openclaw/docs/install/installer.md

summary	read_when	title
How the installer scripts work (install.sh, install-cli.sh, install.ps1), flags, and automation	You want to understand `openclaw.ai/install.sh` You want to automate installs (CI / headless) You want to install from a GitHub checkout	Installer internals

OpenClaw ships three installer scripts, served from openclaw.ai.

Script	Platform	What it does
install.sh	macOS / Linux / WSL	Installs Node if needed, installs OpenClaw via npm (default) or git, can run onboarding.
install-cli.sh	macOS / Linux / WSL	Installs Node + OpenClaw into a local prefix (~/.openclaw) via npm or git. No root required.
install.ps1	Windows (PowerShell)	Installs Node if needed, installs OpenClaw via npm (default) or git, can run onboarding.

All three support Node 22.19+, 23.11+, or 24+; Node 24 is the default target for fresh installs.

Quick commands

```bash curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash ```

```bash
curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --help
```

```bash curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install-cli.sh | bash ```

```bash
curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install-cli.sh | bash -s -- --help
```

```powershell iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex ```

```powershell
& ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1))) -Tag beta -NoOnboard -DryRun
```

If install succeeds but `openclaw` is not found in a new terminal, see [Node.js troubleshooting](/install/node#troubleshooting).

---

install.sh

Recommended for most interactive installs on macOS/Linux/WSL.

Flow (install.sh)

Supports macOS and Linux (including WSL). Checks Node version and installs Node 24 if needed (Homebrew on macOS, NodeSource setup scripts on Linux apt/dnf/yum). On macOS, Homebrew is installed only when the installer needs it for Node or Git. Node 22.19+ and 23.11+ remain supported for compatibility. On Alpine/musl Linux, the installer uses apk packages instead of NodeSource; the configured Alpine repositories must provide a supported Node version (Alpine 3.21 or newer at the time of writing). Installs Git if missing using the detected package manager, including Homebrew on macOS and apk on Alpine. - `npm` method (default): global npm install - `git` method: clone/update repo, install deps with pnpm, build, then install wrapper at `~/.local/bin/openclaw` - Resolves the just-installed `openclaw` binary for follow-up commands - For an unconfigured install, starts onboarding before doctor or gateway probes. With `--no-onboard` or no TTY, it prints the command to finish setup later. - For a configured install, refreshes and restarts a loaded gateway service best-effort and runs doctor. Upgrades update plugins when possible, or print the manual command in a headless prompt-enabled run. - When `--verify` runs, it checks the installed version and checks gateway health only after configuration exists.

Source checkout detection

If run inside an OpenClaw checkout (package.json + pnpm-workspace.yaml), the script offers:

• use checkout (git), or
• use global install (npm)

If no TTY is available and no install method is set, it defaults to npm and warns.

The script exits with code 2 for invalid method selection or invalid --install-method values.

Examples (install.sh)

```bash curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash ``` ```bash curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --no-onboard ``` ```bash curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --install-method git ``` ```bash curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --install-method git --version main ``` ```bash curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --dry-run ``` ```bash curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --no-onboard --verify ```

Flag	Description
--install-method | --method npm|git	Choose install method (default: npm)
--npm	Shortcut for npm method
--git | --github	Shortcut for git method
--version <version|dist-tag|spec>	npm version, dist-tag, or package spec (default: latest)
--beta	Use beta dist-tag if available, else fall back to latest
--git-dir | --dir <path>	Checkout directory (default: ~/openclaw)
--no-git-update	Skip git pull for existing checkout
--no-prompt	Disable prompts
--no-onboard	Skip onboarding
--onboard	Enable onboarding
--verify	Run a post-install smoke verify (--version, gateway health if loaded)
--dry-run	Print actions without applying changes
--verbose	Enable debug output (set -x, npm notice-level logs)
--help | -h	Show usage

