Getting Started with OpenClaw

Beginner • Updated 2026 • ~12 min read

Welcome! This guide walks you through installing OpenClaw from source and running your first mission. OpenClaw is a C++ project and can be built on Windows, Linux, and macOS with a handful of well-known tools.

1. Prerequisites

Before cloning, make sure you have the following installed:

  • Git — version 2.30 or newer
  • CMake — version 3.16+
  • A C++17 compiler — GCC 9+, Clang 10+, or MSVC 2019/2022
  • SDL2 — for windowing, input, and audio
  • ~500 MB free disk space for the source + build artifacts

Installing on Linux (Debian/Ubuntu)

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y build-essential cmake git libsdl2-dev libsdl2-image-dev \
                    libsdl2-mixer-dev libsdl2-ttf-dev

Installing on macOS (Homebrew)

brew install cmake sdl2 sdl2_image sdl2_mixer sdl2_ttf

Installing on Windows

Install Visual Studio 2022 with the "Desktop development with C++" workload. Then install vcpkg and the required libraries:

git clone https://github.com/microsoft/vcpkg
.\vcpkg\bootstrap-vcpkg.bat
.\vcpkg\vcpkg install sdl2 sdl2-image sdl2-mixer sdl2-ttf:x64-windows
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2. Cloning the Repository

git clone https://github.com/OpenClaw/openclaw.git
cd openclaw
git submodule update --init --recursive
The repository is ~120 MB; the submodules add another ~80 MB for the bundled asset tools and test data.

3. Building

OpenClaw uses CMake with a familiar out-of-tree build layout:

cmake -S . -B build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
cmake --build build -j$(nproc)

The build produces an executable named openclaw inside the build/ directory.

4. Running Your First Mission

OpenClaw needs the original game's data files (or a free replacement set). Point the engine at them with the --data flag:

./build/openclaw --data ./assets/original

If you don't own the original game, the project distributes a community-built "Open Content Pack" with free-licensed art and audio in the repository's assets/sample folder.

5. Frequently Asked Questions

Q: The build fails with "SDL.h not found."

Make sure SDL2 development headers are installed. On Windows/vcpkg, pass -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=[vcpkg root]/scripts/buildsystems/vcpkg.cmake to your first CMake call.

Q: Can I use OpenClaw without owning the original game?

Yes. The Open Content Pack provides free assets. For full original-game compatibility you must own a legal copy.

Q: How do I enable debug logging?

Pass --verbose on the command line, or set the environment variable OPENCLAW_LOG=debug.

Q: Where do I report bugs?

Open an issue on the GitHub repository with the log output and your platform details.

Next Steps

Now that you have OpenClaw running, head to the Advanced Tutorials to learn about map editing, INI scripting, and performance tuning.