OpenClaw Setup Wizard

Interactive configuration assistant that guides users through OpenClaw setup — from .clawdconfig creation to agent configuration and skill installation. Zero-to-running in minutes.

What it does

• Detects current environment (OS, shell, existing config)
• Walks through .clawdconfig creation with sensible defaults
• Configures agents (identities, schedules, permissions)
• Installs and validates skills from ClawHub
• Runs post-setup health checks
• Generates a setup report with next steps

Setup

1. Install Node.js:

brew install node

2. Install dependencies:

cd {baseDir} && npm install

3. No API keys required for setup wizard itself. (Individual skills may require their own API keys — the wizard will guide you through those.)

Usage

Full interactive wizard

node {baseDir}/scripts/wizard.js

Quick setup with defaults

node {baseDir}/scripts/wizard.js --quick

Config-only mode (generate .clawdconfig without installing)

node {baseDir}/scripts/wizard.js --config-only --output ~/.clawdconfig

Add agents to existing config

node {baseDir}/scripts/wizard.js --add-agents --config ~/.clawdconfig

Install skills from ClawHub

node {baseDir}/scripts/wizard.js --install-skills --skills "lead-gen-pipeline,content-repurpose"

Validate existing setup

node {baseDir}/scripts/wizard.js --validate --config ~/.clawdconfig

Wizard Steps

Step 1: Environment Detection

• OS and shell detection
• Check for existing .clawdconfig
• Detect installed tools (node, git, docker, etc.)
• Check for existing OpenClaw installation

Step 2: Core Configuration

• Project name and description
• Working directory
• Default model preferences
• API key validation (checks env vars)

Step 3: Agent Setup

• Select agent templates (Research, Growth, Dev, etc.)
• Configure agent identities and roles
• Set schedules and triggers
• Define permissions and boundaries

Step 4: Skill Installation

• Browse available ClawHub skills
• Install selected skills with dependencies
• Configure skill-specific settings
• Validate skill health

Step 5: Health Check & Report

• Verify all configuration is valid
• Test agent connectivity
• Confirm skill installations
• Generate setup report with next steps

Output

After running the wizard:

~/.clawdconfig                    # Main configuration file
~/.openclaw/
├── agents/                       # Agent configurations
│   ├── research.json
│   ├── growth.json
│   └── dev.json
├── skills/                       # Installed skills
│   ├── lead-gen-pipeline/
│   └── content-repurpose/
└── setup-report.json             # Wizard run results

Configuration Templates

Solo Developer

• 2 agents (Research + Dev)
• 3 skills (setup wizard, github manager, video analyzer)
• Minimal scheduling

Small Team

• 4 agents (Research, Growth, Dev, Review)
• 5 skills (full productivity suite)
• Daily heartbeats and weekly reviews

Agency / Multi-Client

• 6+ agents (full agent roster)
• All skills + client-specific configs
• Automated scheduling and reporting

Security Notes

• NO CREDENTIALS IN CONFIG: Wizard validates env vars exist but never writes them to files
• PERMISSION BOUNDARIES: Each agent gets explicit permission scopes
• READ-BEFORE-WRITE: Wizard shows all changes before applying them
• BACKUP FIRST: Existing configs backed up to .clawdconfig.bak before overwrite
• VALIDATE MODE: Use --validate to check setup without modifying anything

Troubleshooting

Wizard can't detect OpenClaw:

• Ensure OpenClaw CLI is installed and in PATH
• Run which openclaw to verify

Config validation fails:

• Check all required env vars are set
• Run node wizard.js --validate for detailed error messages

Skill installation fails:

• Ensure npm/node are up to date: brew upgrade node
• Check network connectivity to ClawHub registry
• Try --skip-skills and install manually later