OpenClaw Hackable Install: Build from Source for Full Control

If you like to read source code, contribute patches, or customize your AI assistant before it runs, the hackable install is for you. Instead of using the one-line installer or npm, you clone the OpenClaw GitHub repo, install dependencies with pnpm, build the project, and run it from the repo. You get full control and can tweak prompts, add local skills, or debug the gateway. OpenClaw is written in TypeScript and designed to be "hackable by default"—the community loves it for that. This guide walks you through the exact steps in 2026.

1 Prerequisites: Node.js 22+ and pnpm

You need Node.js 22 (or at least 20) and pnpm. On macOS: brew install node@22 pnpm. On Ubuntu: curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_22.x | sudo -E bash - && sudo apt install -y nodejs then npm install -g pnpm. On Windows, use WSL2 and follow the Linux steps. Verify with node -v and pnpm -v. Git is required for cloning—check with git --version.

2 Clone and Install Dependencies

Clone the official OpenClaw repository:

git clone https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw.git
cd openclaw
pnpm install

The repo is large (TypeScript, UI, plugins, skills). Expect a few minutes for pnpm install. If you hit network issues, a VPN can help. The project uses pnpm workspaces; all packages are installed in one go.

3 Build the Project

Build the CLI and UI:

pnpm ui:build
pnpm build

ui:build compiles the web UI (Canvas, WebChat, etc.). pnpm build builds the main CLI and gateway. If you only need the CLI, pnpm build alone may suffice, but for full UI features run both. After the build, the openclaw binary is available in the repo.

4 Run OpenClaw from the Repo

To run your built version:

pnpm run openclaw onboard

You can also run pnpm run openclaw onboard --install-daemon to install the gateway as a systemd (Linux) or launchd (macOS) service. To link the built CLI globally so you can run openclaw from anywhere:

pnpm link --global

After that, openclaw will use your local build. If you already have OpenClaw installed via npm, the linked version takes precedence.

5 Alternative: Install Script with --install-method git

If you want the installer to handle cloning and building for you (without re-running onboarding):

curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --install-method git --no-onboard

This clones the repo, runs pnpm install and pnpm build, and installs the binary. You skip the onboarding wizard (use --no-onboard) if you already have a config. For a fully manual setup, use the git clone steps above.

Why Hackable?

With the source in hand, you can modify prompts, add custom skills, debug the gateway, or contribute upstream. The OpenClaw community is active on GitHub—pull requests are welcome. When you update, run git pull and pnpm install && pnpm build. If your network blocks GitHub or npm, a VPN with gigabit bandwidth keeps your development workflow smooth.

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FAQ

Do I need to rebuild after every git pull?

Yes. After git pull, run pnpm install (in case dependencies changed) and pnpm build. If you use the daemon, restart it after updating.

Can I use the hackable install alongside the npm install?

Yes. If you run pnpm link --global, the linked repo version takes precedence. To switch back to npm, run pnpm unlink -g openclaw (or the equivalent for your setup).