Variable	Description
OPENCLAW_INSTALL_METHOD=git|npm	Install method
OPENCLAW_VERSION=latest|next|<semver>|<spec>	npm version, dist-tag, or package spec
OPENCLAW_BETA=0|1	Use beta if available
OPENCLAW_HOME=<path>	Base directory for OpenClaw state and default git/onboarding paths
OPENCLAW_GIT_DIR=<path>	Checkout directory
OPENCLAW_GIT_UPDATE=0|1	Toggle git updates
OPENCLAW_NO_PROMPT=1	Disable prompts
OPENCLAW_VERIFY_INSTALL=1	Run the post-install smoke verify
OPENCLAW_NO_ONBOARD=1	Skip onboarding
OPENCLAW_DRY_RUN=1	Dry run mode
OPENCLAW_VERBOSE=1	Debug mode
OPENCLAW_NPM_LOGLEVEL=error|warn|notice	npm log level (default: error, hides npm deprecation noise)

---

install-cli.sh

Designed for environments where you want everything under a local prefix (default `~/.openclaw`) and no system Node dependency. Supports npm installs by default, plus git-checkout installs under the same prefix flow.

Flow (install-cli.sh)

Downloads a pinned supported Node LTS tarball (the version is embedded in the script and updated independently, default `22.22.0`) to `/tools/node-v` and verifies SHA-256. On Alpine/musl Linux, where Node does not publish compatible tarballs for the pinned runtime, installs `nodejs` and `npm` with `apk` and links that runtime into the prefix wrapper path. The Alpine repositories must provide a supported Node version (22.19+, 23.11+, or 24+); use Alpine 3.21 or newer if older repositories only provide Node 20 or 21. If Git is missing, attempts install via apt/dnf/yum/apk on Linux or Homebrew on macOS. - `npm` method (default): installs under the prefix with npm, then writes wrapper to `/bin/openclaw` - `git` method: clones/updates a checkout (default `~/openclaw`) and still writes the wrapper to `/bin/openclaw` If a gateway service is already loaded from that same prefix, the script runs `openclaw gateway install --force`, then `openclaw gateway restart`, and probes gateway health best-effort.

Examples (install-cli.sh)

```bash curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install-cli.sh | bash ``` ```bash curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install-cli.sh | bash -s -- --prefix /opt/openclaw --version latest ``` ```bash curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install-cli.sh | bash -s -- --install-method git --git-dir ~/openclaw ``` ```bash curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install-cli.sh | bash -s -- --json --prefix /opt/openclaw ``` ```bash curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install-cli.sh | bash -s -- --onboard ```

Flag	Description
--prefix <path>	Install prefix (default: ~/.openclaw)
--install-method | --method npm|git	Choose install method (default: npm)
--npm	Shortcut for npm method
--git | --github	Shortcut for git method
--git-dir | --dir <path>	Git checkout directory (default: ~/openclaw)
--version <ver>	OpenClaw version or dist-tag (default: latest)
--node-version <ver>	Node version (default: 22.22.0)
--json	Emit NDJSON events
--onboard	Run openclaw onboard after install
--no-onboard	Skip onboarding (default)
--set-npm-prefix	On Linux, force npm prefix to ~/.npm-global if current prefix is not writable
--help | -h	Show usage

Variable	Description
OPENCLAW_PREFIX=<path>	Install prefix
OPENCLAW_INSTALL_METHOD=git|npm	Install method
OPENCLAW_VERSION=<ver>	OpenClaw version or dist-tag
OPENCLAW_NODE_VERSION=<ver>	Node version
OPENCLAW_HOME=<path>	Base directory for OpenClaw state and default git/onboarding paths
OPENCLAW_GIT_DIR=<path>	Git checkout directory for git installs
OPENCLAW_GIT_UPDATE=0|1	Toggle git updates for existing checkouts
OPENCLAW_NO_ONBOARD=1	Skip onboarding
OPENCLAW_NPM_LOGLEVEL=error|warn|notice	npm log level (default: error)

`openclaw@main` and other GitHub source specs are not valid `--version` targets for npm installs. Use `--install-method git --version main` instead.

---

install.ps1

Flow (install.ps1)

Requires PowerShell 5+. If missing, attempts install via winget, then Chocolatey, then Scoop. If no package manager is available, the script downloads the official Node.js 24 Windows zip into `%LOCALAPPDATA%\OpenClaw\deps\portable-node` and adds it to the current process and user PATH. Node 22.19+ and 23.11+ remain supported for compatibility. - `npm` method (default): global npm install using the selected `-Tag`, launched from a writable installer temp directory so shells opened in protected folders such as `C:\` still work - `git` method: clone/update repo, install/build with pnpm, and install wrapper at `%USERPROFILE%\.local\bin\openclaw.cmd`. If Git is missing, the script bootstraps user-local MinGit under `%LOCALAPPDATA%\OpenClaw\deps\portable-git` and adds it to the current process and user PATH. - Adds needed bin directory to user PATH when possible - Refreshes a loaded gateway service best-effort (`openclaw gateway install --force`, then restart) - Runs `openclaw doctor --non-interactive` on upgrades and git installs (best effort) `iwr ... | iex` and scriptblock installs report a terminating error without closing the current PowerShell session. Direct `powershell -File` / `pwsh -File` installs still exit non-zero for automation.

Examples (install.ps1)

