Spaces:
Paused
Paused
File size: 4,878 Bytes
caea1dc | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 | ---
summary: "How the installer scripts work (install.sh + install-cli.sh), flags, and automation"
read_when:
- You want to understand `openclaw.ai/install.sh`
- You want to automate installs (CI / headless)
- You want to install from a GitHub checkout
title: "Installer Internals"
---
# Installer internals
OpenClaw ships two installer scripts (served from `openclaw.ai`):
- `https://openclaw.ai/install.sh` — “recommended” installer (global npm install by default; can also install from a GitHub checkout)
- `https://openclaw.ai/install-cli.sh` — non-root-friendly CLI installer (installs into a prefix with its own Node)
- `https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1` — Windows PowerShell installer (npm by default; optional git install)
To see the current flags/behavior, run:
```bash
curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash -s -- --help
```
Windows (PowerShell) help:
```powershell
& ([scriptblock]::Create((iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1))) -?
```
If the installer completes but `openclaw` is not found in a new terminal, it’s usually a Node/npm PATH issue. See: [Install](/install#nodejs--npm-path-sanity).
## install.sh (recommended)
What it does (high level):
- Detect OS (macOS / Linux / WSL).
- Ensure Node.js **22+** (macOS via Homebrew; Linux via NodeSource).
- Choose install method:
- `npm` (default): `npm install -g openclaw@latest`
- `git`: clone/build a source checkout and install a wrapper script
- On Linux: avoid global npm permission errors by switching npm's prefix to `~/.npm-global` when needed.
- If upgrading an existing install: runs `openclaw doctor --non-interactive` (best effort).
- For git installs: runs `openclaw doctor --non-interactive` after install/update (best effort).
- Mitigates `sharp` native install gotchas by defaulting `SHARP_IGNORE_GLOBAL_LIBVIPS=1` (avoids building against system libvips).
If you _want_ `sharp` to link against a globally-installed libvips (or you’re debugging), set:
```bash
SHARP_IGNORE_GLOBAL_LIBVIPS=0 curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash
```
### Discoverability / “git install” prompt
If you run the installer while **already inside a OpenClaw source checkout** (detected via `package.json` + `pnpm-workspace.yaml`), it prompts:
- update and use this checkout (`git`)
- or migrate to the global npm install (`npm`)
In non-interactive contexts (no TTY / `--no-prompt`), you must pass `--install-method git|npm` (or set `OPENCLAW_INSTALL_METHOD`), otherwise the script exits with code `2`.
### Why Git is needed
Git is required for the `--install-method git` path (clone / pull).
For `npm` installs, Git is _usually_ not required, but some environments still end up needing it (e.g. when a package or dependency is fetched via a git URL). The installer currently ensures Git is present to avoid `spawn git ENOENT` surprises on fresh distros.
### Why npm hits `EACCES` on fresh Linux
On some Linux setups (especially after installing Node via the system package manager or NodeSource), npm's global prefix points at a root-owned location. Then `npm install -g ...` fails with `EACCES` / `mkdir` permission errors.
`install.sh` mitigates this by switching the prefix to:
- `~/.npm-global` (and adding it to `PATH` in `~/.bashrc` / `~/.zshrc` when present)
## install-cli.sh (non-root CLI installer)
This script installs `openclaw` into a prefix (default: `~/.openclaw`) and also installs a dedicated Node runtime under that prefix, so it can work on machines where you don’t want to touch the system Node/npm.
Help:
```bash
curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install-cli.sh | bash -s -- --help
```
## install.ps1 (Windows PowerShell)
What it does (high level):
- Ensure Node.js **22+** (winget/Chocolatey/Scoop or manual).
- Choose install method:
- `npm` (default): `npm install -g openclaw@latest`
- `git`: clone/build a source checkout and install a wrapper script
- Runs `openclaw doctor --non-interactive` on upgrades and git installs (best effort).
Examples:
```powershell
iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex
```
```powershell
iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex -InstallMethod git
```
```powershell
iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex -InstallMethod git -GitDir "C:\\openclaw"
```
Environment variables:
- `OPENCLAW_INSTALL_METHOD=git|npm`
- `OPENCLAW_GIT_DIR=...`
Git requirement:
If you choose `-InstallMethod git` and Git is missing, the installer will print the
Git for Windows link (`https://git-scm.com/download/win`) and exit.
Common Windows issues:
- **npm error spawn git / ENOENT**: install Git for Windows and reopen PowerShell, then rerun the installer.
- **"openclaw" is not recognized**: your npm global bin folder is not on PATH. Most systems use
`%AppData%\\npm`. You can also run `npm config get prefix` and add `\\bin` to PATH, then reopen PowerShell.
|