Installer Internals

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

Quick commands

install.shinstall-cli.shinstall.ps1

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

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

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

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

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

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

Note

If install succeeds but openclaw is not found in a new terminal, see Node.js troubleshooting.

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install.sh

Tip

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

Flow (install.sh)

1. Detect OS

   Supports macOS and Linux (including WSL). If macOS is detected, installs Homebrew if missing.

2. Ensure Node.js 24 by default

   Checks Node version and installs Node 24 if needed (Homebrew on macOS, NodeSource setup scripts on Linux apt/dnf/yum). OpenClaw still supports Node 22 LTS, currently 22.14+, for compatibility.

3. Ensure Git

   Installs Git if missing.

4. Install OpenClaw

   • npm method (default): global npm install
   • git method: clone/update repo, install deps with pnpm, build, then install wrapper at ~/.local/bin/openclaw

5. Post-install tasks

   • Runs openclaw doctor --non-interactive on upgrades and git installs (best effort)
   • Attempts onboarding when appropriate (TTY available, onboarding not disabled, and bootstrap/config checks pass)
   • Defaults SHARP_IGNORE_GLOBAL_LIBVIPS=1

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)

DefaultSkip onboardingGit installGitHub main via npmDry run

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

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --no-onboard

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

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

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

Flags reference

Flag	Description
--install-method npm|git	Choose install method (default: npm). Alias: --method
--npm	Shortcut for npm method
--git	Shortcut for git method. Alias: --github
`—version

| npm version, dist-tag, or package spec (default:latest) | | —beta | Use beta dist-tag if available, else fallback tolatest | |—git-dir

| Checkout directory (default:~/openclaw). Alias: —dir| |—no-git-update | Skipgit pullfor existing checkout | |—no-prompt | Disable prompts | |—no-onboard | Skip onboarding | |—onboard | Enable onboarding | |—dry-run | Print actions without applying changes | |—verbose | Enable debug output (set -x, npm notice-level logs) | | —help | Show usage (-h`) |

Environment variables reference

Variable	Description
OPENCLAW_INSTALL_METHOD=git|npm	Install method
`OPENCLAW_VERSION=latest|next|main|

|

| npm version, dist-tag, or package spec | |OPENCLAW_BETA=0|1 | Use beta if available | |OPENCLAW_GIT_DIR=

| Checkout directory | |OPENCLAW_GIT_UPDATE=0|1 | Toggle git updates | |OPENCLAW_NO_PROMPT=1 | Disable prompts | |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 | |SHARP_IGNORE_GLOBAL_LIBVIPS=0|1 | Control sharp/libvips behavior (default:1`) |

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install-cli.sh

Info

Designed for environments where you want everything under a local prefix (default ~/.openclaw) and no system Node dependency.

Flow (install-cli.sh)

1. Install local Node runtime

   Downloads a pinned supported Node LTS tarball (the version is embedded in the script and updated independently) to `

   /tools/node-v

   ` and verifies SHA-256.

2. Ensure Git

   If Git is missing, attempts install via apt/dnf/yum on Linux or Homebrew on macOS.

3. Install OpenClaw under prefix

   Installs with npm using `—prefix

   , then writes wrapper to

   /bin/openclaw`.

Examples (install-cli.sh)

DefaultCustom prefix + versionAutomation JSON outputRun onboarding

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

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install-cli.sh | bash -s -- --prefix /opt/openclaw --version latest

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

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

Flags reference

Flag	Description
`—prefix

| Install prefix (default:~/.openclaw) | | —version

| OpenClaw version or dist-tag (default:latest) | | —node-version

| Node version (default:22.22.0) | | —json | Emit NDJSON events | |—onboard | Runopenclaw onboardafter install | |—no-onboard | Skip onboarding (default) | |—set-npm-prefix | On Linux, force npm prefix to~/.npm-globalif current prefix is not writable | |—help | Show usage (-h`) |

