Episode 01
OpenClaw from Scratch 01 | What It Really Is, Not Just Another Chatbot
Stop thinking of OpenClaw as another chat box. First understand why it is closer to a permanently online personal AI assistant platform.
Stage Overview
Once you know the order, go deeper stage by stage
Guide tells you what to learn next. This page breaks the journey into five stages so you can review goals, core lessons, and recommended resources one stage at a time.
Guide Starting Point
Read the intro first, then move into the stage path
Phase 1
Install and Launch
Explain environment setup, installation, Gateway, and the first conversation in one pass.
Stage goals
- Prepare the environment
- Install OpenClaw successfully
- Confirm Gateway is healthy
- Finish the first conversation in Dashboard
Core guide for this stage
OpenClaw from Scratch 02 | Get It Running First: Install, Onboard, Dashboard, Gateway
On day one, do not aim to configure everything. Get OpenClaw truly running and finish your first conversation in the Dashboard.
5 min readOpen guide
Phase 2
Models and Authentication
Untangle Provider, Model, and Auth so the most common confusion stops feeling mysterious.
Stage goals
- Understand the difference between Provider and Model
- Clarify login and authentication paths
- Pick one default model path
- Reduce first-time debugging cost
Core guide for this stage
OpenClaw from Scratch 03 | Hook Up the Brain: Models, Providers, and Auth
Separate Provider, Model, and Auth clearly, and take a stable default-model path the first time.
5 min readOpen guide
Phase 3
Channels and Connections
Connect chat channels so the assistant leaves the browser and enters your real workflow entry points.
Stage goals
- Understand the relationship between Gateway and Channel
- Configure the first external channel
- Complete Telegram pairing
- Fix the common case where the bot is online but silent
Core guide for this stage
OpenClaw from Scratch 04 | Make It Speak for Real: Telegram and Chat Channels
Connect Telegram as the first external chat entry point, and understand the real relationship between Gateway, Channel, and pairing.
5 min readOpen guide
Phase 4
Identity and Memory
Use identity files and long-term memory to turn a generic AI into something that feels like your own teammate.
Stage goals
- Understand the responsibilities of SOUL, USER, IDENTITY, and AGENTS
- Write settings that actually change behavior
- Define boundaries for long-term memory
- Make the assistant feel more like a teammate than support staff
Core guide for this stage
OpenClaw from Scratch 05 | Make It Feel Like Your Assistant: SOUL, USER, IDENTITY, AGENTS
The key to turning a template-flavored generic AI into something that feels like your assistant is writing SOUL, USER, IDENTITY, and AGENTS clearly.
6 min readOpen guide
Phase 5
Automation
Install Skills, understand ClawHub, turn on Heartbeat and Cron, and let the assistant start doing work proactively.
Stage goals
- Understand how Skills relate to tool implementations
- Browse and install Skills confidently
- Separate the jobs of Heartbeat and Cron
- Build a minimal automation skeleton
Core guide for this stage
OpenClaw from Scratch 06 | Get It Working: Skills, ClawHub, Heartbeat, Cron
Move OpenClaw from being able to chat to being able to act proactively, with a clear understanding of how Skills, Heartbeat, and Cron divide the work.
6 min readOpen guide