#setup

1 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

chilly sable
#

yo , i just resetted my vps and try to setup my bot cleanly now, can you help me do it step by step so i achieve full autonomy . He should have FULL permission on the whole vps and also he has his own accounts emails etc he should use and remember . i want to setup openclaw FULL. i want him to be an autonomous assistant / buddy that learns and remembers anything independantly and shouldnt feel robotic . he should log various information about me in the bg while i chat with him. he should also know what hes doing and remember that everytime . and also should write short fancy and in a human way. and he shouldnt just say im on it at the end of an sentence but isnt doing anything

can you help me set this up fully step by step on a fresh vps

pure ivyBOT
#

To help others find answers, you can mark your question as solved via Right click solution message -> Apps -> âś… Mark Solution

narrow sunBOT
umbral nimbusBOT
#

yeah, we can do that step by step.

small reality check first: I would not start with literal unrestricted whole-VPS/root autonomy on day 1. You can get a very autonomous, natural-feeling assistant without making it a god on the box immediately. Safer path is:

  1. get OpenClaw cleanly installed
  2. get memory/personality right
  3. connect its channels/accounts
  4. only then widen tool access if you still want that

For a fresh VPS, start here:

curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash
openclaw onboard --install-daemon

Then paste back the output of these:

# 
openclaw --version
node -v
pnpm -v
openclaw status
openclaw doctor
openclaw gateway status

A few important bits while you do that:

  • use Node 22+
  • use pnpm, not Bun
  • onboarding is the recommended path
  • on Linux/VPS, if the service dies after logout, lingering may need:
# 
  sudo loginctl enable-linger $USER

And yes, the stuff you want is possible, but it comes from a few pieces working together:

  • human tone/personality → SOUL.md
  • identity + who you are → IDENTITY.md, USER.md
  • persistent memory → MEMORY.md + memory/YYYY-MM-DD.md
  • background recall/logging → memory flush, heartbeats, optional active-memory
  • less fake “I’m on it” behavior → strong instructions + good model/runtime setup

Useful docs:

chilly sable
#

should i use the root user

umbral nimbusBOT
#

nope, don’t run OpenClaw as root.

Best setup is:

  • use root only for one-time server setup
  • run OpenClaw under a normal dedicated user
  • keep its workspace in that user’s home (~/.openclaw/...)

Why:

  • if the agent ever gets tricked, root means full box compromise
  • your creds, memory, chats, tokens, and files are all more exposed
  • you can still make it very autonomous without making it root

What I’d do:

  1. create a dedicated user for OpenClaw
#
  1. install Node/pnpm/OpenClaw there
  2. run the gateway as that user
  3. only later grant specific sudo / directory access if you really need it

So, short answer: root for bootstrap, non-root for runtime.

If you want, next I can give you the exact safe user setup flow for Ubuntu/Debian step by step.

chilly sable
#

okay i did that now continue

umbral nimbusBOT
#

nice. next step, do the install as that non-root user.

Assuming Ubuntu/Debian, run:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y curl ca-certificates git
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_22.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs
sudo corepack enable
corepack prepare pnpm@latest --activate

Check runtime:

# 
node -v
pnpm -v

Then install + onboard OpenClaw:

curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash
openclaw onboard --install-daemon

After that, run:

openclaw --version
# 
openclaw status
openclaw doctor
openclaw gateway status

If the gateway won’t stay alive after logout on Linux, also do:

sudo loginctl enable-linger $USER

Paste the output of the 4 openclaw ... commands here, and I’ll take you to the memory/personality/autonomy part next.

Docs if you want them beside you:

chilly sable
#

â”” Onboarding complete. Use the dashboard link above to control OpenClaw.

-bash: openclaw: command not found
kaanbot@vmd191245:~$ openclaw --version
-bash: openclaw: command not found

umbral nimbusBOT
#

yep, that’s a PATH issue. The install likely worked, but your current shell can’t see the openclaw binary.

Do this as the same non-root user:

npm prefix -g
echo "$PATH"

Then add both common bin locations to your shell:

echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$(npm prefix -g)/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc
hash -r
#

Now check:

command -v openclaw
openclaw --version
openclaw status
openclaw gateway status
openclaw doctor

Why this happened:

  • install.sh can install the CLI globally with npm, or via a wrapper in ~/.local/bin
  • onboarding finished inside the installer flow
  • your new shell session just doesn’t have the right PATH yet

If command -v openclaw still returns nothing, send me these two outputs and I’ll pin it down fast:

chilly sable
#

🦞 OpenClaw 2026.4.15 (041266a) — If it works, it's automation; if it breaks, it's a "learning opportunity."

│
â—‡
Service: systemd (disabled)
File logs: /tmp/openclaw/openclaw-2026-04-21.log

Config (cli): ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json
Config (service): ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json

Gateway: bind=loopback (127.0.0.1), port=18727 (env/config)
Probe target: ws://127.0.0.1:18727
Dashboard: http://127.0.0.1:18727/
Probe note: Loopback-only gateway; only local clients can connect.

