Installation intent

Install OpenClaw from GitHub

A source checkout is the right path when you want to contribute, test a specific revision, or develop against the OpenClaw workspace. Most users should choose the official installer instead.

View source commands Official install guide ↗

Recommended for most users: run the official installer from openclaw.ai. The GitHub workflow below is for a local source build and requires Git, a supported Node.js runtime, and pnpm.

Build OpenClaw from the official GitHub source

Clone the canonical repository.

git clone https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw.git
cd openclaw

2
Install the pnpm workspace.
```
pnpm install
```
Do not substitute a root npm install. The official README states that the source tree is a pnpm workspace.
3
Build core and the Control UI.
```
pnpm build
pnpm ui:build
```

Link the CLI and run onboarding.

pnpm link --global
openclaw onboard --install-daemon
openclaw gateway status
openclaw dashboard

Reproducible setup

Pin the code you reviewed

The main branch changes as development continues. For a reproducible environment, choose a published release or an exact commit after reading its notes and diff.

git fetch --tags
git tag --sort=-version:refname
git checkout <trusted-release-tag>

Keep your OpenClaw configuration and workspace outside the repository so pulling or switching source revisions does not overwrite personal state.

Update a source checkout

git status
git pull --ff-only
pnpm install
pnpm build
pnpm ui:build
pnpm link --global
openclaw gateway restart

Review upstream changes before updating a production assistant. If you have local source edits, commit them on a separate branch rather than mixing them into the upstream branch.

Common source-install problems

Wrong package manager

A root npm install does not prepare the pnpm workspace or bundled extensions. Use pnpm for the official source tree.

Unsupported Node runtime

Check the current requirements in the official install guide; version floors can change as OpenClaw evolves.

CLI points to an old build

Run the global link step again and confirm which openclaw executable your shell resolves.

Gateway still runs old code

Restart the Gateway that actually serves your channels, then verify its status before testing features.

GitHub installation FAQ

Do I need GitHub to install OpenClaw? +

No. The official installer is the recommended route for most users. A GitHub checkout is intended for source builds, contributions, and development work.

Can I run npm install in the OpenClaw repository? +

No. The official repository is a pnpm workspace, and its README states that a plain npm install at the repository root is not supported.

How do I update a GitHub source installation? +

Pull the trusted branch or tag, reinstall workspace dependencies with pnpm, rebuild the project and UI, and restart the Gateway that serves your channels.