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The reliable way to self-host OpenClaw on a rented Linux VPS is to clone the official repository, install Docker Compose, run the repository’s official setup script, and start the openclaw-gateway service. The default workflow builds a local openclaw:local image; you can instead pull a published image through OPENCLAW_IMAGE. Harden the server before making the gateway reachable, and treat image tags, script paths and release numbers as changeable details.
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What this deployment does
A VPS gives OpenClaw a continuously available Linux host without requiring a computer in your home network. Docker keeps the gateway and its dependencies in containers, while Compose records how the service is started and how its data is mounted. You administer the machine over SSH and run all Compose commands from the cloned OpenClaw repository.
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The official Docker workflow currently builds an image tagged openclaw:local on the VPS unless you select a published image. The gateway is started with docker compose up -d openclaw-gateway. The repository and its Docker documentation are at https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw.
Plan the VPS before installing
Operating system and access
- Use a current 64-bit Linux VPS with SSH access and a public IPv4 or IPv6 address as required by your provider.
- Ubuntu 22.04 LTS is cited by one third-party guide as a tested example, while another project builds on Ubuntu 24.04. Neither version is confirmed as an official OpenClaw requirement, so use the distribution your provider supports and keep it updated.
- Create a normal deployment user. Do not run the application as root simply because the initial VPS account permits it.
- Install an SSH public key and disable password authentication after confirming key login works in a second session.
Memory and storage
Local image compilation is the resource-intensive part. Third-party instructions commonly recommend at least 2 GB of RAM for a local build, and another guide reports an out-of-memory failure on a 1 GB VPS. The 2 GB figure is a conservative planning recommendation, not a confirmed number from the official documentation. A pre-built image avoids compilation but still needs enough memory for the gateway and any workloads you run.
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- Allow additional disk space for the repository, Docker layers, logs and persistent OpenClaw data.
- Keep several gigabytes free before an upgrade; an image pull can temporarily require both old and new layers.
- If your plan has 1 GB RAM, prefer a published image or add swap according to your provider’s guidance rather than assuming a local build will succeed.
Host software requirements
The Docker path does not require Node.js on the host. A Node.js 22.12.0-or-later requirement mentioned for releases from 2026.2.21 applies to non-Docker installations, not to the container workflow described here. Check the current OpenClaw release before pinning a version: version numbers and image tags are time-sensitive.
Harden the VPS before exposing the gateway
These are general server-security practices rather than a statement of OpenClaw policy. Apply them before opening any application port.
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- Use key-only SSH. Keep a second SSH session open while testing the configuration so a mistake does not lock you out.
- Enable a host firewall. Permit SSH from the addresses you actually use, and allow only the web or gateway ports you intentionally publish. Do not expose every Docker-published port.
- Limit the Docker socket. Membership in the
dockergroup effectively grants root-equivalent control of the host. Add only the deployment user who needs it, and treat that account as highly privileged. - Prefer private access for administration. If the gateway is for you or a small team, place it behind a VPN, SSH tunnel or an authenticated reverse proxy instead of opening it to the whole internet.
- Back up persistent data. Test that you can restore the OpenClaw data directory or volume before changing images or deleting containers.
Do not proceed on the assumption that a random Docker image is interchangeable with the official one. The official guide identifies GitHub Container Registry as the primary published source and a Docker Hub mirror, and warns against unofficial mirrors.
Install Docker and Compose
Install Docker Engine and the Compose plugin using your distribution’s documented method. Many VPS guides use Docker’s convenience installer, but review the script and your provider’s policy before running any remote installer. Confirm both commands work:
docker --version
docker compose versionIf you added the deployment user to the docker group, log out of SSH and sign in again; the new group is not applied to an already-open shell. Verify without sudo:
docker run --rm hello-worldIf this fails with a permission error, check group membership and the Docker service before troubleshooting OpenClaw.
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- Connect as the non-root deployment user.
- Clone the repository and enter its root directory:
git clone https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw.git
cd openclawThere are two supported image approaches. Choose before running setup so the resulting configuration is predictable.