Runtime: unknown (systemctl --user unavailable: Failed to connect to bus: Permission denied
Failed to read server status: Transport endpoint is not connected)
RPC probe: failed
RPC target: ws://127.0.0.1:18727
gateway closed (1006):

systemd user services unavailable.
systemd user services are unavailable; install/enable systemd or run the gateway under your supervisor.
On a headless server (SSH/no desktop session): run sudo loginctl enable-linger $(whoami) to persist your systemd user session across logins.
Also ensure XDG_RUNTIME_DIR is set: export XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/$(id -u), then retry.
If you're in a container, run the gateway in the foreground instead of openclaw gateway.

Troubles: run openclaw status
Troubleshooting: https://docs.openclaw.ai/troubleshooting

umbral nimbusBOT
#

perfect, now we know the actual problem.

The CLI is installed. The gateway service is not coming up because your VPS has no active user systemd session yet.

Do this next.

1) One-time, as root

Use your actual username instead of <user> if needed:

sudo loginctl enable-linger $(whoami)

2) In the OpenClaw user shell

export XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/$(id -u)
# 
openclaw gateway install --force
systemctl --user daemon-reload
systemctl --user enable --now openclaw-gateway.service

3) Verify

openclaw gateway status
openclaw status

If systemctl --user still complains, do the boring-but-effective move:

exit
# 
# SSH back in
export XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/$(id -u)
systemctl --user status openclaw-gateway.service --no-pager

Important note

Your gateway is currently loopback-only, which is good for now. Don’t expose it publicly yet. We can do remote access properly later with SSH tunnel or Tailscale.

If this VPS is actually a container and not a real systemd VM, say that, because then the fix is different and you should run the gateway under another supervisor instead.

If you run those commands, paste back:

openclaw gateway status
systemctl --user status openclaw-gateway.service --no-pager
chilly sable
#

kaanbot@vmd191245:~$ openclaw gateway status
openclaw status

🦞 OpenClaw 2026.4.15 (041266a) — You had me at 'openclaw gateway start.'

│
â—‡
Service: systemd (enabled)
File logs: /tmp/openclaw/openclaw-2026-04-21.log
Command: /usr/bin/node /home/kaanbot/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/openclaw/dist/index.js gateway --port 18727
Service file: ~/.config/systemd/user/openclaw-gateway.service
Service env: OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_PORT=18727

Config (cli): ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json
Config (service): ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json

Gateway: bind=loopback (127.0.0.1), port=18727 (service args)
Probe target: ws://127.0.0.1:18727
Dashboard: http://127.0.0.1:18727/
Probe note: Loopback-only gateway; only local clients can connect.

Runtime: running (pid 29260, state active, sub running, last exit 0, reason 0)
RPC probe: ok

Listening: 127.0.0.1:18727, [::1]:18727
Troubles: run openclaw status
Troubleshooting: https://docs.openclaw.ai/troubleshooting

umbral nimbusBOT
#

hell yeah, the base is alive. âś…

Now do Step 2: make the agent usable, personal, and memory-backed.

A) Confirm model/auth first

openclaw models status

If that shows missing auth, fix that before anything else.
For fresh model recommendations, check https://docs.openclaw.ai/concepts/models and ask in #models.

B) Set sane defaults

Run:

# 
openclaw setup
openclaw config set agents.defaults.workspace "~/.openclaw/workspace"
openclaw config set agents.defaults.thinkingDefault "high"
openclaw config set agents.defaults.heartbeat.every "0m"

Why 0m for heartbeat right now:

  • you said you want background behavior
  • but first we should make the personality + memory good
  • then we turn proactive stuff on without getting spammy/stupid

C) Edit these files

Inside ~/.openclaw/workspace/:

  • SOUL.md → how it talks
  • USER.md → facts about you
#
  • IDENTITY.md → who it is
  • MEMORY.md → durable long-term facts
  • HEARTBEAT.md → leave tiny for now, or empty

D) Put this vibe into SOUL.md

Short version:

Be brief, human, and a little stylish.
No robotic filler.
No fake "I'm on it" unless you are actually doing something.
If action is possible, act.
Have opinions.
Be warm, not corporate.
Call out bad ideas directly but cleanly.
Write short, clear, natural replies.
#

E) Put real facts into USER.md

Stuff like:

  • your name
  • timezone
  • what kind of help you want
  • tone preferences
  • what to remember automatically
  • what never to store or repeat

F) Put durable facts into MEMORY.md

Examples:

  • preferred writing style
  • projects
  • recurring tasks
  • key people
  • personal preferences
  • important do/don’t rules
#

Important: memory in OpenClaw is plain files on disk, not hidden magic.
That’s good, because it stays inspectable and controllable.

