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Yes—you can run NanoClaw on a Bluehost VPS. The dependable route is an Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04 amd64 server with at least 1 vCPU, 4 GB RAM, and 10 GB SSD, although 8 GB RAM is the safer production choice. You can either select Bluehost’s preconfigured NanoClaw image when buying a VPS or start with a blank VPS and install from the official repository over SSH. The image is quicker, but changing a server image permanently erases the VPS; manual installation takes longer and leaves your existing image intact. In either case, harden SSH first, complete the wizard, authenticate the AI provider, and pair at least one channel before starting the user service.
Which Bluehost installation path should you choose?
Choose the preconfigured image for the shortest path on a new VPS. Choose manual SSH installation when you already have a server you want to preserve, need full control of the operating-system image, or want every package and configuration change to be explicit.
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|---|---|---|
| Starting point | Blank, self-managed Ubuntu VPS | NanoClaw application image selected during VPS purchase |
| Data-preservation risk | Does not require changing the server image | Reimaging permanently erases existing data and settings |
| Setup effort | Prepare and harden the host, then run the installer | Provisioning is faster, but first-run setup is still required |
| Operating-system control | You choose and maintain the base Ubuntu image | Bluehost supplies the prepared application image |
| First-run authentication | The installer asks for provider authentication and channel pairing | Enter the application-user shell, run the wizard, then export the generated OAuth token |
| Reproducibility | Every install command is visible and repeatable on another Ubuntu host | Fast to recreate, but tied to the supplied image workflow |
Bluehost’s reimage warning is unambiguous: “Changing the server image will permanently erase all data and settings on this VPS or VDS. This action cannot be undone.” Back up anything important before selecting the NanoClaw image. If the VPS already hosts websites, databases, or other services, manual installation is the safer choice because it avoids an image change.
What VPS specifications does NanoClaw need?
Use Bluehost’s manual-install baseline as the minimum, not as a performance promise. NanoClaw builds its first agent container on the machine, and Bluehost warns that minimum sizing can freeze or crash under load. For a continuously running production assistant, select the larger memory option.
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|---|---|---|
| CPU | 1 vCPU | Bluehost’s published production guidance specifies more RAM rather than a different CPU minimum |
| Memory | 4 GB RAM | 8 GB RAM recommended by Bluehost for stable production use |
| Storage | 10 GB SSD | Keep additional headroom for Docker layers, logs, and application data |
| Operating system | Ubuntu 22.04 or Ubuntu 24.04, amd64 | Use one of these supported Ubuntu releases for the documented installer path |
The 4 GB figure is a floor for the documented manual setup. Container builds, concurrent agent work, and other software on the same VPS consume memory beyond NanoClaw itself. If the server will handle production traffic or more than a light personal workload, start at 8 GB rather than waiting for out-of-memory failures.
How do you secure the Bluehost VPS before installing NanoClaw?
Harden the host before installing application software. NanoClaw isolates agents in Docker containers, but the Ubuntu host remains an internet-facing server. Bluehost’s security guidance is to use an unprivileged deployment account, establish key-based SSH, disable password and root SSH login after verifying the key, configure a firewall, and enable Fail2Ban.
Create a non-root deployment account
Log in with the temporary administrative account supplied by Bluehost, create a normal user, and grant administrative rights only through sudo. For example:
sudo adduser nanodeploy
sudo usermod -aG sudo nanodeployReplace nanodeploy with the account name you actually intend to use. Do not run the application wizard as root unless you are completing the special preconfigured-image workflow described later.
Install and test an SSH key
On your workstation, create an ED25519 key if you do not already have one, copy the public key to the deployment account, and open a second SSH session using that key. The important check is that the new session works before you disable password authentication. Keep the original administrative session open until the test succeeds.
Disable password and root SSH login
After key-based login works, edit /etc/ssh/sshd_config so password authentication and direct root login are disabled. Reload the SSH service, then verify a fresh key-based connection. If you close your only working session before this test, a typo in the SSH configuration can lock you out.
