OpenClaw — Personal AI Assistant Gateway
OpenClaw is an open-source personal AI assistant platform with a unified gateway, skill system, and rich plugin ecosystem. This cheatsheet helps you quickly master core operations.
Basic Operations {#basic}
### View help
``bash
openclaw --help
`
### Check version
`bash
openclaw --version
`
### Initial configuration
`bash
openclaw onboard
`
### Launch web dashboard
`bash
openclaw dashboard
`
### System health check
`bash
openclaw doctor
`
### Check for updates
`bash
openclaw update
`
Gateway Management {#gateway}
### Start gateway service
`bash
openclaw gateway run
`
### Start gateway (background)
`bash
openclaw gateway start
`
### Stop gateway
`bash
openclaw gateway stop
`
### Restart gateway
`bash
openclaw gateway restart
`
### Check gateway status
`bash
openclaw gateway status
`
### Install gateway service (systemd)
`bash
openclaw gateway install
`
### View gateway logs
`bash
openclaw gateway logs
`
Configuration Management {#configuration}
### View current config
`bash
openclaw config show
`
### Edit config file
`bash
openclaw config edit
`
### Set config key
`bash
openclaw config set
`
### Reset configuration
`bash
openclaw config reset
`
### Config file path
`bash
# Linux: ~/.config/openclaw/config.yaml
# macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/openclaw/config.yaml
# Override with OPENCLAW_CONFIG environment variable
`
Skill Management {#skills}
### List installed skills
`bash
openclaw skills list
`
### Install a skill
`bash
openclaw skills install
`
### Install a specific version
`bash
openclaw skills install @
`
### Uninstall a skill
`bash
openclaw skills uninstall
`
### Enable a skill
`bash
openclaw skills enable
`
### Disable a skill
`bash
openclaw skills disable
`
### Install skill from local file
`bash
openclaw skills install ./path/to/skill.zip
`
### Search for skills
`bash
openclaw skills search
`
### View skill details
`bash
openclaw skills info
`
Plugin Management {#plugins}
### List plugins
`bash
openclaw plugins list
`
### Install a plugin
`bash
openclaw plugins install
`
### Uninstall a plugin
`bash
openclaw plugins uninstall
`
Docker Deployment {#docker}
### Start with Docker Compose
`bash
docker-compose up -d
`
### Stop with Docker Compose
`bash
docker-compose down
`
### Check container status
`bash
docker-compose ps
`
### Pull latest images
`bash
docker-compose pull
`
### View container logs
`bash
docker-compose logs -f
`
### Start with custom config
`bash
docker run -d \
--name openclaw \
-p 8080:8080 \
-v $(pwd)/config.yaml:/app/config.yaml \
openclaw/openclaw:latest
``
Basic Operations(9)
| Command | Level | ||
|---|---|---|---|
openclaw --helpView help information | Basic | openclaw --help | |
openclaw --versionCheck installed version | Basic | openclaw --version | |
openclaw onboardInitial configuration wizard | Basic | openclaw onboard | |
openclaw dashboardLaunch web management dashboard | Basic | openclaw dashboard | |
openclaw doctorSystem health check | Intermediate | openclaw doctor | |
openclaw updateCheck and install updates | Intermediate | openclaw update | |
docker-compose up -dStart OpenClaw with Docker Compose | Intermediate | docker-compose up -d | |
docker-compose downStop OpenClaw with Docker Compose | Intermediate | docker-compose down | |
docker run -d --name openclaw -p 8080:8080 openclaw/openclaw:latestRun OpenClaw via Docker | Intermediate | docker run -d --name openclaw -p 8080:8080 -v $(pwd)/config.yaml:/app/config.yaml openclaw/openclaw:latest |
Gateway Management(7)
| Command | Level | ||
|---|---|---|---|
openclaw gateway runStart gateway service (foreground) | Basic | openclaw gateway run | |
openclaw gateway startStart gateway service (background) | Intermediate | openclaw gateway start | |
openclaw gateway stopStop gateway service | Intermediate | openclaw gateway stop | |
openclaw gateway restartRestart gateway service | Intermediate | openclaw gateway restart | |
openclaw gateway statusCheck gateway running status | Intermediate | openclaw gateway status | |
openclaw gateway installInstall as systemd service | Expert | openclaw gateway install | |
openclaw gateway logsView gateway logs | Intermediate | openclaw gateway logs |
Configuration Management(4)
| Command | Level | ||
|---|---|---|---|
openclaw config showView current configuration | Basic | openclaw config show | |
openclaw config editEdit configuration file | Intermediate | openclaw config edit | |
openclaw config set <key> <value>Set a configuration key | Intermediate | openclaw config set log.level debug | |
openclaw config resetReset configuration to defaults | Expert | openclaw config reset |
Skills & Plugins(12)
| Command | Level | ||
|---|---|---|---|
openclaw skills listList installed skills | Basic | openclaw skills list | |
openclaw skills install <skill-name>Install a skill | Basic | openclaw skills install web-scraper | |
openclaw skills install <skill>@<version>Install a specific skill version | Intermediate | openclaw skills install web-scraper@1.2.0 | |
openclaw skills uninstall <skill-name>Uninstall a skill | Basic | openclaw skills uninstall web-scraper | |
openclaw skills enable <skill-name>Enable a skill | Intermediate | openclaw skills enable web-scraper | |
openclaw skills disable <skill-name>Disable a skill | Intermediate | openclaw skills disable web-scraper | |
openclaw skills install ./path/to/skill.zipInstall skill from local file | Expert | openclaw skills install ./skills/my-skill.zip | |
openclaw skills search <query>Search available skills | Basic | openclaw skills search database | |
openclaw skills info <skill-name>View skill details | Basic | openclaw skills info web-scraper | |
openclaw plugins listList installed plugins | Intermediate | openclaw plugins list | |
openclaw plugins install <plugin-name>Install a plugin | Intermediate | openclaw plugins install auth-ldap | |
openclaw plugins uninstall <plugin-name>Uninstall a plugin | Intermediate | openclaw plugins uninstall auth-ldap |