Self-hosted means you run OpenClaw directly on your own VPS or machine. You only pay for AI model usage through your LemonData balance — no instance fees.
Quick Install Linux / macOS
Non-interactive
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hedging8563/lemondata-openclaw/main/install.sh | bash
The installer will prompt you for your LemonData API Key . Get one from your Dashboard .
What Gets Installed
Node.js 22+
Automatically installed if missing (via NodeSource on Linux, Homebrew on macOS)
OpenClaw
Official OpenClaw package from npm, pre-configured with LemonData API
15 AI Models
Claude, GPT-5, Gemini, DeepSeek, and more — ready to use
IM Plugins
DingTalk, WeCom, and QQ plugins pre-installed
System Service
Auto-starts on boot (systemd on Linux, launchd on macOS)
Requirements Requirement Details OS Linux (Ubuntu/Debian/CentOS/RHEL) or macOS Architecture x64 or arm64 RAM 1 GB minimum, 2 GB recommended API Key Get one here
After Installation The installer outputs your access credentials:
✓ OpenClaw installed successfully! WebUI: http://your-ip:18789 Token: your-gateway-token Auto-login: http://your-ip:18789?token=your-gateway-token Model: claude-sonnet-4-6
Save your token! You need it to access the WebUI and connect messaging platforms.
Access the WebUI at http://your-ip:18789 with your token, then follow the platform-specific guides:
Management Commands systemctl --user status openclaw # Check status journalctl --user -u openclaw -f # View logs systemctl --user restart openclaw # Restart systemctl --user stop openclaw # Stop
tail -f ~/.openclaw/openclaw.log # View logs launchctl stop cc.lemondata.openclaw && launchctl start cc.lemondata.openclaw # Restart launchctl stop cc.lemondata.openclaw # Stop
Configuration Config file location: ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json
After editing, restart the service to apply changes.
Change Default Model { "agents" : { "defaults" : { "model" : { "primary" : "lemondata-claude/claude-opus-4-6" } } } }
Available model prefixes:
lemondata-claude/ — Claude models (anthropic-messages API)lemondata-minimax/ — MiniMax models (anthropic-messages API)lemondata/ — All other models (openai-completions API)
Upgrade npm update -g openclaw # Then restart the service systemctl --user restart openclaw # Linux # or launchctl stop cc.lemondata.openclaw && launchctl start cc.lemondata.openclaw # macOS
Uninstall # Stop and disable service systemctl --user stop openclaw && systemctl --user disable openclaw # Linux launchctl unload ~/Library/LaunchAgents/cc.lemondata.openclaw.plist # macOS # Remove OpenClaw npm uninstall -g openclaw rm -rf ~/.openclaw
Self-Hosted vs Managed Self-Hosted Managed (Claw) Instance cost Free $20 / 30 days AI usage Pay-per-use Pay-per-use Infrastructure Your server We manage everything Updates Manual (npm update) Automatic Support Community Priority