```powershell iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex ``` ```powershell & ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1))) -InstallMethod git ``` ```powershell & ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1))) -InstallMethod git -Tag main ``` ```powershell & ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1))) -InstallMethod git -GitDir "C:\openclaw" ``` ```powershell & ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1))) -DryRun ```

Flag	Description
-InstallMethod npm|git	Install method (default: npm)
-Tag <tag|version|spec>	npm dist-tag, version, or package spec (default: latest)
-GitDir <path>	Checkout directory (default: %USERPROFILE%\openclaw)
-NoOnboard	Skip onboarding
-NoGitUpdate	Skip git pull
-DryRun	Print actions only

Variable	Description
OPENCLAW_INSTALL_METHOD=git|npm	Install method
OPENCLAW_GIT_DIR=<path>	Checkout directory
OPENCLAW_NO_ONBOARD=1	Skip onboarding
OPENCLAW_GIT_UPDATE=0	Disable git pull
OPENCLAW_DRY_RUN=1	Dry run mode

If `-InstallMethod git` is used and Git is missing, the script tries a user-local MinGit bootstrap before printing the Git for Windows link.

---

CI and automation

Use non-interactive flags/env vars for predictable runs.

```bash curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --no-prompt --no-onboard ``` ```bash OPENCLAW_INSTALL_METHOD=git OPENCLAW_NO_PROMPT=1 \ curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash ``` ```bash curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install-cli.sh | bash -s -- --json --prefix /opt/openclaw ``` ```powershell & ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1))) -NoOnboard ```

---

Troubleshooting

Git is required for the `git` install method. For `npm` installs, Git is still checked/installed to avoid `spawn git ENOENT` failures when dependencies use git URLs. Some Linux setups point npm's global prefix to root-owned paths. `install.sh` can switch the prefix to `~/.npm-global` and append PATH exports to shell rc files (when those files exist). Rerun the installer so it can bootstrap user-local MinGit, or install Git for Windows and reopen PowerShell. Run `npm config get prefix` and add that directory to your user PATH (no `\bin` suffix needed on Windows), then reopen PowerShell. `install.ps1` does not expose a `-Verbose` switch. Use PowerShell tracing for script-level diagnostics:

```powershell
Set-PSDebug -Trace 1
& ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1))) -NoOnboard
Set-PSDebug -Trace 0
```

Usually a PATH issue. See [Node.js troubleshooting](/install/node#troubleshooting).

Related

• Install overview
• Updating
• Uninstall