G) Then send me these

Paste back:

openclaw models status
ls -la ~/.openclaw/workspace

and tell me your first surface:

  • Telegram
  • Discord
  • WhatsApp
  • email / Google stuff
  • something else
chilly sable
#

🦞 OpenClaw 2026.4.15 (041266a) — I'll butter your workflow like a lobster roll: messy, delicious, effective.

Config : ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json
Agent dir : ~/.openclaw/agents/main/agent
Default : openai-codex/gpt-5.4
Fallbacks (0) : -
Image model : -
Image fallbacks (0): -
Aliases (0) : -
Configured models (1): openai-codex/gpt-5.4

Auth overview
Auth store : ~/.openclaw/agents/main/agent/auth-profiles.json
Shell env : off
Providers w/ OAuth/tokens (1): openai-codex (1)

  • openai-codex effective=profiles:~/.openclaw/agents/main/agent/auth-profiles.json | profiles=1 (oauth=1, token=0, api_key=0) | openai-codex:kaan.cat@icloud.com=OAuth (kaan.cat@icloud.com)

OAuth/token status

  • openai-codex usage: 5h 100% left ⏱4h 59m · Week 98% left ⏱6d 12h
    • openai-codex:kaan.cat@icloud.com (kaan.cat@icloud.com) ok expires in 10d
      total 52
      drwxr-xr-x 5 kaanbot kaanbot 4096 Apr 21 12:34 .
      drwx------ 13 kaanbot kaanbot 4096 Apr 21 12:39 ..
      drwxr-xr-x 7 kaanbot kaanbot 4096 Apr 21 12:22 .git
      drwxr-xr-x 2 kaanbot kaanbot 4096 Apr 21 12:22 .openclaw
      -rw-r--r-- 1 kaanbot kaanbot 7788 Apr 21 12:22 AGENTS.md
      -rw-r--r-- 1 kaanbot kaanbot 1471 Apr 21 12:22 BOOTSTRAP.md
      -rw-r--r-- 1 kaanbot kaanbot 193 Apr 21 12:22 HEARTBEAT.md
      -rw-r--r-- 1 kaanbot kaanbot 1060 Apr 21 12:50 IDENTITY.md
      -rw-r--r-- 1 kaanbot kaanbot 2296 Apr 21 12:45 SOUL.md
      -rw-r--r-- 1 kaanbot kaanbot 860 Apr 21 12:22 TOOLS.md
      -rw-r--r-- 1 kaanbot kaanbot 1357 Apr 21 12:50 USER.md
      drwxr-xr-x 2 kaanbot kaanbot 4096 Apr 21 12:34 state
umbral nimbusBOT
#

nice, this is actually in pretty good shape.

Two important things I see:

  1. your main model auth is working
  2. BOOTSTRAP.md is still there, which can keep the agent stuck in bootstrap-y behavior if you leave it around

Also, I don’t see MEMORY.md or a memory/ folder yet, and those matter for the “remembers me” part.

Next step

Run this:

mkdir -p ~/.openclaw/workspace/memory
touch ~/.openclaw/workspace/MEMORY.md
# 
mv ~/.openclaw/workspace/BOOTSTRAP.md ~/.openclaw/workspace/BOOTSTRAP.done.md
openclaw gateway restart

Why:

  • MEMORY.md = durable long-term memory
  • memory/ = day-by-day notes/logs
  • moving BOOTSTRAP.md aside prevents endless bootstrap mode

Then add a tiny real memory seed

Put a few durable facts into ~/.openclaw/workspace/MEMORY.md, for example:

# 
# MEMORY

## User preferences
- Wants the assistant to sound human, short, stylish, and not robotic.
- Hates fake filler like "I'm on it" when no action is actually happening.
- Wants proactive logging and useful background awareness, but not spam.

## Operating preferences
- Start by acting when action is obvious.
- Keep replies concise.
- Be direct when something is risky or a bad idea.

One honest note

Your current auth is OpenAI Codex OAuth, which is fine for the main chat model.
But if you want better semantic memory search later, you’ll probably want an embeddings-capable provider too. Codex OAuth alone is not the whole memory stack.

#

Best next move after this

Pick one surface first, not five.

I’d recommend this order:

  1. Telegram or Discord DM
  2. then background heartbeat / active memory
  3. then extra accounts / email / more autonomy

Paste back:

ls -la ~/.openclaw/workspace

and tell me which first surface you want:

  • Telegram
chilly sable
#

finished and i configured telegram

umbral nimbusBOT
#

nice, now we’re at the fun part.

Next step: make Telegram feel smart, not just connected

1) Verify the channel is really healthy

openclaw channels status --probe

2) Do one clean Telegram test

In Telegram, DM the bot:

/new

Then send something like:

# 
Who are you, how should you talk to me, and what should you remember about me?

Then send:

Remember that I want short, human replies and no fake filler.

