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The reliable way to deploy OpenClaw on a rented Linux VPS is to install Docker and Compose, clone the OpenClaw repository, run its official Docker setup script, and start the Gateway with Compose. The default setup builds an image tagged openclaw:local; you can instead select an official pre-built image through OPENCLAW_IMAGE. Harden the server before making the Gateway reachable from the internet.
What this deployment does
OpenClaw runs inside Docker containers on your VPS. Docker supplies the runtime, Compose manages the service definition, and the OpenClaw Gateway is started as the openclaw-gateway Compose service. You administer the server over SSH and run all deployment commands from a clone of the OpenClaw repository.
The official instructions are maintained in the OpenClaw repository. The commands below follow that Docker path and call out details that vary between third-party guides or change between releases.
Plan the VPS before installing
Minimum practical prerequisites
- A Linux VPS with a public IP address and working SSH access.
- A non-root account with permission to run administrative commands through
sudo. - Docker Engine and the Docker Compose plugin.
- Enough disk space for the repository, Docker layers, logs and persistent OpenClaw data.
- An SSH key. Password-only SSH is a poor choice for an internet-facing server.
The Docker route does not require Node.js to be installed on the host; Node and other application dependencies are supplied by the image. A guide that specifies Node.js 22.12.0 or later for a particular 2026 release is describing non-Docker installation, not a host prerequisite for this procedure.
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Memory and operating-system guidance
There is no confirmed official RAM number in the material available for this guide. Several third-party deployment guides recommend planning for at least 2 GB of RAM when building the image locally, and report that a 1 GB VPS can run out of memory during a build. Treat 2 GB as a conservative planning figure rather than a published OpenClaw requirement. A swap file can reduce abrupt build failures, but it does not turn an undersized VPS into a fast build machine.
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS is cited by one guide as a tested example, while another third-party project uses Ubuntu 24.04. Neither should be treated as an official operating-system requirement. Use a currently supported 64-bit Linux distribution and apply its security updates before installing Docker.
Harden the VPS first
Do this before starting the Gateway. Third-party security guidance consistently warns that an exposed OpenClaw deployment without a firewall is risky; these are general server-hardening practices, not a special OpenClaw policy.
Create and use a deployment account
- Sign in with the provider’s initial account and create a separate administrator, for example
deploy. - Install your SSH public key for that account and test a second SSH session before closing the first one.
- Use
sudofor administration. Do not run the application workflow as root unless a specific recovery task requires it. - After key-only access is verified, disable password authentication and direct root login in the SSH server configuration, then reload SSH.
Enable a firewall
Allow SSH from your management address (or at least from the networks you actually use), then deny unsolicited inbound traffic. Do not open the Gateway’s port to the whole internet merely because the container is running. If remote access is needed, put it behind an authenticated reverse proxy, VPN or an equally controlled access layer. The exact Gateway port and authentication settings must come from the OpenClaw release you install; do not guess a port from an unrelated example.
Install Docker and Compose
Many VPS guides use Docker’s convenience installer. It is quick, but it executes a downloaded script with administrative privileges, so review your provider’s policy and Docker’s current instructions before using it.
- Connect as your deployment user.
- Run the current Docker installation method for your Linux distribution. If you use the commonly documented convenience method, it is typically invoked as
curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh; confirm the command and trust the URL before executing it. - Add the deployment user to Docker’s group:
sudo usermod -aG docker "$USER". - Log out of SSH and reconnect. The group change does not apply to the existing shell.
- Verify both components:
docker versionanddocker compose version.
If docker compose version fails, install the Compose plugin supplied for your distribution before continuing. OpenClaw’s commands use the modern docker compose subcommand, not the obsolete standalone docker-compose binary.
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Clone OpenClaw
From the deployment user’s home directory, clone the repository and enter it:
git clone https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw.git
cd openclawKeep this directory: the Compose files, environment file and setup script are used for later upgrades and configuration changes. Before a production rollout, review the release you intend to run and record the commit or image tag so that a future update is deliberate rather than accidental.
