How to Install OpenClaw with Docker and Coolify — Complete Guide

Coolify is an open-source self-hosting platform that automates deployments on your own server. Combined with OpenClaw, you get a powerful AI assistant that's easy to manage. Here's how to set everything up.

What You Need

• A Linux server (Ubuntu 22.04+ recommended)
• At least 4 GB RAM
• A domain or subdomain pointed to your server
• Basic familiarity with command line

Step 1 — Install Coolify on Your Server

SSH into your server and run the Coolify installer:

curl -fsSL https://cdn.coollabs.io/coolify/install.sh | bash

This will install Coolify and all its dependencies (Docker, Traefik, etc.). The process takes 5-10 minutes.

Once done, you'll see:

Coolify UI: https://your-server-ip:8000
Username: admin
Password: (randomly generated — check the output above)

Write down the password and access the UI at https://your-server-ip:8000.

Step 2 — Configure Coolify

On first login, you'll be asked to configure your server's public IP and SSL certificates. Follow the setup wizard — Coolify will automatically provision SSL via Let's Encrypt.

Step 3 — Add Your Server to Coolify

If this is your first time, add your current server as a Coolify-managed server:

1. Go to **Servers** → **Add Server**
2. Copy the installation command provided
3. Paste it on your server via SSH
4. Coolify will automatically detect Docker and configure the connection

Step 4 — Deploy OpenClaw via Docker Compose in Coolify

In Coolify, go to Applications → Create New:

1. Select **Docker Compose** as the source
2. Give it a name (e.g. "openclaw")
3. Paste this Docker Compose configuration:

version: '3.8'
services:
  openclaw:
    image: ghcr.io/openclaw/openclaw:latest
    container_name: openclaw
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "18789:18789"
      - "18792:18792"
    volumes:
      - openclaw_data:/app/data
      - openclaw_config:/app/config
    environment:

volumes: openclaw_data: openclaw_config: ```

1. Click **Deploy**

Coolify will pull the image, start the containers, and automatically configure networking, SSL, and a subdomain.

Step 5 — Configure Your Domain (Optional)

If you want a custom domain instead of the auto-generated subdomain:

1. In Coolify, go to your OpenClaw application
2. Click **Domains** → **Add Domain**
3. Enter your subdomain (e.g. `ai.your-domain.com`)
4. Add the DNS record shown by Coolify to your DNS provider
5. Coolify will automatically provision SSL

Step 6 — Connect Channels

After deploying, access the OpenClaw UI via the URL Coolify generated. Go to Settings → Channels to configure Telegram, Discord, and more.

Step 7 — Install a Local AI Model (Optional)

To run AI models locally (no API costs):

1. Install Ollama on your server: `curl -fsSL https://ollama.com/install.sh | sh`
2. Pull a model: `ollama pull llama3`
3. In OpenClaw UI, go to **Settings** → **Models** → **Add Model**
4. Select **Ollama** as the provider — the model will appear automatically

How to Update OpenClaw

With Coolify, updates are one click:

1. Go to your OpenClaw application in Coolify
2. Click **Redeploy**

Or enable Auto Deploy — every push to the main branch triggers a redeploy automatically.

Backup and Recovery

Coolify handles backups automatically. To manually backup, go to Applications → OpenClaw → Snapshots → Create Snapshot.

Why Coolify + OpenClaw?

• **Zero downtime deploys** — Traefik swaps containers without dropping connections
• **Automatic SSL** — Every domain gets a Let's Encrypt certificate automatically
• **Auto-restart** — Containers restart automatically if they crash
• **One-click updates** — Pull the latest image and redeploy in seconds
• **Resource monitoring** — See CPU and RAM usage right in the dashboard

Full documentation at https://docs.openclaw.ai