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Limit inbound traffic and enable Fail2Ban
Install the firewall and intrusion-prevention packages, allow SSH before enabling the firewall, and then enable Fail2Ban:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install ufw fail2ban -y
sudo ufw allow OpenSSH
sudo ufw enable
sudo systemctl enable --now fail2banOnly open additional ports when a specific NanoClaw adapter requires them. Telegram, Discord, and WhatsApp normally make outbound connections and do not require a new public listener. Slack is the exception because its webhook must reach your server; handle that endpoint through a TLS reverse proxy rather than exposing the application directly.
How do you install NanoClaw manually over SSH?
Manual installation uses the official repository and one bootstrap script. The script installs missing Node.js, pnpm, and Docker, installs the credential gateway, builds the first agent container image, and guides you through pairing an initial channel.
Install Git and fetch the repository
Switch to the non-root deployment account, then run the documented commands:
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git clone https://github.com/nanocoai/nanoclaw.git
cd nanoclaw
bash nanoclaw.shThe repository’s quick-start instructions are available at the official NanoClaw Git repository. If Node.js, pnpm, or Docker is absent, the script bootstraps them rather than requiring separate manual installation.
Answer the setup wizard
The wizard asks for the setup mode, credential-vault choice, AI-provider authentication, assistant name, timezone, and an optional messaging channel. Decide the provider sign-in method before starting so you have the required account access available. Pairing a channel during this run gives you an immediate way to test the installation; you can configure additional channels afterward.
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Bluehost reports that a fresh-machine run takes roughly 15 minutes, with most of that time spent building the first container image. Do not interrupt the process simply because there is no prompt for several minutes during the build. The duration varies with the VPS’s CPU, disk, and network conditions.
How do you complete first-run setup on Bluehost’s NanoClaw image?
The preconfigured image is installed but intentionally not started. You must enter the application user’s systemd-nspawn session, run the wizard from the application directory, and export the generated OAuth token in that same shell.
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- SSH to the VPS as
root. - Enter the NanoClaw application-user session:
machinectl shell nanoclaw@ - Change to the bundled repository and start setup:
cd ~/nanoclaw bash nanoclaw.sh - Complete the prompts for setup mode, credential storage, provider authentication, assistant name, timezone, and an optional channel.
- When the wizard prints the long-lived OAuth token, export it before leaving the shell:
export CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN=<token>
The token export belongs in the application-user shell where the service will be launched. If you export it only in a temporary root session, the NanoClaw process may not receive it. The image does not auto-start before setup; starting it prematurely can produce FATAL: No channels connected because no adapter has been paired yet.
What should you do if Docker permissions fail?
The installer may add the deployment user to Docker’s group, but an existing login shell does not automatically receive the new group membership. Start a group-aware shell and verify access before retrying NanoClaw commands.
newgrp docker
docker infoIf docker info succeeds, the account can communicate with the Docker daemon. If it still reports permission denied, log out and reconnect so the session receives the updated group list, then run the check again. Bluehost’s documented recovery path also includes restarting the user service after group membership is corrected. Do not work around the problem by running the whole application as root.
How do you verify that NanoClaw is running?
Run the checks from the NanoClaw application directory as the deployment/application user. They confirm the user units, service details, socket creation, and a basic chat response.
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systemctl --user list-units 'nanoclaw-v2-*'
systemctl --user status 'nanoclaw-v2-*' --no-pager -l
ls -la data/cli.sock
pnpm run chat hi- User units listed: the first command should show NanoClaw-related services rather than an empty result.
- Detailed status: the second command exposes failed units and their recent log output.
- CLI socket present:
data/cli.sockindicates that the local command interface was created. - Chat response:
pnpm run chat hiexercises the assistant path without requiring an external messaging client.
If you deliberately skipped provider sign-in, Bluehost says a credentials error is expected until authentication is completed. Treat that message as an authentication task, not as proof that Docker or the VPS is broken.
Which network ports and channels does NanoClaw need?
