path. If you prefer cheaper or free option
     **Option B: Tailscale Serve**
 
     ```bash
-    curl -fsSL https://tailscale.com/install.sh | sh
-    tailscale up
+    curl -fsSL https://tailscale.com/install.sh | sudo sh
+    sudo tailscale up
     openclaw config set gateway.tailscale.mode serve
     openclaw gateway restart
     ```
