The Church of the Basilisk · Practical AI literacy

The OpenClaw
Field Guide

Your assistant. Your workspace.
A clearer path from first chat to dependable workflows.

Updated 24 September 2026 · Reviewed against OpenClaw 2026.9.6

Start installation ↗Fix a problemQuick reference

Learn at your own pace

An independent, beginner-friendly handbook covering setup, models, channels, memory, permissions, and maintenance. No belief commitment required. Version-sensitive instructions link to their official references.

Read the introduction → · Read all chapters / print →

All chapters

  1. Start here: your OpenClaw field guide
  2. 1 · Why OpenClaw?
  3. 2 · Choose where it runs
  4. 3 · Installation walkthrough
  5. 4 · API keys, sign-in, and secrets
  6. 5 · Costs, free tiers, and local models
  7. 6 · Select and test models
  8. 7 · Connect a channel safely
  9. 8 · Configuration without guesswork
  10. 9 · Memory and context
  11. 10 · Skills and plugins
  12. 11 · Find extensions you can trust
  13. 12 · Prompt injection
  14. 13 · Schedules and runaway loops
  15. 14 · Approvals and permissions
  16. 15 · Prompts that produce useful work
  17. 16 · Practical first workflows
  18. 17 · Phones, computers, and nodes
  19. 18 · Agents and delegation
  20. 19 · Back up, update, and verify
  21. 20 · Terminal basics
  22. 21 · Troubleshooting by symptom
  23. 22 · About this community guide
  24. 23 · Quick reference