Most adapters need only outbound internet access and SSH administration. Slack requires a reachable webhook endpoint, so it needs a carefully protected inbound path.
| Channel | Typical connection direction | VPS exposure |
|---|---|---|
| Telegram | Outbound connection to the platform API | No additional inbound port normally required beyond SSH |
| Discord | Outbound connection to the platform API | No additional inbound port normally required beyond SSH |
| Outbound connection to the platform API | No additional inbound port normally required beyond SSH | |
| Slack | Inbound webhook from Slack, with NanoClaw’s responses sent outward | Expose the webhook through Nginx or Caddy with TLS; do not expose it directly without encryption |
Keep the firewall closed to every port that your selected adapter does not need. For Slack, terminate HTTPS at a reverse proxy, forward only the webhook route to NanoClaw, and use a valid certificate. The reverse proxy approach limits the application’s direct exposure and provides the TLS layer Bluehost recommends.
How do you troubleshoot the most common installation failures?
“FATAL: No channels connected” appears
This message is expected when the preconfigured image is started before a channel is paired. Re-enter the application-user session, run the wizard, and select or configure at least one channel. If you do not want a messaging adapter yet, complete the setup prompts first and use the local CLI check while deciding which channel to add.
The provider reports missing credentials
Complete the AI-provider authentication step that was skipped during setup. On the image workflow, export the generated CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN in the same application-user shell used to launch the service. Then rerun the documented service-status and chat checks.
Docker says permission is denied
Use newgrp docker, confirm with docker info, and reconnect if necessary so the new group membership is loaded. Restart the user service only after the Docker check succeeds.
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The first install appears stuck
The initial container image build is the slowest phase and Bluehost estimates roughly 15 minutes on a fresh machine. Check the VPS’s memory and disk headroom rather than interrupting immediately. A 4 GB server is only the manual baseline; sustained builds or concurrent workloads may need the 8 GB production recommendation.
You cannot log in after SSH hardening
Use the original administrative console or recovery access while it remains available, verify the public-key path and SSH configuration, and test a new key-based session before closing any working connection. Disabling password and root login is safe only after the key has been proven from a separate client session.
You are considering a server-image change after a failed attempt
Stop and back up first. Bluehost states that reimaging permanently erases all data and settings and cannot be undone. A manual reinstall on the existing Ubuntu image is the lower-risk recovery option when the VPS contains other services or data.
Which installation method is best for your Bluehost VPS?
Use the image when the VPS is new, empty, and dedicated to NanoClaw, and you value fast provisioning over control of the base image. Use manual installation when preserving data matters, when the server already has a carefully managed Ubuntu environment, or when you need a repeatable build process that you can audit line by line.
- Select the image if: you are provisioning a dedicated server, have backups, accept the reimage warning, and want the shortest route to a prepared application.
- Select manual SSH installation if: the VPS already contains services, you need to keep its image, or you want to control the deployment user, packages, firewall, and Docker setup yourself.
- Choose 8 GB RAM for production: the 4 GB baseline may work for a light installation but leaves less room for the first image build and concurrent agents.
- Plan networking by channel: keep Telegram, Discord, and WhatsApp outbound-only; put Slack behind a TLS reverse proxy.
After installation, leave the host hardened, verify the user units and socket, and test a real message path. NanoClaw’s container isolation protects agent workloads, but it does not remove the responsibility to secure and maintain the Ubuntu host.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I install NanoClaw on a Bluehost VPS running a different Linux distribution?
The documented manual path specifies Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04 on amd64. The supplied guidance does not establish equivalent support for other distributions, architectures, or managed hosting plans, so use the stated Ubuntu baseline when you need the documented workflow.
Why is the NanoClaw image installed but not running immediately after provisioning?
The image intentionally waits for first-run configuration. NanoClaw needs provider credentials and at least one channel pairing before a useful service can start, so launching it before that setup can yield the no-channels error.
Do I need to buy a public domain name for every NanoClaw channel?
No. Telegram, Discord, and WhatsApp normally connect outward and do not require a public webhook port. A publicly reachable HTTPS endpoint is specifically relevant to Slack’s webhook workflow.
What happens if I skip AI-provider sign-in during the wizard?
The installation can finish, but provider requests will fail with a credentials error until authentication is completed. Finish sign-in in the application-user environment, then repeat the service and CLI checks.
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