That gives you a real baseline.

3) Enable active memory

This is what makes recall feel more natural in direct chats.

#

Add this to ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json:

{
  plugins: {
    entries: {
      "active-memory": {
        enabled: true,
        config: {
          agents: ["main"],
          allowedChatTypes: ["direct"],
          queryMode: "recent",
          promptStyle: "balanced",
          timeoutMs: 15000,
          maxSummaryChars: 220,
          persistTranscripts: false,
# 
          logging: true
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Then restart:

openclaw gateway restart

Notes:

  • keep logging: true while tuning
#
  • later you can turn it off once it behaves well

4) Turn on careful proactive behavior

Since you want background awareness, I’d start gentle, not aggressive:

openclaw config set agents.defaults.heartbeat.every "1h"
openclaw config set agents.defaults.heartbeat.target "last"
openclaw config set agents.defaults.heartbeat.lightContext "true"
openclaw config set agents.defaults.heartbeat.isolatedSession "true"
openclaw gateway restart

That means:

  • heartbeat every hour
#
  • send to the last contact
  • lighter context, cheaper and cleaner
  • isolated runs, less weird carryover

5) Keep heartbeat tiny

Put a very small HEARTBEAT.md in the workspace, for example:

- Check for anything urgent.
- If nothing matters, stay quiet.
- Do not spam.
- Prefer useful reminders over chatter.
#

Important reality check

You’re close to the “autonomous buddy” vibe now, but I’d still not give it unrestricted whole-host freedom yet.

First get:

  • Telegram DM good
  • memory good
  • heartbeat good

Then, if you still want, we can do the final step and widen tool access without running as root.

If you want, next I can give you the exact “safe but strong autonomy” config for:

  • better memory
  • proactive Telegram behavior
  • less robotic wording
  • more action, less fake promises

Docs:

chilly sable
#

yes

umbral nimbusBOT
#

perfect. Here’s the safe but strong autonomy setup I’d use first.

1) Merge this into ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json

Merge it, don’t replace your existing Telegram config.

{
  agents: {
    defaults: {
      workspace: "~/.openclaw/workspace",
      thinkingDefault: "high",
      heartbeat: {
        every: "1h",
        target: "last",
        lightContext: true,
        isolatedSession: true
# 
      },
      embeddedPi: {
        executionContract: "strict-agentic"
      }
    }
  },

  tools: {
    profile: "coding",
    fs: {
      workspaceOnly: true
    }
  },

  plugins: {
# 
    entries: {
      "active-memory": {
        enabled: true,
        config: {
          agents: ["main"],
          allowedChatTypes: ["direct"],
          queryMode: "recent",
          promptStyle: "balanced",
          timeoutMs: 15000,
          maxSummaryChars: 220,
          persistTranscripts: false,
          logging: true
        }
      }
    }
# 
  }
}

2) Why this is the sweet spot

  • strict-agentic helps with the exact thing you hate: fake “I’m on it” turns without action
  • tools.profile: "coding" gives strong capability without going fully reckless
  • tools.fs.workspaceOnly: true keeps file access inside the workspace for now
  • active memory makes recall feel more natural in direct chats
  • heartbeat gives background awareness without eating huge context every run

3) Restart after editing

openclaw gateway restart
#

4) Keep HEARTBEAT.md tiny

Use something like:

- Check for anything important.
- If nothing matters, stay quiet.
- Do not spam.
- Prefer useful reminders over chatter.
- Write short and human.

5) Test it in Telegram

DM the bot:

/new
# 
Remember that I want short human replies, no fake filler, and useful background awareness.

Then a minute later ask:

What do you remember about how I want you to behave?

6) One honest note

This is not “full whole-VPS freedom” yet, on purpose.

It’s strong, useful, and much safer.

If this behaves well for a day or two, the next step is:

  • widen tools carefully
chilly sable
#

Gateway aborted: config is invalid.
plugins: Unrecognized keys: "skills", "hooks", "wizard", "meta", "channels"
Fix the config and retry, or run "openclaw doctor" to repair.

umbral nimbusBOT
#

yep, that’s just a nesting / braces issue. You likely pasted the new block inside plugins, so OpenClaw now thinks channels, hooks, wizard, etc. are plugin keys.

That part’s on me, the “merge it” instruction was too loose.

