Complete guide to personal AI assistant agents — what they are, how to use them safely, and why they matter
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# Installation Guide — OpenClaw
OpenClaw is an open-source platform that lets you run a personal AI agent on your own machine. Think of it as hiring a full-time AI assistant that lives on your computer, communicates via your preferred messaging channels, and works 24/7.
## Prerequisites
- **Docker Desktop** (recommended) or Node.js 22+
- **LLM API key** — Anthropic (Claude) recommended for best results
- **Messaging channel** — Telegram is easiest to start with
## Installation Options
### Docker (Recommended)
1. Install Docker Desktop
2. Follow setup at https://docs.openclaw.ai
3. Configure `.env` with your LLM API key and Telegram bot token
4. Run `docker compose up -d`
### Direct (Node.js)
1. Install Node.js 22+
2. `npm install -g openclaw`
3. `openclaw init` → edit config → `openclaw gateway start`
## Pro Tip
Keep an LLM chat (Claude/ChatGPT) open while installing — paste any errors there for instant troubleshooting help. Using AI to install AI is the whole point.
## Verification
Run `openclaw doctor` to verify your setup — it checks LLM connectivity, channels, permissions, and security configuration.
## Links
- Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
- GitHub: https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw