OpenClaw on Linux
Full support on Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, and Arch. Linux is ideal for running OpenClaw as a 24/7 always-on server — on a VPS, home server, or Raspberry Pi.
Install on Ubuntu / Debian
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_20.x | sudo -E bash - sudo apt install -y nodejs
sudo npm install -g openclaw
openclaw init openclaw gateway start
Run as a systemd service
Keep OpenClaw running after reboot and terminal close. Replace YOUR_USERNAME with your Linux user.
[Unit] Description=OpenClaw AI Agent After=network.target [Service] Type=simple User=YOUR_USERNAME ExecStart=/usr/bin/openclaw gateway start Restart=on-failure RestartSec=10 Environment=HOME=/home/YOUR_USERNAME [Install] WantedBy=multi-user.target
sudo systemctl enable openclaw sudo systemctl start openclaw sudo systemctl status openclaw
Supported distros
Best supported. Most tutorials assume Ubuntu. Recommended for beginners.
Stable, minimal, excellent for servers. Ideal for VPS deployments.
Works great. Use dnf instead of apt. Node.js available via dnf.
Full support. Install via pacman. Rolling release means always latest Node.js.
Works on Pi 4/5. See the Raspberry Pi guide for specific setup.
Works but apk package manager differs. Good for Docker containers.
Linux FAQ
Does OpenClaw work on Linux?
Yes, fully. OpenClaw is Node.js-based and runs on any Linux distribution with Node.js 18+. Ubuntu and Debian are the most tested, but Fedora, Arch, and others work equally well. Linux is actually ideal for running OpenClaw as a 24/7 server.
Which Linux distro is best for OpenClaw?
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS for beginners — most documentation assumes it. Debian 12 for production servers — minimal, stable, efficient. Both work identically for OpenClaw. Avoid Ubuntu 18.04 or older; Node.js 20+ is required.
How do I keep OpenClaw running after I close the terminal?
Two options: PM2 (npm install -g pm2 && pm2 start 'openclaw gateway start' --name openclaw) or systemd service (see the service file above). PM2 is easier to set up. systemd is better for production servers.
Can I run OpenClaw on a Linux VPS?
Yes, and it's a great setup. A $4–6/month Hetzner or DigitalOcean VPS running Ubuntu is one of the most popular OpenClaw deployments. Always on, accessible from anywhere, no hardware to maintain. See the VPS guide for full setup.
Does OpenClaw use a lot of resources on Linux?
Minimal. Idle OpenClaw uses ~50–100MB RAM and near-zero CPU. During active AI calls, CPU spikes briefly for request handling but the heavy lifting is done by the AI provider's API. A $6/month VPS handles it comfortably.
Does Linux OpenClaw support all the same skills as Mac?
Almost all. The only missing integrations are macOS-specific: Apple Notes, Reminders, Calendar, iMessage, and Contacts. Everything else — Telegram, WhatsApp, cron jobs, web skills, file operations, local AI models — works identically on Linux.