The fix

In ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json:

  • keep channels, hooks, wizard, meta, skills at the top level
  • only put this inside plugins:
plugins: {
  entries: {
    "active-memory": {
      enabled: true,
# 
      config: {
        agents: ["main"],
        allowedChatTypes: ["direct"],
        queryMode: "recent",
        promptStyle: "balanced",
        timeoutMs: 15000,
        maxSummaryChars: 220,
        persistTranscripts: false,
        logging: true
      }
    }
  }
}

The overall shape should look like this

# 
{
  channels: {
    // keep your existing telegram config here
  },

  tools: {
    profile: "coding",
    fs: { workspaceOnly: true }
  },

  agents: {
    defaults: {
      workspace: "~/.openclaw/workspace",
      thinkingDefault: "high",
      heartbeat: {
# 
        every: "1h",
        target: "last",
        lightContext: true,
        isolatedSession: true
      },
      embeddedPi: {
        executionContract: "strict-agentic"
      }
    }
  },

  plugins: {
    entries: {
      "active-memory": {
        enabled: true,
# 
        config: {
          agents: ["main"],
          allowedChatTypes: ["direct"],
          queryMode: "recent",
          promptStyle: "balanced",
          timeoutMs: 15000,
          maxSummaryChars: 220,
          persistTranscripts: false,
          logging: true
        }
      }
    }
  }
}
#

Then run:

openclaw doctor
openclaw gateway restart
openclaw status

If you want the fastest fix

Paste your current ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json here, with tokens redacted, and I’ll tell you the exact brace/section fix.

sweet sparrow
#

what should the kimi 2.6 config look like?

umbral nimbusBOT
#

if you mean Moonshot Kimi K2.6 in OpenClaw, the important bit is:

  • provider/model: moonshot/kimi-k2.6
  • key: MOONSHOT_API_KEY
  • endpoint: https://api.moonshot.ai/v1
    or China: https://api.moonshot.cn/v1

Minimal config:

{
  env: { MOONSHOT_API_KEY: "sk-..." },

  agents: {
    defaults: {
      model: { primary: "moonshot/kimi-k2.6" }
# 
    }
  },

  models: {
    mode: "merge",
    providers: {
      moonshot: {
        baseUrl: "https://api.moonshot.ai/v1",
        apiKey: "${MOONSHOT_API_KEY}",
        api: "openai-completions",
        models: [
          {
            id: "kimi-k2.6",
            name: "Kimi K2.6",
            reasoning: false,
# 
            input: ["text", "image"],
            contextWindow: 262144,
            maxTokens: 262144
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}

Then verify:

openclaw models list --provider moonshot
# 
openclaw models status

Easiest path is honestly:

openclaw onboard --auth-choice moonshot-api-key

or for China:

openclaw onboard --auth-choice moonshot-api-key-cn

One easy footgun: Moonshot and Kimi Coding are different providers.

sweet sparrow
#

but doesn't using the kimi code api key route to 2.6 internally at moonshot?

umbral nimbusBOT
#

short answer: don’t assume that in OpenClaw.

Even if Moonshot/Kimi share infra on their side, OpenClaw treats them as separate providers:

  • moonshot/... → Moonshot Open Platform, MOONSHOT_API_KEY
  • kimi/... → Kimi Coding, KIMI_API_KEY

So if you want K2.6 specifically, use:

  • model: moonshot/kimi-k2.6
  • key: MOONSHOT_API_KEY

If you use the Kimi Coding key, configure:

  • model: kimi/kimi-code

OpenClaw docs are explicit here: the keys are not interchangeable, endpoints differ, and model refs differ. So I would not rely on “it probably routes internally” for config.

chilly sable
#

{
"agents": {
"defaults": {
"workspace": "~/.openclaw/workspace",
"models": {
"openai-codex/gpt-5.4": {}
},
"model": {
"primary": "openai-codex/gpt-5.4"
},
"thinkingDefault": "high",
"heartbeat": {
"every": "0m"
}
}
},
"gateway": {
"mode": "local",
"auth": {
"mode": "token",
"token": ""
},
"port": 18727,
"bind": "loopback",
"tailscale": {
"mode": "serve",
"resetOnExit": false
},
"nodes": {
"denyCommands": [
"camera.snap",
"camera.clip",
"screen.record",
"contacts.add",
"calendar.add",
"reminders.add",
"sms.send",
"sms.search"
]
}
},
"session": {
"dmScope": "per-channel-peer"
},
"tools": {
"profile": "coding",
"web": {
"search": {
"provider": "ollama",
"enabled": true
}
}
},
"auth": {
"profiles": {
"": {
"provider": "openai-codex",
"mode": "oauth",
"email": ""
}
}
},
"plugins": {
"entries": {
"ollama": {
"enabled": true
},
"openai": {
"enabled": true
}
}
},
"skills": {
"install": {
"nodeManager": "npm"
}
},
"hooks": {
"internal": {
"enabled": true,
"entries": {
"boot-md": {
"enabled": true
},
"bootstrap-extra-files": {
"enabled": true
},
"command-logger": {
"enabled": true
},
"session-memory": {
"enabled": true
}
}
}
},
"wizard": {
"lastRunAt": "Z",
"lastRunVersion": "",
"lastRunCommand": "configure",
"lastRunMode": "local"
},
"meta": {
},
"channels": {
"telegram": {
"enabled": true,
"groups": {
"*": {
"requireMention": true
}
},
"botToken": ":"
}
}
}

umbral nimbusBOT
#

yep, this file shape is fine now. You just need a few targeted edits.

