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openclaw setup

openclaw setup is the system-agent entry point. On a configured system, bare openclaw setup opens an interactive OpenClaw chat. On a fresh system, it falls through to guided onboarding. Use -m/--message for one request or --baseline to initialize config/workspace folders without the wizard. Routing order:
  1. Any onboarding option (--wizard, --baseline, workspace, reset, non-interactive, flow, mode, Gateway, daemon, skip, import, remote, or auth options) runs onboarding exactly as openclaw onboard does.
  2. -m/--message or --yes runs the system agent.
  3. With no routing option, a configured interactive system opens OpenClaw. A fresh system runs onboarding. On a configured system, --json prints the system overview even without a TTY; an onboarding option keeps onboarding’s JSON summary.
In guided mode, --workspace <dir> is the workspace proposed to OpenClaw; it is persisted only after you approve that proposal. Baseline, classic, and noninteractive setup persist the supplied workspace through their normal flow. setup accepts the same onboarding flags as openclaw onboard, including auth (--auth-choice, --token, provider key flags), Gateway (--gateway-port, --gateway-bind, --gateway-auth, --install-daemon), Tailscale (--tailscale), reset (--reset, --reset-scope), flow (--flow quickstart|advanced|manual|import), and skip flags (--skip-channels, --skip-skills, --skip-bootstrap, --skip-search, --skip-health, --skip-ui, --skip-hooks). See Onboard and CLI automation for the full flag reference and non-interactive examples. openclaw onboard --modern remains a compatibility entry for the same inference-gated OpenClaw assistant.
openclaw setup is for mutable config installs. In Nix mode (OPENCLAW_NIX_MODE=1) OpenClaw refuses setup writes because the config file is managed by Nix. Use the first-party nix-openclaw Quick Start or the equivalent source config for another Nix package.

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Options

--classic and --non-interactive are mutually exclusive: classic opens the prompted wizard, while noninteractive setup uses the automation path.

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Baseline mode

openclaw setup --baseline preserves the older baseline-only behavior: it creates the config, workspace, and session directories, then exits without running onboarding.

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Examples

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Notes

  • After baseline setup, run openclaw onboard for the full guided journey, openclaw configure for targeted changes, or openclaw channels add to add channel accounts.
  • If Hermes state is detected, interactive onboarding can offer migration automatically. Import onboarding requires a fresh setup; use Migrate for dry-run plans, backups, and overwrite mode outside onboarding.