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Ricards Taujenis
Ricards Taujenis

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OpenClaw AI Agent on Raspberry Pi

#openclaw #raspberrypi #ai #agents

OpenClaw is an open-source personal AI assistant that runs locally on hardware like a Raspberry Pi, keeping your data private and under your control. If you enjoy self-hosting and experimenting with AI agents, this setup is surprisingly straightforward.

Related video you can find bellow 👇

https://youtu.be/GO5WVQ-lds8

Raspberry Pi Prep

SSH into your Pi and update the system for stability:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
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Install Node.js 22+ if missing (required for OpenClaw), plus Python for potential dependencies:

sudo apt install nodejs npm python3 python3-pip -y
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Run the one-liner installer, which handles Node detection and onboarding:

curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash
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Post-install, check setup:

openclaw doctor
openclaw status
openclaw dashboard
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OpenClaw Overview

In a nutshell it acts as a 24/7 AI agent with persistent memory. 

It integrated with apps like Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord etc. You can choose from multiple LLM providers depending on your needs and setup.

Onboarding process

After installation, launch the guided wizard:

openclaw onboard
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Process Breakdown

  • Step 1: LLM Selection-- Prompts for model (e.g., Gemini), then API key entry.​
  • Step 2: Channel Setup-- Picks interface like Telegram; inputs bot token from @botfather.​
  • Step 3: Provider Link-- Links accounts (Google for Gemini, GitHub, etc.) for skills/tools.​

Telegram Setup

  1. Message @botfather on Telegram.
  2. Send /newbot.
  3. Name your bot (e.g., MyOpenClawBot).
  4. Copy the API token provided by BotFather.

Approve pairing

  1. In Telegram, search for your new bot.
  2. Send /start (or any message) to generate a pairing code.
  3. On your Pi, run: 
openclaw pairing approve telegram [pairing-code]
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You can now test by messaging the bot - responses should sync via your selected LLM across both the dashboard and Telegram.

Final Thoughts

OpenClaw is still very new and evolving quickly. Some users are already running it on devices like the Mac mini. I'll continue testing it on my Mac and plan to link Google Calendar, Mail, and Drive to explore its full potential.

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