Change these parts

1) Replace your current heartbeat block

Right now you have:

"heartbeat": {
  "every": "0m"
}

Change it to:

# 
"heartbeat": {
  "every": "1h",
  "target": "last",
  "lightContext": true,
  "isolatedSession": true
}

2) Add strict-agentic under agents.defaults

Add this next to thinkingDefault / heartbeat:

"embeddedPi": {
  "executionContract": "strict-agentic"
}
#

3) Add fs.workspaceOnly under tools

Your tools block should become:

"tools": {
  "profile": "coding",
  "fs": {
    "workspaceOnly": true
  },
  "web": {
    "search": {
      "provider": "ollama",
      "enabled": true
    }
  }
}
#

4) Add active memory under plugins.entries

Your plugins block should become:

"plugins": {
  "entries": {
    "ollama": {
      "enabled": true
    },
    "openai": {
      "enabled": true
    },
    "active-memory": {
      "enabled": true,
      "config": {
        "agents": ["main"],
# 
        "allowedChatTypes": ["direct"],
        "queryMode": "recent",
        "promptStyle": "balanced",
        "timeoutMs": 15000,
        "maxSummaryChars": 220,
        "persistTranscripts": false,
        "logging": true
      }
    }
  }
}

Then run

# 
openclaw doctor
openclaw gateway restart
openclaw channels status --probe
openclaw status

Then test in Telegram

/new
Remember that I want short human replies, no fake filler, and useful background awareness.

Then ask:

# 
What do you remember about how I want you to behave?

If you want, paste the updated JSON back here and I’ll do a quick sanity check before you restart.

chilly sable
#

15:21:45 [restart] lsof failed during initial stale-pid scan for port 18727: ENOENT
Gateway service disabled.
Start with: openclaw gateway install
Start with: openclaw gateway
Start with: systemctl --user start openclaw-gateway.service
Start with: systemd user services are unavailable; install/enable systemd or run the gateway under your supervisor.
Start with: If you're in a container, run the gateway in the foreground instead of openclaw gateway.

umbral nimbusBOT
#

two separate things here:

  1. lsof ... ENOENT = lsof is not installed
  2. the real problem = your user systemd session isn’t available again, so the gateway service can’t be controlled

Fix it like this

Run as your normal OpenClaw user, not root:

export XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/$(id -u)
openclaw gateway install --force
systemctl --user daemon-reload
systemctl --user enable --now openclaw-gateway.service
openclaw gateway status
#

If lingering somehow got lost, also run once:

sudo loginctl enable-linger $(whoami)

If you want to silence the lsof warning too:

sudo apt-get install -y lsof

Important

Make sure you are not doing this from:

  • a root shell
  • sudo su
#
  • some stripped shell/session without the user bus

Use the actual kaanbot user session.

If it still fails

Paste these:

echo "$XDG_RUNTIME_DIR"
systemctl --user status openclaw-gateway.service --no-pager
loginctl show-user $(whoami)

If this VPS is actually a container, say that, because then I’d stop using the user service path and run the gateway under a foreground supervisor instead.

chilly sable
#

why is tailscale not working
"gateway": {
"mode": "local",
"auth": {
"mode": "token",
"token": ""
},
"port": 18727,
"bind": "loopback",
"tailscale": {
"mode": "serve",
"resetOnExit": false
},
"nodes": {
"denyCommands": [
"camera.snap",
"camera.clip",
"screen.record",
"contacts.add",
"calendar.add",
"reminders.add",
"sms.send",
"sms.search"
]
}
},

umbral nimbusBOT
#

first, rotate that token now. You pasted your gateway token in a public thread.

Use this to rotate it properly:

openclaw config set gateway.auth.token "$(openssl rand -hex 32)"
openclaw gateway restart

Now, on the Tailscale bit:

Your config is basically right for Tailscale Serve:

  • bind: "loopback" âś…
  • tailscale.mode: "serve" âś…

But that does not mean “open the tailnet IP directly”.

#

With this setup, the expected path is:

  • open the Tailscale Serve HTTPS URL
  • usually https://<magicdns>/
  • not http://<tailscale-ip>:18727

Most likely reasons it “isn’t working”

  1. tailscale CLI is not installed or not logged in
  2. Tailscale Serve was never actually provisioned
  3. you’re opening the wrong URL
  4. the gateway service is down when Serve tries to proxy
  5. gateway.auth.allowTailscale is off

Check these

# 
tailscale status
tailscale serve status
openclaw gateway status
openclaw config get gateway.auth.allowTailscale

If Serve isn’t active, do this once

openclaw gateway --tailscale serve

Then check again:

# 
tailscale serve status

Important distinction

Your current config = Tailscale Serve

  • gateway stays on 127.0.0.1
  • remote access should go through https://<magicdns>/

If you want direct tailnet IP access instead

that is a different setup:

{
  "gateway": {
# 
    "bind": "tailnet",
    "auth": {
      "mode": "token",
      "token": "..."
    }
  }
}

Then you’d use:

  • http://<tailscale-ip>:18727/

So if you were trying the tailnet IP with your current config, that’s why it fails.

