openclaw-local-mac-mini

OpenClaw Local + Mac mini Setup

Use this skill when you want to run OpenClaw on a developer laptop or promote it to a stable Mac mini host. Covers cloning and bootstrapping, Docker Compose configuration, Mac mini hardware optimization, networking, monitoring, and production-grade launchd services.

When to Use

• Running OpenClaw as a private, always-on local AI agent
• Setting up a dedicated Mac mini as a home-lab AI server
• Deploying OpenClaw with Docker Compose for reproducible environments
• Optimizing macOS for headless server operation
• Monitoring a local AI service for uptime and performance

Prerequisites

• macOS 13 (Ventura) or later on Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M4 Mac mini recommended)
• Docker Desktop for Mac or OrbStack installed
• Git, Node.js (v18+), and a package manager (npm or pnpm)
• API keys for your chosen LLM provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, or local Ollama)
• At least 16 GB RAM (32 GB recommended for local model serving)

Local Setup (Any Dev Machine)

Clone and Bootstrap

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw.git
cd openclaw

# Review the upstream README for current prerequisites
cat README.md

# Copy the example environment file
cp .env.example .env

# Edit .env with your provider keys and configuration
# At minimum, set the model provider and API key
cat > .env << 'ENV'
# LLM Provider Configuration
OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-your-openai-key-here
# Or for Anthropic:
# ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-your-key-here
# Or for local Ollama:
# OLLAMA_BASE_URL=http://localhost:11434

# Application settings
NODE_ENV=development
PORT=3000
HOST=0.0.0.0
LOG_LEVEL=info

# Database (if applicable)
DATABASE_URL=sqlite:./data/openclaw.db
ENV

Install Dependencies and Run

# Install dependencies
npm install
# Or with pnpm:
# pnpm install

# Run database migrations if needed
npm run db:migrate

# Start the development server
npm run dev

# Verify startup
curl -s http://localhost:3000/api/health | jq .
# Expected: {"status":"ok","version":"..."}