OpenClaw Configuration – Explained Simply

OpenClaw is configured through a combination of config files, CLI wizards, and a control UI. Under the hood, it keeps your settings in an openclaw.json file and a handful of directories that store agents, skills, and plugins. That's powerful—but it also means editing JSON, environment variables, and keeping your install healthy over time.

How OpenClaw configuration works

By default, OpenClaw stores its main configuration in ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json. You can create or update this file in a few ways:

• Running the onboarding wizard with openclaw onboard or openclaw configure.
• Using CLI helpers like openclaw config get, config set, and config unset to tweak values.
• Editing openclaw.json directly in a text editor, then letting the Gateway reload it or using the Control UI.

The config file controls which AI models you use, how your agents behave, which channels (Telegram, Slack, Discord, WhatsApp, etc.) are enabled, and where OpenClaw stores memory and skills on disk.

Common OpenClaw configuration pain points

• Knowing where the config actually lives and which settings matter for your use case.
• Managing API keys and channel tokens safely in environment variables.
• Setting up models, fallbacks, and per-agent behavior without breaking the JSON or restarting constantly.
• Debugging errors from commands like openclaw doctor or failed startups when the config is invalid.

How ConfigClaw handles OpenClaw configuration for you

ConfigClaw is built for people who want OpenClaw-level power without living in config files. We sit on top of the standard OpenClaw configuration system and handle the hard parts:

• A visual dashboard instead of editing openclaw.json by hand.
• Pick and combine models like Claude Opus, GPT-4o, Gemini, and Kimi from a simple menu—no manual JSON for providers, endpoints, or parameters.
• Guided forms for channels like Telegram, Slack, Discord, and WhatsApp so you never touch token fields in a raw config file.
• Built-in validation so you see configuration issues in the UI instead of at startup.

Manual config vs. ConfigClaw: a quick example

Suppose you want one OpenClaw AI agent that can answer emails and Slack messages using Claude Opus, with a friendly persona and memory. Manually, you'd edit openclaw.json, wire up providers and channels, set model parameters, and hope you don't typo a key. With ConfigClaw, you:

• Create your agent from the dashboard and choose \"Email & Slack assistant\" as a template.
• Pick Claude Opus (or Auto mode) from a dropdown.
• Toggle on Slack and email integrations and paste tokens into guided fields.
• Hit deploy—ConfigClaw writes and validates the underlying OpenClaw configuration for you.

Where to go next

If you want to understand OpenClaw itself in more detail, start with our OpenClaw AI overview and OpenClaw AI agent guide. If you're ready to skip config and go straight to launch, head over to the OpenClaw setup page or join the waitlist below.