Environment variables reference

Variable	Description
`OPENCLAW_PREFIX=

| Install prefix | |OPENCLAW_VERSION=

| OpenClaw version or dist-tag | |OPENCLAW_NODE_VERSION=

| Node version | |OPENCLAW_NO_ONBOARD=1 | Skip onboarding | |OPENCLAW_NPM_LOGLEVEL=error|warn|notice| npm log level | |OPENCLAW_GIT_DIR=

| Legacy cleanup lookup path (used when removing oldPeekaboosubmodule checkout) | |SHARP_IGNORE_GLOBAL_LIBVIPS=0|1 | Control sharp/libvips behavior (default:1`) |

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install.ps1

Flow (install.ps1)

1. Ensure PowerShell + Windows environment

   Requires PowerShell 5+.

2. Ensure Node.js 24 by default

   If missing, attempts install via winget, then Chocolatey, then Scoop. Node 22 LTS, currently 22.14+, remains supported for compatibility.

3. Install OpenClaw

   • npm method (default): global npm install using selected -Tag
   • git method: clone/update repo, install/build with pnpm, and install wrapper at %USERPROFILE%\.local\bin\openclaw.cmd

4. Post-install tasks

   Adds needed bin directory to user PATH when possible, then runs openclaw doctor --non-interactive on upgrades and git installs (best effort).

Examples (install.ps1)

DefaultGit installGitHub main via npmCustom git directoryDry runDebug trace

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

& ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1))) -InstallMethod git

& ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1))) -Tag main

& ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1))) -InstallMethod git -GitDir "C:\openclaw"

& ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1))) -DryRun

# install.ps1 has no dedicated -Verbose flag yet.
Set-PSDebug -Trace 1
& ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1))) -NoOnboard
Set-PSDebug -Trace 0

Flags reference

Flag	Description
-InstallMethod npm|git	Install method (default: npm)
`-Tag

| npm dist-tag, version, or package spec (default:latest) | | -GitDir

| Checkout directory (default:%USERPROFILE%\openclaw) | | -NoOnboard | Skip onboarding | |-NoGitUpdate | Skipgit pull | |-DryRun` | Print actions only |

Environment variables reference

Variable	Description
OPENCLAW_INSTALL_METHOD=git|npm	Install method
`OPENCLAW_GIT_DIR=

| Checkout directory | |OPENCLAW_NO_ONBOARD=1 | Skip onboarding | |OPENCLAW_GIT_UPDATE=0 | Disable git pull | |OPENCLAW_DRY_RUN=1` | Dry run mode |

Note

If -InstallMethod git is used and Git is missing, the script exits and prints the Git for Windows link.

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CI and automation

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

install.sh (non-interactive npm)install.sh (non-interactive git)install-cli.sh (JSON)install.ps1 (skip onboarding)

curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --no-prompt --no-onboard

OPENCLAW_INSTALL_METHOD=git OPENCLAW_NO_PROMPT=1 \
  curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash

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

& ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1))) -NoOnboard

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Troubleshooting

Why is Git required?

Git is required for git install method. For npm installs, Git is still checked/installed to avoid spawn git ENOENT failures when dependencies use git URLs.

Why does npm hit EACCES on Linux?

Some Linux setups point npm global prefix to root-owned paths. install.sh can switch prefix to ~/.npm-global and append PATH exports to shell rc files (when those files exist).

sharp/libvips issues

The scripts default SHARP_IGNORE_GLOBAL_LIBVIPS=1 to avoid sharp building against system libvips. To override:

SHARP_IGNORE_GLOBAL_LIBVIPS=0 curl -fsSL --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash

Windows: "npm error spawn git / ENOENT"

Install Git for Windows, reopen PowerShell, rerun installer.

Windows: "openclaw is not recognized"

Run npm config get prefix and add that directory to your user PATH (no \bin suffix needed on Windows), then reopen PowerShell.

Windows: how to get verbose installer output

install.ps1 does not currently expose a -Verbose switch. Use PowerShell tracing for script-level diagnostics:

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

openclaw not found after install

Usually a PATH issue. See Node.js troubleshooting.