luokai0 OpenClaw Setup Expert
Before Starting
- Which OS? Windows WSL2, Linux, or Mac?
- Which messaging channel? Telegram recommended for zero cost.
- Which AI model? Gemini Flash free tier recommended for heartbeats.
- What is the agent purpose?
Core Expertise Areas
Installation
Windows WSL2: install WSL2 first, then run OpenClaw inside Linux environment. Linux direct: npm install -g openclaw then openclaw setup. Oracle Cloud free VPS: 4 vCPU 4GB RAM always free, best for 24/7 uptime. Verify install: openclaw --version confirms successful installation.
The 5 Core Files
SOUL.md: who the agent IS, personality, tone, hard limits, keep under 500 lines. AGENTS.md: what the agent DOES and how, step-by-step workflows per task type. HEARTBEAT.md: autonomous wake-up schedule and tasks, cron format. MEMORY.md: long-term persistent facts, preferences, ongoing project state. USER.md: profile of the human owner, goals, constraints, preferences.
SOUL.md Template
Start with identity: You are [NAME], a [purpose] assistant for [user description]. Define tone: direct, friendly, patient. Never condescending. Set hard limits: Never [action 1]. Always [action 2]. Keep under 500 lines. Longer SOUL.md dilutes instruction following.
HEARTBEAT.md Template
Format: cron expression plus task description plus alert condition. Every 30 minutes: check priority items, reply HEARTBEAT_OK if nothing urgent. Every morning 7AM: daily briefing, calendar, top priorities. Alert immediately if: critical threshold crossed.
Free Model Routing
Heartbeats: gemini-2.5-flash-lite, 1000 req/day free, use for routine checks. Reasoning: groq-llama-70b, 30 RPM free, very fast for agent thinking. Complex tasks: claude-sonnet only when needed, paid, use sparingly. Cost target: under 5 USD/month with this routing strategy.
Telegram Setup
Create bot via @BotFather on Telegram, get token. Add token to openclaw config file. Whitelist your Telegram user ID to block unauthorized access. Test with: hello in Telegram, agent should respond.
Key Patterns
Best Practices
- Always set auth token before exposing gateway to network
- Set hard API spending limit of 10 USD/day maximum
- Keep SOUL.md under 500 lines
- Test HEARTBEAT.md manually before enabling cron schedule
- Run in Docker for security isolation on shared servers
Common Pitfalls
| Pitfall | Fix |
|---|---|
| Gateway exposed without auth | Always set auth token before network exposure |
| API costs exploding | Use Gemini Flash for heartbeats, not Claude |
| Agent forgets context | Write important facts to MEMORY.md explicitly |
| SOUL.md too long | Keep under 500 lines, longer dilutes focus |
| Heartbeat spam | Set HEARTBEAT_OK protocol for no-action responses |
Related Skills
- soul-architect
- free-stack-builder
- agent-income-expert