Setup7 min read
Best OpenClaw Setup: From Zero to Production in 30 Minutes
The fastest way to get OpenClaw running in production — VPS setup, domain configuration, SSL, and your first deployment.
This guide walks you through the fastest path to a production-ready OpenClaw deployment. Total time: about 30 minutes.
What You Need
- A VPS with Ubuntu 22.04+ (we recommend Hetzner or Contabo)
- A domain name (optional but recommended)
- Basic terminal comfort
Step 1: Choose Your VPS
For a personal project or small SaaS:
- 2 vCPU / 4GB RAM — handles most workloads
- $6-10/month — Hetzner, Contabo, or OrangeHawk
For production with traffic:
- 4 vCPU / 8GB RAM — headroom for spikes
- $20-30/month — still cheaper than managed platforms
Step 2: Install OpenClaw
curl -fsSL https://get.openclaw.dev | sh
That's it. The installer handles Docker, Nginx, and SSL.
Step 3: Configure Domain
Point your domain's A record to your VPS IP. Then:
openclaw domains add yourdomain.com
openclaw ssl setup yourdomain.com
Step 4: Deploy Your First App
openclaw deploy --app my-app
OpenClaw auto-detects your stack and configures the right environment.
What You Get Out of the Box
- HTTPS with auto-renewing Let's Encrypt certs
- Zero-downtime deploys via blue/green swapping
- Automatic health checks and restart on crash
- Log aggregation with
openclaw logs - One-command rollbacks with
openclaw rollback
Optional: Add a Database
openclaw db create postgres mydb
PostgreSQL or SQLite, fully managed on your VPS.