Choose how Docker obtains the OpenClaw image
The official Docker workflow supports a local build and a pre-built image. The choice affects build time, memory use, provenance and offline operation.
| Method | How it works | When it fits | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local build | The setup script builds the Gateway image from the checked-out repository and tags it openclaw:local. |
You want the image produced from the source tree on the VPS. | It is the heavier option and is the one for which third-party guides report high memory use. |
| Pre-built image | Set OPENCLAW_IMAGE to a published image before running Compose. |
You want to avoid a long local build or standardize deployments on a release tag. | Use the registries named by the official guide, such as GitHub Container Registry or its Docker Hub mirror; avoid unofficial mirrors. |
| Offline image | Transfer an image archive to the VPS, load it locally, then run setup with --offline. |
The server cannot reach a registry or the wider internet. | --offline does not create an image; it only prevents implicit pulls and builds after the required image is already loaded. |
| Browser image | Use the latest-browser tag or a pinned release tag ending in -browser. |
You need the Browser Control UI included in the image. | Changing an existing deployment requires updating OPENCLAW_IMAGE, pulling and recreating the Gateway. |
Image names and tags are release data, not permanent API guarantees. Pin a known release for production and check the current OpenClaw release before selecting a tag.
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Run the official setup script
From the repository root, use the path documented by OpenClaw:
./scripts/docker/setup.shThe script prepares the Docker deployment and, in the default local-build path, builds the Gateway image as openclaw:local. A root-level file named docker-setup.sh appears in some raw repository results and third-party projects, but that path conflicts with the official instructions. If the documented script is absent, stop and inspect the checkout and release rather than substituting a script copied from an unrelated project.
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Read the script’s prompts and generated files. Keep secrets out of shell history and out of public issue reports. The exact onboarding questions can change with OpenClaw releases, so answer them according to the version shown by the checkout you are deploying.
Build manually when you need explicit control
If you prefer to separate image creation from onboarding, the official workflow also supports a manual build:
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docker compose up -d openclaw-gatewayDo not run that command from another directory. Compose resolves the project files and environment values relative to the deployment directory.
Start and verify the Gateway
- From
openclaw, start the service:docker compose up -d openclaw-gateway. - Check the service state with
docker compose ps. A container that is repeatedly restarting is not a successful deployment. - Read startup output with
docker compose logs --tail=200 openclaw-gateway. - Confirm that the configured access path works from an allowed client. Keep the VPS firewall and any proxy access control in place while testing.
Use the Compose project files generated by setup for subsequent commands. Avoid launching a second, hand-written container with different environment variables; doing so makes upgrades and troubleshooting much harder.
Enable Browser Control UI
For a new installation, select the image tag that includes browser support: latest-browser or a pinned release tag with the -browser suffix. For an existing Compose deployment, edit .env and change OPENCLAW_IMAGE to the chosen browser image, then pull and recreate the Gateway with the same Compose files.
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docker compose pull openclaw-gateway
docker compose up -d --force-recreate openclaw-gatewayUse the exact image reference supplied by the official release instructions. Do not replace it with an image from an unverified Docker Hub account simply because the name looks similar.
Deploy on an offline VPS
An offline deployment has two separate jobs: getting the image onto the server and preventing Compose from trying to reach a registry.
- On a connected machine, obtain the approved OpenClaw image and export it to an archive with Docker’s image-save function.
- Transfer the archive to the VPS through your approved transfer channel.
- Load it into the VPS Docker engine, for example
docker load -i openclaw-image.tar. - Set
OPENCLAW_IMAGEto the loaded image reference and run./scripts/docker/setup.sh --offline. - Verify that the image exists locally before starting Compose. If it is missing or tagged differently, offline setup cannot repair the mismatch.
The --offline flag disables implicit Compose pulls and builds; it is not a download mode and does not bypass missing dependencies that your deployment has not transferred.
Handle extra mounts and generated Compose overlays
If you enable OPENCLAW_EXTRA_MOUNTS or OPENCLAW_HOME_VOLUME, the setup script generates docker-compose.extra.yml. Compose file order matters: later files override earlier definitions. Include the extra file after the base file and any override file:
docker compose
-f docker-compose.yml
-f docker-compose.override.yml
-f docker-compose.extra.yml
up -d openclaw-gatewayLeaving the extra file out can make mounts appear to have disappeared, while placing it before an override can cause its settings to be replaced. Check the merged configuration with docker compose config before applying a change.
