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Setup Guide

Follow this step-by-step guide to create your Tiller account, configure your hosting preferences, and deploy your first OpenClaw server.

Step 1: Create a Tiller Account

  1. Go to tiller.sh/register
  2. Enter your name, email, and password
  3. Click Register
  4. Check your email for a verification link
  5. Click the link to verify your email address

Once verified, you'll be redirected to your dashboard.

Step 2: Choose Your Hosting Option

Decide between All-in-One, Flex, or BYOK. If you're unsure, read our Choose Your Plan comparison guide.

Option A: All-in-One (€19/mo, Everything Included)

  1. Go to Settings → Billing
  2. Click Add Payment Method
  3. Enter your credit card information (processed securely via Stripe)
  4. Click Save

That's it — when you create a server, select "All-in-One" and AI keys are configured automatically. No API accounts needed.

Option B: BYOK (Free Platform, You Pay Hetzner)

Follow the Hetzner Guide to:

  1. Create a Hetzner Cloud account
  2. Create a project
  3. Generate an API token with read/write permissions

Then in Tiller:

  1. Go to Settings → Cloud Credentials
  2. Click Add Credential
  3. Select Hetzner as the provider
  4. Give it a name (e.g., "My Hetzner Account")
  5. Paste your API token
  6. Click Save

Option C: Flex (Managed Hosting, Your Own Keys)

  1. Go to Settings → Billing
  2. Click Add Payment Method
  3. Enter your credit card information (processed securely via Stripe)
  4. Click Save

That's it—no Hetzner account needed.

Step 3: Add SSH Keys (Optional)

SSH keys allow you to connect to your server from your local terminal. This step is optional—you can use the web terminal instead.

If you want SSH access, follow the SSH Keys Guide to:

  1. Generate an SSH key pair (if you don't have one)
  2. Find your public key

Then in Tiller:

  1. Go to Settings → SSH Keys
  2. Click Add SSH Key
  3. Give it a name (e.g., "MacBook Pro")
  4. Paste your public key
  5. Click Save

Step 4: Create Your First Server

Now you're ready to provision a server:

  1. From the Dashboard, click Create Server
  2. Enter a name for your server (e.g., "my-ai-assistant")
  3. Choose your hosting option:
    • All-in-One - Everything included, AI keys configured automatically
    • Flex - Managed hosting, bring your own AI keys
    • BYOK - Select your Hetzner credential from the dropdown
  4. Select a region (choose one close to you for better performance)
  5. Select a server size:
    • Tiny (2GB) - Good for light usage, US & Asia only
    • Standard (4GB) - Recommended for most users
    • Performance (8GB) - For heavy usage or multiple channels
  6. If you added SSH keys, they'll be automatically included
  7. Click Create Server

Server provisioning takes 2-3 minutes. You'll see a progress indicator showing each step:

  • Creating server on Hetzner
  • Waiting for SSH access
  • Installing base packages
  • Configuring security
  • Setting up Docker
  • Installing Caddy
  • Finalizing configuration

Step 5: Install OpenClaw

Once provisioning completes, you'll see an Install OpenClaw button on your server page.

Guided Setup (Recommended for Most Users)

Click Install OpenClaw to launch the setup wizard. You'll be guided through 4 steps:

Step 1: Select AI Provider

Note: If you chose All-in-One, this step is handled automatically. AI keys are pre-configured via Askonoma. Skip to Step 4 (Configure Channels).

For Flex and BYOK, choose your AI provider from the list:

  • Anthropic - For Claude models (recommended)
  • OpenAI - For GPT models
  • OpenRouter - For access to multiple providers
  • Google Gemini - For Gemini models
  • And many more...

If you don't have an API key yet:

Step 2: Enter API Key

Paste your AI provider API key. Important notes:

  • Your key is sent directly to your server—Tiller never stores it
  • The key is encrypted on your server
  • You can change or update it later via the wizard or CLI

Step 3: Select Model

Choose your default AI model. Recommended options:

  • Claude Sonnet 4 - Best balance of speed and capability
  • Claude Opus 4 - Most capable, slower and more expensive
  • GPT-4o - OpenAI's flagship model

You can change the model later or configure multiple models.

Step 4: Configure Channels (Optional)

Optionally set up messaging channels to interact with your AI:

  • Telegram - Chat with your AI via Telegram
  • Slack - Integrate with Slack workspaces
  • Discord - Add to Discord servers
  • Signal - Private messaging via Signal
  • WhatsApp - QR code setup required

You can skip this step and configure channels later. Click Skip Channels if you want to use the web interface only.

After completing the wizard, OpenClaw will be deployed automatically. This takes 1-2 minutes.

Manual CLI Setup (Advanced Users)

If you prefer full control over configuration:

  1. Click Install OpenClaw
  2. Click Skip for CLI
  3. OpenClaw will be installed without configuration
  4. Click Open Terminal on your server page
  5. Run: openclaw onboard
  6. Follow the interactive prompts to configure everything manually

The CLI method gives you access to advanced options like custom workspace paths, gateway configuration, Tailscale integration, and more.

Step 6: Access Your AI

Once OpenClaw installation completes, you can access your AI:

Web Interface

Click Open Web UI on your server page. You'll see the OpenClaw control panel with:

  • Chat interface
  • Settings management
  • Session history
  • Model configuration

Web Terminal

Click Open Terminal for browser-based shell access. Use this to:

  • Run OpenClaw commands
  • View logs: docker logs openclaw
  • Edit configuration files
  • Install additional tools

SSH Access (If Configured)

From your local terminal: 

ssh tiller@your-server-subdomain.tiller.sh

Replace your-server-subdomain with your actual subdomain (shown on the server page).

Step 7: Customize Your AI (Optional)

OpenClaw supports persona customization through markdown files. Learn more in our OpenClaw Guide.

Next Steps

  • Explore the OpenClaw documentation to learn about advanced features
  • Configure additional channels to interact with your AI via messaging apps
  • Customize your AI's persona by editing SOUL.md, IDENTITY.md, and BOOTSTRAP.md files
  • Add skills to extend your AI's capabilities
  • Monitor your server's logs to troubleshoot issues

Troubleshooting

Provisioning Failed

If server provisioning fails:

  • Check that your Hetzner API token is valid (BYOK only)
  • Ensure you have available server quota in Hetzner
  • Try a different region
  • Contact support if the issue persists

OpenClaw Installation Failed

If OpenClaw installation fails:

  • Check that your API key is correct
  • Verify your API key has sufficient credits
  • View deployment logs on the server page for error details
  • Try reinstalling by clicking Install OpenClaw again

Can't Connect to Web UI

If the web UI doesn't load:

  • Wait 1-2 minutes after installation completes
  • Check deployment status shows "Running"
  • View container logs: docker logs openclaw
  • Restart deployment from the server page

Getting Help

If you run into issues:

  • Check the OpenClaw documentation for common solutions
  • View your server logs in the dashboard
  • Use the web terminal to investigate issues
  • Contact Tiller support for assistance