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| Approach | How it works | Advantages | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local build (default) | The setup workflow builds and tags openclaw:local on the VPS. |
Build provenance is visible on your own host; useful when you need the repository’s current Dockerfile. | Consumes CPU, disk and memory; a small VPS can run out of RAM during compilation. |
| Published image | Set OPENCLAW_IMAGE to an image from the official publishing path, then let Compose pull it. |
Faster initial deployment and no local compilation. | You depend on the selected registry and must manage tag changes deliberately. |
Use the official registry or mirror named in the OpenClaw Docker guide. Do not substitute an image merely because its name contains “openclaw”; third-party images are not automatically equivalent or trustworthy.
Run the official setup script
Use the path documented by the official guide:
./scripts/docker/setup.shA root-level docker-setup.sh appears in some raw repository results and third-party projects, but the locations do not establish that it is the current official entry point. If the documented path is absent in the commit you cloned, stop and confirm the repository’s current instructions instead of silently switching to a script copied from another project.
Run the script from the repository root and read each prompt. It prepares the Docker configuration and, for the default local workflow, builds the Gateway image. Keep the generated environment files private: they can contain tokens, mount paths or registry settings.
Using a published image
Set OPENCLAW_IMAGE in the environment file used by the Compose setup to the exact official image reference and tag you intend to run. Pin a release tag when reproducibility matters; use a moving tag only when you have an upgrade and rollback process. Do not copy an image name from an unverified blog post.
Starting the gateway
From the repository root, start the service in detached mode:
docker compose up -d openclaw-gatewayCheck that Compose created the container and that it remains running:
docker compose ps
docker compose logs --tail=100 openclaw-gatewayRead the logs for configuration errors, failed migrations, missing credentials or a port-binding conflict. A container that starts and immediately exits is not a successful deployment; inspect its exit reason before changing settings.
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Build manually when you need explicit control
The official guide also describes a manual local build. From the repository root:
docker build -t openclaw:local -f Dockerfile .After the build completes, run the project’s onboarding process as documented for the checked-out release, then start the gateway:
docker compose up -d openclaw-gatewayManual building is useful when you want to see and capture the exact build output or when setup automation is unsuitable for your provisioning system. It does not remove the need to review environment variables, persistent mounts and network exposure.
Deploy on an offline or restricted host
The --offline option does not magically make a new installation air-gapped. It works only after the required image has been transferred to the VPS and loaded into its local Docker image store.
- Build or obtain the approved image on a connected machine using the same architecture as the VPS.
- Export it, transfer the archive through your approved channel, and load it on the VPS. For example:
docker save openclaw:local -o openclaw-local.tar
# transfer openclaw-local.tar to the VPS
docker load -i openclaw-local.tar- Confirm the tag exists locally:
docker image inspect openclaw:local- Run the official setup script with offline mode:
./scripts/docker/setup.sh --offlineOffline mode checks for the image and disables implicit Compose pulls and builds. If the tag is missing or the architecture is wrong, setup cannot repair it by downloading another image.
Enable the Browser Control UI
Use an image carrying the browser variant: the official guide identifies the latest-browser tag or a pinned release tag ending in -browser. For an existing Compose installation:
- Change
OPENCLAW_IMAGEin the existing.envfile to the selected browser image tag. - Pull the image with the same Compose files used by the installation.
- Recreate the Gateway so the new image is actually used.
docker compose pull openclaw-gateway
docker compose up -d --force-recreate openclaw-gatewayUse a pinned browser release when you need repeatable deployments. Moving from a non-browser image to a browser image changes resource requirements, so watch memory and disk after recreation.
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Handle extra mounts and generated Compose files
If you enable OPENCLAW_EXTRA_MOUNTS or OPENCLAW_HOME_VOLUME, the setup script generates docker-compose.extra.yml. Compose file order matters: the extra file must come after any override file so its settings are merged last.
docker compose
-f docker-compose.yml
-f docker-compose.override.yml
-f docker-compose.extra.yml
up -d openclaw-gatewayWhen you use a different set of files for logs, pulls or recreation, use that same set consistently. Omitting the generated file can make mounts or environment changes appear to have disappeared.
