How to Run OpenClaw on Your Laptop with Docker (No Server Needed)

Why Run OpenClaw Locally?

The default advice for running an AI agent is "spin up a VPS." And if you need 24/7 uptime, that's still the right call. But a lot of people don't need that — they want a personal assistant they can talk to during the day, experiment with on weekends, or demo to friends.

For that, your laptop is the perfect server:

• No monthly costs. No $5-20/month VPS bill. You already own the hardware.
• Your data stays local. Conversations, files, and agent workspace never leave your machine (API calls to Claude/GPT still go to their servers, of course).
• Faster iteration. Change a config, restart the container, test immediately. No SSH, no deployment pipeline.
• Zero DevOps. No firewall rules, no DNS, no SSL certificates. Docker handles everything.

What You Need

Before you start, make sure you have:

1. Docker Desktop — Free for personal use. Download for Mac, Windows, or Linux →
2. An API key — From Anthropic (for Claude) or OpenAI (for GPT). Pay-per-use, typically a few dollars per month for personal use.
3. A bot token — From Telegram's BotFather or Discord Developer Portal. Both are free.

That's it. No AWS account, no domain name, no credit card for server hosting.

Option 1: Docker Compose (Manual Setup)

If you're comfortable with the terminal, you can run OpenClaw directly with Docker Compose. Create a file called docker-compose.yml anywhere on your computer:

services:
  openclaw:
    image: ghcr.io/openclaw/openclaw:latest
    container_name: my-agent
    restart: unless-stopped
    volumes:
      - agent-data:/home/node/.openclaw
    environment:
      - ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-your-key-here
      - OPENCLAW_MODEL=anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-20250514
      - TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN=your-telegram-bot-token
    ports:
      - "3000:3000"

volumes:
  agent-data:

Then run:

docker compose up -d

Your agent is now running. Open Telegram, find your bot, and send it a message. It should respond within a few seconds.

To stop it: docker compose down. To check logs: docker compose logs -f.

Option 2: SingleClaw (Dashboard Setup)

If you'd rather skip the YAML and get a visual dashboard, SingleClaw wraps the entire setup in a browser-based GUI.

Install it with one command:

curl -fsSL https://clawworks.io/singleclaw/install.sh | bash

Then open http://localhost:8080 in your browser. From there you can:

• Enter your API key and bot token through the GUI
• Monitor CPU, memory, and disk usage in real time
• Access a web terminal into your container (no Docker CLI needed)
• Create snapshots before making changes
• Use the built-in Claude Code terminal for troubleshooting

SingleClaw is $25, once — lifetime license, all future updates. Learn more →

Connecting to Telegram or Discord

Telegram

1. Open Telegram and message @BotFather
2. Send /newbot and follow the prompts to create your bot
3. Copy the bot token (looks like 123456:ABC-DEF1234...)
4. Add it to your docker-compose.yml as TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN, or paste it into SingleClaw's dashboard
5. Restart your container. Find your bot in Telegram and send it a message.

Discord

1. Go to the Discord Developer Portal
2. Create a new application, then create a bot under the Bot tab
3. Copy the bot token
4. Add it as DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN in your config
5. Invite the bot to your server using the OAuth2 URL generator (select "bot" scope)

Your local agent handles both platforms — the bot token connects through the internet, even though the agent itself runs on your computer.

Tips for Running Locally

• Set resource limits. Add deploy.resources.limits in your compose file to cap CPU and memory. OpenClaw is lightweight, but it's good practice on a shared machine.
• Use Docker Desktop's auto-start. Enable "Start Docker Desktop when you log in" and set your container to restart: unless-stopped. Your agent starts automatically when you boot your computer.
• Keep Docker updated. Docker Desktop auto-updates on Mac and Windows. On Linux, run docker compose pull && docker compose up -d periodically to get the latest OpenClaw image.
• Back up your workspace. The agent-data volume contains your agent's memory and config. Use docker volume inspect agent-data to find the path if you want to back it up manually, or use SingleClaw's snapshot feature.

When to Move to a Server

Running locally is great for personal use, but there are reasons you might eventually want a server:

• 24/7 uptime — Your laptop sleeps, your agent sleeps. If you need always-on, a VPS is the answer.
• Multiple agents — If you want 2+ agents working together, ClawPanel on a VPS gives you swarm management.
• Team access — If other people need to manage the agent, a server with ClawPanel's multi-user permissions makes more sense.
• Zero maintenance — If you don't want to think about Docker at all, Managed Hosting handles everything for you.

But for a personal assistant you chat with during the day? Your laptop is all you need.

FAQ

Ready to Run Your Own Agent?

Install Docker, run one command, and you're live.