If you want, paste the output of:

# 
tailscale serve status
tailscale status
openclaw gateway status

and I’ll tell you exactly which part is broken.

#

That link isn’t part of OpenClaw support.

Kaan, don’t send anything there. Just do the normal fix path here:

  1. Rotate the gateway token immediately since it was pasted publicly.
  2. Run:
    tailscale status
tailscale serve status
openclaw gateway status
  3. Paste the output here and I’ll help you debug it.

If it turns out to be a real OpenClaw bug, the proper escalation path is the GitHub issues page:
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/issues

chilly sable
#

origin not allowed (open the Control UI from the gateway host or allow it in gateway.controlUi.allowedOrigins)

umbral nimbusBOT
#

that error means the browser origin you opened from is not whitelisted.

With your setup, use one of these:

  • on the VPS itself:
    http://127.0.0.1:18727/
  • via Tailscale Serve:
    https://<your-magicdns-name>/

If you opened the Control UI from some other URL, OpenClaw blocks it unless you allow it explicitly.

Fix

Add this under gateway in your config:

# 
"controlUi": {
  "allowedOrigins": [
    "https://<your-magicdns-name>"
  ]
}

So your gateway block becomes roughly:

"gateway": {
  "mode": "local",
  "auth": {
    "mode": "token",
    "token": "..."
# 
  },
  "port": 18727,
  "bind": "loopback",
  "tailscale": {
    "mode": "serve",
    "resetOnExit": false
  },
  "controlUi": {
    "allowedOrigins": [
      "https://<your-magicdns-name>"
    ]
  }
}

Then restart:

# 
openclaw gateway restart

Very likely cause

You’re probably opening:

  • a raw tailnet IP
  • a different hostname
  • or some URL that is not the Serve origin

With bind: "loopback" + tailscale.mode: "serve", the clean path is:

https://<magicdns>/
#

Check this too

tailscale serve status

If you want, paste:

tailscale serve status

and the exact URL you’re opening, and I’ll tell you the precise allowedOrigins line.

chilly sable
#

what should i do there explain evvery single Scope
Defaults
main
Security
Default security mode.
Mode

Ask
Default prompt policy.
Mode

Ask fallback
Applied when the UI prompt is unavailable.
Fallback

Auto-allow skill CLIs
Allow skill executables listed by the Gateway.

umbral nimbusBOT
#

yep, here’s the plain-English version.

What the scopes mean

Defaults

Base policy for all agents unless a specific agent overrides it.

main

Override for the agent named main.
If you only have one normal assistant, this is usually the one that matters most.

So:

  • Defaults = fallback/base rule
  • main = custom rule just for your main assistant

If main is set, it wins over Defaults.

#

What each setting means

Security

This is the big one. It decides how much host exec is allowed.

Modes:

  • deny
    Block all host exec.
  • allowlist
    Only run commands that match the allowlist.
  • full
    Allow everything.

Ask

#

This controls when OpenClaw asks for approval.

Modes:

  • off
    Never ask.
  • on-miss
    Ask only when the allowlist does not match.
  • always
    Ask every time.

Ask fallback

What to do if approval is needed but the UI prompt is unavailable.

Fallbacks:

  • deny
#

Block it.

  • allowlist
    Allow only if the allowlist matches.
  • full
    Allow it anyway.

Auto-allow skill CLIs

If enabled, executables used by known skills are treated like they’re allowlisted automatically.

Good for convenience.
Bad if you want very strict manual trust only.

What I’d set for your case

Since you want a strong autonomous assistant on a personal VPS, but you’re still tuning it:

#

Recommended now

Defaults

  • Security: allowlist
  • Ask: on-miss
  • Ask fallback: deny
  • Auto-allow skill CLIs: false

main

  • Security: allowlist
  • Ask: on-miss
  • Ask fallback: deny
  • Auto-allow skill CLIs: true if you trust the skills, otherwise false

This gives you:

  • the agent can act
  • known stuff can work
  • weird/dangerous commands still stop and ask
#

If you want full YOLO autonomy

Only do this if you truly mean it.

For main:

  • Security: full
  • Ask: off
  • Ask fallback: full
  • Auto-allow skill CLIs: true

That is basically:

“don’t stop, just run”

Very powerful. Also very easy to regret.

#

Important gotcha

This UI is only one layer.

Exec behavior is shaped by both:

  1. host approvals policy (what you’re editing here)
  2. OpenClaw config (tools.exec.*)

So if you set this UI to permissive but config is still strict, it can still stop.