Verify the deployment without exposing it unnecessarily
- Container state:
docker compose psshould show the Gateway as running rather than restarting or exited. - Logs:
docker compose logs -f openclaw-gatewayshould settle without repeating fatal errors. - Image:
docker image lsshould show the tag you selected, such asopenclaw:localor your pinned published tag. - Configuration: review the rendered Compose configuration with
docker compose configand check that mounts, environment variables and published ports match your plan. - Network boundary: test locally on the VPS or through your private tunnel first. Only then create a firewall rule or reverse-proxy route for external users.
Do not treat an open TCP port as proof that the application is authenticated. Access control belongs at the gateway or an explicitly configured proxy, and the firewall should remain closed to ports you do not need.
Upgrade, pin and roll back safely
Before upgrading
- Record the current Git commit, image reference and output of
docker compose config. - Back up persistent OpenClaw data and verify that the backup can be read.
- Check the current release notes and required migration steps. Release numbers such as 2026.2.21 and 2026.3.1 cited in older guides are time-sensitive examples, not permanent minimums.
Upgrade a published image
Change OPENCLAW_IMAGE to the new approved tag, then pull and recreate the Gateway with the same Compose files:
docker compose pull openclaw-gateway
docker compose up -d --force-recreate openclaw-gatewayUpgrade a local build
Pull the repository change you have reviewed, rebuild the local tag, and recreate the service:
git pull
docker build -t openclaw:local -f Dockerfile .
docker compose up -d --force-recreate openclaw-gatewayIf the new container fails, stop changing variables at random. Restore the previous image tag or Git commit, bring the service back up, and investigate the failed migration or configuration difference while the known-good version is available.
Troubleshoot common failure modes
The setup script cannot be found
Confirm you are in the cloned repository root and list the documented path:
pwd
ls -l scripts/docker/setup.shDo not replace it with a similarly named script from an unofficial repository. Check the current tree and release instructions at the official project page.
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This usually indicates memory pressure during a local build. Inspect available memory, stop unrelated services, add capacity or use an official pre-built image. The 2 GB planning figure is conservative guidance from third-party material, not a guaranteed threshold.
Compose tries to pull or build in offline mode
Verify that the exact image tag is loaded locally and that you passed --offline to the official setup script. Also inspect the rendered configuration for a different image name or an override file that reintroduces a pull policy.
The container restarts repeatedly
Read the service logs, then check environment variables, credentials, volume permissions and port conflicts. A restart loop is often a configuration or migration error rather than a Docker networking problem.
Mounts are missing after an update
If extra mounts were enabled, include docker-compose.extra.yml after the base and override files on every Compose command. Confirm the host paths exist and are readable by the container’s configured user.
You cannot connect from outside
Check the VPS firewall, provider-level firewall, reverse-proxy route and the service’s bind address in that order. Test from the VPS first. If local access works but public access does not, avoid opening additional ports until you identify which layer is blocking the request.
Deployment decision checklist
- Use a non-root user with key-only SSH and a restrictive firewall.
- Plan for at least 2 GB RAM when compiling locally, while treating that figure as an unverified third-party recommendation.
- Use the official repository setup path:
./scripts/docker/setup.sh. - Choose either the default local
openclaw:localbuild or an image from the official registry path. - Start and inspect the service with
docker compose up -d openclaw-gateway,docker compose psand service logs. - For offline hosts, load the image first and then use
--offline. - For Browser Control, select a
-browsertag and recreate the Gateway after changingOPENCLAW_IMAGE. - Include generated Compose overlays after override files whenever extra mounts or a home volume is enabled.
- Back up persistent data and record the image or commit before every upgrade.
The Bottom Line
A secure OpenClaw VPS deployment is a repeatable Docker workflow: harden the host, clone the official repository, run ./scripts/docker/setup.sh, choose a verified image source, and start openclaw-gateway from the repository root. Keep image tags and release requirements pinned only after checking the current project documentation.
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