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OpenClaw provides a command-line interface for configuration and service management. After installation, the openclaw command is available globally in your Termux environment.

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Initial Setup Command

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openclaw onboard

Run the interactive onboarding process to configure OpenClaw for first use: 
openclaw onboard
This command guides you through:
  • API key configuration
  • Model selection
  • Feature preferences
  • Initial setup verification
Critical: When the onboarding process asks if you want to install a “Daemon” or “System Service”, select NO or SKIP.The installation script has already set up the service using a method compatible with Android (runit via termux-services). Android does not support systemd, so the built-in daemon installer will not work.

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Post-Onboarding Steps

After completing openclaw onboard, run these commands: 
# Reload environment variables
source ~/.bashrc

# Start the service
sv up openclaw

# Enable wake lock to keep service alive
termux-wake-lock

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Service Command

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openclaw gateway

Starts the OpenClaw gateway server. This is the main service process: 
openclaw gateway
You typically don’t run this command directly. The background service (managed by runit) runs this automatically when you use sv up openclaw.The service run script executes: exec openclaw gateway 2>&1

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When to Run Manually

You might run openclaw gateway directly for:
  • Testing configuration changes interactively
  • Debugging issues with verbose output
  • Development or troubleshooting
To stop manual execution, press Ctrl+C.

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Environment Variables

OpenClaw relies on specific environment variables set during installation:

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TMPDIR, TMP, TEMP

These must point to Termux-accessible directories: 
export TMPDIR="$PREFIX/tmp"
export TMP="$PREFIX/tmp"
export TEMP="$PREFIX/tmp"
These are automatically configured in ~/.bashrc during installation. If commands fail with “Permission Denied” errors, verify these variables:
echo $TMPDIR
# Should output: /data/data/com.termux/files/usr/tmp

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PATH

Ensures the openclaw and node binaries are accessible: 
export PATH=$PREFIX/bin:$PATH
This is also set automatically during installation.

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SVDIR

Defines the runit service directory: 
export SVDIR="$PREFIX/var/service"
Required for sv commands to locate and manage the OpenClaw service.

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Command Options and Flags

While OpenClaw supports various command-line options, most configuration is handled through:
  • The openclaw onboard interactive wizard
  • Configuration files created during onboarding
  • The web UI (accessible at http://localhost:18789)
For a complete list of available commands and options, run:
openclaw --help
Or check help for a specific command:
openclaw gateway --help
openclaw onboard --help

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Updating OpenClaw

To update to the latest version, use the provided update script: 
cd ~/openclaw-android-setup
./update_claw.sh
This script:
  1. Stops the service gracefully
  2. Updates OpenClaw via npm: npm install -g openclaw@latest
  3. Re-applies critical path patches (required for Android compatibility)
  4. Restarts the service
Do not update using npm install -g openclaw@latest directly without re-applying patches. The update will break the installation because OpenClaw has hardcoded /tmp paths that don’t work on Android.Always use update_claw.sh to preserve Android-specific modifications.

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Troubleshooting Commands

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Check Installation

Verify OpenClaw is installed and accessible: 
which openclaw
# Should output: /data/data/com.termux/files/usr/bin/openclaw

openclaw --version

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Verify Environment

Check that all required environment variables are set: 
env | grep -E '(TMPDIR|PATH|SVDIR)'

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Service Status

Confirm the service is running: 
sv status openclaw

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View Logs

Check for errors or startup messages: 
tail -f $PREFIX/var/log/openclaw/current