Choose and pin a release deliberately
Version references in third-party 2026 guides are time-sensitive. One lists 2026.2.21 as a minimum and 2026.3.1 as a recommendation, but those numbers should not be treated as current requirements after the release cycle moves. Check the current OpenClaw release and its Docker instructions immediately before deployment, then record the selected image tag or Git commit.
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A practical upgrade sequence is:
- Back up the OpenClaw data locations identified by your Compose configuration.
- Read the release notes for configuration or migration changes.
- Change
OPENCLAW_IMAGEto the approved new tag in.env. - Pull the image:
docker compose pull openclaw-gateway. - Recreate the service:
docker compose up -d --force-recreate openclaw-gateway. - Inspect
docker compose psand the Gateway logs, then exercise the access path.
Do not delete the previous image or data until the new container has passed your checks and you have a rollback plan.
Troubleshoot common deployment failures
The setup script is missing
Confirm that you are in the cloned repository root and that the checkout contains scripts/docker/setup.sh. The root-level docker-setup.sh found in some third-party material is not a safe substitute. Re-clone or select the release documented by the official guide.
The build is killed or the VPS becomes unresponsive
Check available memory and disk space. A 1 GB VPS is specifically reported by third-party guides as vulnerable to out-of-memory failures during local builds. Move to a larger VPS, add temporary swap, or use an approved pre-built image instead of building locally. The 2 GB planning figure is conservative guidance, not an official guarantee.
Docker works only with sudo
The user-group change has not reached the current shell, or the Docker service is not running. Reconnect over SSH after usermod, verify group membership, and check the Docker service. Do not solve a permissions problem by running the whole application as root.
Compose tries to pull an image on an offline host
The image was not loaded, the local tag does not match OPENCLAW_IMAGE, or setup was run without --offline. Inspect local images, correct the tag, load the archive again and rerun the documented offline command.
The Gateway starts but cannot be reached
Check docker compose ps, logs and the VPS firewall. Confirm that your proxy or access-control layer forwards to the configured service and that you are testing from an allowed network. Do not respond by opening every inbound port; that hides the actual routing or authentication problem.
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Mounts or environment changes are ignored
Run docker compose config with the same -f file sequence used to start the service. If an extra mount is enabled, ensure docker-compose.extra.yml is listed last. Recreate the Gateway after changing image or environment settings; restarting an old container does not apply a new container definition.
Production checklist
- SSH key access works for a non-root deployment user.
- Password SSH and direct root login are disabled after verification.
- The firewall allows only required management and application paths.
- Docker and the Compose plugin report supported versions.
- The OpenClaw repository checkout and selected image tag are recorded.
- The image source is the official registry or mirror named by OpenClaw, not an unofficial image.
- The Gateway is running under Compose and its logs show a healthy startup.
- Persistent data and configuration locations are identified and backed up.
- Browser support, if needed, uses a matching
-browserimage tag. - Offline deployments have loaded the exact image reference before using
--offline. - Any generated extra Compose file is included after overrides.
- A rollback image or release reference is retained before upgrading.
Local build or pre-built image: which should you use?
Choose a local build when the VPS has adequate memory and you want the image generated directly from the repository checkout. Choose a pre-built image when build time, RAM or repeatability matters more, provided you use an image source and tag recognized by the official Docker instructions. Choose the offline workflow only when you can control image transfer and verify the local tag. For browser automation, use the browser-specific tag rather than adding an arbitrary third-party image.
Final recommendation
For most VPS operators, the least surprising path is: harden a supported Linux server, install Docker and Compose, clone OpenClaw, run ./scripts/docker/setup.sh, accept the default local build if the VPS has sufficient memory, and start the Gateway with docker compose up -d openclaw-gateway. If the server is small or disconnected, load an approved pre-built image and use OPENCLAW_IMAGE with the documented --offline workflow. Keep the Gateway behind access control and re-check release tags and script paths whenever you upgrade.
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