Want to run your own AI agent 24/7 without relying on cloud services? OpenClaw is an open-source AI agent platform you can self-host on a VPS. In this guide, we’ll walk through installing OpenClaw on Ubuntu, configuring it for production, and keeping it running reliably.
Recommended VPS Specifications
- CPU: 2 vCPU minimum (4 vCPU recommended)
- RAM: 4GB minimum (8GB recommended)
- Storage: 60GB+ NVMe SSD
- OS: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or 24.04 LTS
- Network: Public IPv4 and SSH access
What is OpenClaw?
OpenClaw is a self-hosted AI agent platform that lets you run AI assistants on your own infrastructure. Unlike cloud-based AI services, OpenClaw gives you:
- Full data privacy — your conversations stay on your server
- No usage limits — run as many agents as you need
- 24/7 availability — your agents work around the clock
- Custom integrations — connect to your internal tools and APIs
- Model flexibility — use OpenAI, Anthropic, local models, or any LLM provider
What You’ll Need
For this guide, we recommend a Cloud VPS with at least 4GB RAM and 2 vCPUs. OpenClaw is lightweight, but AI workloads benefit from having headroom.
Canadian Web Hosting’s Cloud VPS plans start at affordable monthly rates with full root access, Canadian data centres in Vancouver and Toronto, and 24/7 expert support. Plus, you get data sovereignty — your AI conversations stay in Canada.
Step 1: Prepare Your Server
Start with a fresh Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04 server. SSH in and update everything:
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install -y curl git build-essential
Install Node.js 22 (OpenClaw requires Node 20+):
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_22.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt install -y nodejs
node --version # Should show v22.xStep 2: Install OpenClaw
Clone the OpenClaw repository and install dependencies:
git clone https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw.git
cd openclaw
npm install
npm run build
The build takes a few minutes. Grab a coffee.
Step 3: Configure OpenClaw
Create a configuration file with your AI model credentials. OpenClaw supports multiple providers:
cp .env.example .env
nano .env
At minimum, add your AI provider API key:
# For OpenAI (most common)
OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-your-key-here
# Or for Anthropic Claude
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-your-key-here
# Or use a local model via Ollama
OLLAMA_BASE_URL=http://localhost:11434Gotcha: Never commit your .env file to git. Add it to .gitignore if it isn’t already.
Step 4: Set Up the Gateway Service
OpenClaw uses a Gateway service for WebSocket communication. Set it up as a systemd service so it runs automatically:
sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/openclaw-gateway.service
Paste this configuration (adjust paths to match your installation):
[Unit]
Description=OpenClaw Gateway
After=network.target
[Service]
Type=simple
User=ubuntu
WorkingDirectory=/home/ubuntu/openclaw
ExecStart=/usr/bin/node gateway/start.js
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=10
Environment=NODE_ENV=production
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.targetEnable and start the service:
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable openclaw-gateway
sudo systemctl start openclaw-gateway
sudo systemctl status openclaw-gateway
Step 5: Add a Reverse Proxy with Nginx
For production use, put Nginx in front of OpenClaw with SSL:
sudo apt install -y nginx certbot python3-certbot-nginxCreate an Nginx configuration:
sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/openclaw
server {
listen 80;
server_name your-domain.com;
location / {
proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:3000;
proxy_http_version 1.1;
proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
proxy_set_header Connection "upgrade";
proxy_set_header Host $host;
proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
}
# WebSocket endpoint
location /ws {
proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:18789;
proxy_http_version 1.1;
proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
proxy_set_header Connection "upgrade";
proxy_read_timeout 86400;
}
}Enable the site and get an SSL certificate:
sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/openclaw /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
sudo nginx -t
sudo systemctl reload nginx
sudo certbot --nginx -d your-domain.comStep 6: Test Your Installation
Visit your domain in a browser. You should see the OpenClaw interface. Try sending a message to verify everything works.
Check the logs if something isn’t working:
sudo journalctl -u openclaw-gateway -f
Troubleshooting Common Issues
WebSocket Connection Failed
Make sure your Nginx config has the upgrade headers for WebSocket connections. Check that port 18789 (or your configured port) is accessible locally.
AI Responses Not Working
Verify your API key is correct in the .env file. Test it independently with a curl request to the provider’s API.
Service Crashes on Startup
Check that Node.js version is 20 or higher. Run npm install again to ensure all dependencies are installed.
Keeping OpenClaw Updated
OpenClaw is actively developed. Update regularly:
cd /home/ubuntu/openclaw
git pull origin main
npm install
npm run build
sudo systemctl restart openclaw-gateway
Next Steps
Now that OpenClaw is running, you can:
- Create custom skills for your workflows
- Connect external tools via the API
- Set up multiple agents for different tasks
- Integrate with your CI/CD pipeline
Why Self-Host OpenClaw?
Self-hosting gives you control. No rate limits, no data leaving your infrastructure, no surprise pricing changes. For Canadian businesses, keeping data within national borders matters for compliance.
With a Cloud VPS from Canadian Web Hosting, you get the infrastructure plus expert support when you need it. Full root access means you can customize everything, and our 24/7 team is here if you run into issues.
Resources
Security lockdown (important)
Do not expose OpenClaw wide open on the public internet. Use a reverse proxy, TLS, and firewall restrictions. Follow our hardening guide: OpenClaw Security Lockdown: Safe Internet Exposure Guide.
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