- Updated: March 14, 2026
- 6 min read
Deploy OpenClaw on UBOS: A Comprehensive Guide
Deploying OpenClaw on UBOS is a three‑step process—provision a VPS, configure secrets and integrations, then launch the service with automatic SSL, logging, and health‑checks—all without writing Dockerfiles or managing servers.
Introduction
OpenClaw is a self‑hosted AI assistant that runs continuously, remembers context, and can invoke tools or APIs on demand. While you could spin it up on a local laptop, production workloads demand a stable, secure, and observable environment. OpenClaw hosting on UBOS provides exactly that: a dedicated VPS, automated HTTPS, secret management, centralized logs, and painless upgrades. This guide walks senior engineers, founders, and even non‑technical teams through every prerequisite, environment setup, installation, configuration, verification, and troubleshooting step required to get a production‑ready OpenClaw instance up and running.
Prerequisites
Before you start, make sure the following items are in place:
- A dedicated VPS (minimum 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM) with root SSH access.
- A registered domain name that you can point to the VPS IP.
- API keys for the large‑language‑model provider you intend to use (OpenAI, Anthropic, etc.).
- Telegram, Slack, or any messenger bot token you plan to connect.
- A UBOS pricing plan that matches your resource needs.
If you are new to UBOS, start at the UBOS homepage and create an account. The platform’s About UBOS page explains the mission behind its Enterprise AI platform by UBOS.
Environment Setup
UBOS abstracts away the underlying OS, Docker, and networking layers. You only need to configure a few high‑level settings.
1. Create a New Project
- Log in to the UBOS platform overview.
- Click New Project and give it a meaningful name, e.g.,
openclaw-prod. - Select the VPS size you provisioned earlier and the region closest to your users.
2. Attach a Domain & Enable SSL
In the project dashboard, navigate to Domain Settings. Add your domain, and UBOS will automatically request a Let’s Encrypt certificate. No manual certbot steps required.
3. Store Secrets Securely
OpenClaw needs API keys and messenger tokens. Use the Secrets Vault in UBOS to add:
OPENAI_API_KEYTELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN- Any additional service credentials.
UBOS encrypts these values at rest and injects them as environment variables at runtime.
For teams that love rapid prototyping, the UBOS templates for quick start include a pre‑configured OpenClaw template you can clone with a single click.
Installation Steps
With the environment ready, follow these concise steps to install OpenClaw.
- Select the OpenClaw template. From the UBOS portfolio examples, locate “OpenClaw” and click Deploy.
- Map secrets to the container. In the deployment wizard, bind the previously stored secrets (e.g.,
OPENAI_API_KEY) to the corresponding environment variables. - Configure the messenger connector. Choose “Telegram” and paste the
TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN. UBOS will automatically expose a webhook endpoint secured with HTTPS. - Review and launch. The wizard shows a summary: CPU, RAM, domain, SSL status, and health‑check URL. Click Deploy. UBOS pulls the OpenClaw Docker image, creates the container, and starts it.
The entire process typically finishes in 2–5 minutes, even for first‑time users. The Workflow automation studio can later be used to chain additional actions (e.g., trigger a CI pipeline after a successful deployment).
Configuration
After deployment, fine‑tune OpenClaw to match your organization’s workflows.
Core Settings (via UI)
- Memory persistence: Enable Redis or PostgreSQL backend from the Web app editor on UBOS to store conversation history.
- Tool registry: Register internal APIs (e.g., ticketing system) as callable tools. Use the
/toolsendpoint to expose them. - Rate limits: Define per‑user request caps to avoid runaway token consumption.
Advanced Customization (YAML)
For deeper control, edit the openclaw.yaml file via the Web app editor. Example snippet:
assistant:
name: "TeamBuddy"
personality: "concise, helpful"
tools:
- name: "JiraCreateTicket"
endpoint: "https://jira.internal/api/create"
method: "POST"
auth: "JIRA_API_TOKEN"If you need to generate SEO‑friendly copy for your internal knowledge base, consider reusing the AI Article Copywriter template as a downstream service that OpenClaw can call.
Verification
Confirm that OpenClaw is healthy and reachable before handing it over to end users.
- Health‑check endpoint. Visit
https://your-domain.com/healthz. A JSON response{"status":"ok"}indicates the container is running. - SSL verification. Use
curl -I https://your-domain.comand ensure the200 OKstatus and a valid certificate chain. - Telegram webhook test. Send
/startto your bot. OpenClaw should reply with the greeting defined inopenclaw.yaml. - Log inspection. Open the UBOS partner program dashboard, navigate to Logs, and verify no error lines appear during startup.
“A production‑grade AI assistant is only as reliable as its observability stack.” – Senior Engineer, UBOS
Troubleshooting
Even with automation, issues can arise. Below is a MECE‑structured checklist.
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Bot does not respond | Invalid Telegram token or webhook not set | Re‑enter the token in the Secrets Vault and redeploy. |
| SSL error in browser | Domain DNS not pointing to VPS IP | Update your DNS A‑record, then run ubos ssl renew from the console. |
| High latency on LLM calls | Rate‑limited API key or wrong region | Generate a new API key with higher quota or select a closer endpoint. |
| Container crashes on startup | Missing required environment variable | Check the Deployment Settings page for any NULL values. |
For deeper diagnostics, the Web app editor lets you attach a remote debugger to the running container. If you suspect a bug in your custom tool, isolate it by disabling the tool in openclaw.yaml and redeploy.
Conclusion
Deploying OpenClaw on UBOS transforms a complex DevOps chore into a few clicks, delivering a secure, always‑on AI assistant that respects data ownership and scales with your business. By leveraging UBOS’s Enterprise AI platform, you gain built‑in SSL, secret vaults, health checks, and zero‑downtime upgrades—allowing you to focus on building real‑world workflows instead of wrestling with infrastructure.
Whether you are a startup founder looking for a private team assistant, an SMB seeking to automate ticket routing, or an enterprise engineering group needing a compliant AI layer, the steps outlined above will get you from zero to production in under ten minutes. Explore the AI marketing agents for outbound campaigns, or spin up an AI Image Generator to enrich your knowledge base—all from the same UBOS console.
Ready to try it yourself? Visit the OpenClaw hosting page, select your plan, and let UBOS handle the rest.