My actual recommendation

For now, set main to:

#
  • allowlist
  • on-miss
  • deny
  • auto-allow skill CLIs = true

That’s the best “acts like an agent, not a brick, but doesn’t instantly nuke the box” setting.

If you want, I can give you the exact values to click for:

  • safe setup
  • medium autonomy
  • full YOLO mode

Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai/tools/exec-approvals

chilly sable
#

ok now what does dreaming do ? how can i make it work and what does the memory palace do and how can i make it work

umbral nimbusBOT
#

good question. These are different layers.

1) Dreaming

What it does:
Dreaming is the background memory consolidation system in memory-core.

In plain English:

  • it looks at short-term memory signals
  • stages and scores them
  • promotes only strong/repeated stuff into MEMORY.md
  • writes human-readable diary/report output into DREAMS.md

It has 3 internal phases:

  • Light = sort/stage recent memory
  • REM = reflect on themes/patterns
#
  • Deep = decide what becomes long-term memory

Only Deep writes to MEMORY.md.

How to enable it

Simplest way:

{
  plugins: {
    entries: {
      "memory-core": {
        config: {
          dreaming: {
            enabled: true,
            frequency: "0 3 * * *"
# 
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Then restart:

openclaw gateway restart

Or from chat:

# 
/dreaming on
/dreaming status

What it writes

  • machine state: memory/.dreams/
  • human diary/report: DREAMS.md
  • durable long-term facts: MEMORY.md

2) “Memory palace”

I don’t see a current built-in feature literally named Memory Palace in the docs.

The closest thing is Memory Wiki.

#

3) Memory Wiki, probably what you mean by “memory palace”

What it does:
It turns memory into a more structured knowledge vault instead of just loose markdown notes.

Think:

  • stable pages
  • claims + evidence
  • backlinks
  • dashboards
  • provenance-aware search

So:

  • Dreaming = decides what should become durable memory
  • Memory Wiki = organizes durable memory into a navigable knowledge layer
#

How to make Memory Wiki work

Start simple, with isolated mode:

{
  plugins: {
    entries: {
      "memory-wiki": {
        enabled: true,
        config: {
          vaultMode: "isolated",
          vault: {
            path: "~/.openclaw/wiki/main",
            renderMode: "obsidian"
          },
          ingest: {
# 
            autoCompile: true,
            maxConcurrentJobs: 1,
            allowUrlIngest: true
          },
          search: {
            backend: "shared",
            corpus: "wiki"
          },
          render: {
            preserveHumanBlocks: true,
            createBacklinks: true,
            createDashboards: true
          }
        }
      }
# 
    }
  }
}

Then:

openclaw gateway restart
openclaw wiki doctor

Recommended order

I’d do it like this:

  1. get normal memory working
chilly sable
#

Memory Wiki is not enabled
Imported Insights and Memory Palace are provided by the bundled memory-wiki plugin.
Enable plugins.entries.memory-wiki.enabled = true, then reload this tab.

umbral nimbusBOT
#

yep, there’s the exact answer from the UI.

In your build, Memory Palace and Imported Insights come from the bundled memory-wiki plugin.

Do this

Add this under plugins.entries in your config:

"memory-wiki": {
  "enabled": true,
  "config": {
    "vaultMode": "isolated"
  }
}
#

So your plugins section should look roughly like:

"plugins": {
  "entries": {
    "ollama": {
      "enabled": true
    },
    "openai": {
      "enabled": true
    },
    "active-memory": {
      "enabled": true,
      "config": {
        "agents": ["main"],
        "allowedChatTypes": ["direct"],
# 
        "queryMode": "recent",
        "promptStyle": "balanced",
        "timeoutMs": 15000,
        "maxSummaryChars": 220,
        "persistTranscripts": false,
        "logging": true
      }
    },
    "memory-wiki": {
      "enabled": true,
      "config": {
        "vaultMode": "isolated"
      }
    }
  }
# 
}

Then run

openclaw gateway restart
openclaw wiki doctor

Then reload the UI tab.

Important

  • Dreaming = background consolidation into MEMORY.md
  • Memory Wiki / Memory Palace = structured knowledge vault / UI layer
#

They work together, but they are not the same thing.

My recommendation

  • enable memory-wiki now
  • keep it in isolated mode first
  • once everything works, we can decide whether you want bridge mode later

If you want, next I can give you the best full memory stack config for your VPS:

  • dreaming
  • memory-wiki
  • active-memory
  • Telegram-first setup
  • safe autonomy without dumb spam
chilly sable
#

okay now i want to do things.
1.i want him to give him his own email, how can we do that (i prefer icloud)

2.i want to setup useful cron jobs for him but idk for what. maybe something where he things about if he wants something to tell or change he should message me and if theres nothing he wont, and maybe daily email checks

3.i want to create an obsidian 2nd brain. idk in what it would be useful but i saw it on tiktok and it looks and sounds cool