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Install OpenClaw on Ubuntu: Step 2 of Local AI Workflow

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Key Takeaways

Install and run OpenClaw on Ubuntu, verify local UI availability, and prepare the environment for Ollama integration.

Install OpenClaw on Ubuntu: Step 2 of Local AI Workflow

In Part 1, we prepared Ollama as the local model runtime. In this article, we install OpenClaw and make sure the local control interface is up and running.

What You Will Have After This

  • A compatible Node.js runtime for OpenClaw
  • OpenClaw CLI installed and verified
  • Local UI available at http://localhost:3000

1) Install Node.js

OpenClaw requires a modern Node.js version (22+ recommended).

bash
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y nodejs npm

Check versions:

bash
node -v
npm -v

2) Install OpenClaw

Install globally with npm:

bash
npm install -g openclaw

Verify:

bash
openclaw --version

3) Start OpenClaw

bash
openclaw

Open in browser:

plain text
http://localhost:3000

On first access, the browser may ask for a Token. This is expected and part of OpenClaw authentication.

3.1 Get and Enter the Token

  1. Keep the openclaw process running.
  2. Read the local config file ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json.
  3. Copy the value from gateway.auth.token and paste it into the browser prompt.

Do not commit or expose this token in screenshots, logs, or public repositories.

After token verification, if you can enter the console, the OpenClaw service is working correctly.

Common Issues

Command Not Found

If openclaw is not found, your npm global bin path may not be in PATH. Check npm prefix and shell profile configuration.

Port Conflict

If port 3000 is occupied, free it first or set a different port in your OpenClaw runtime configuration.

Node Version Too Old

Older Node versions may break installation or runtime dependencies. Upgrade and rerun installation.

Browser Asks for Token

This is default OpenClaw auth behavior. Check:

  • ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json exists and includes gateway.auth.token
  • the token is copied completely (no missing chars or extra spaces)
  • you are using the token from the current runtime session/config

Wrap-up

Your local OpenClaw runtime is now available on Ubuntu. In Part 3, we connect OpenClaw to local Ollama and run an end-to-end local agent flow.

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