> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs2.openclaw.ai/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Daytona Run a persistent OpenClaw Gateway in a [Daytona](https://www.daytona.io) cloud sandbox: an isolated Linux environment with SSH access and built-in preview URLs, no VPS management required. OpenClaw comes pre-installed in the `daytona-medium` snapshot, so setup starts immediately after SSH. Keep the Gateway on loopback and reach the dashboard through Daytona's signed preview URLs. Do not expose the Gateway port directly to the public internet. ## What you need * [Daytona account](https://app.daytona.io) (free tier available) * Daytona API key from the [Daytona dashboard](https://app.daytona.io/dashboard/keys) * API key for your model provider (Anthropic, OpenAI, etc.) ## Install the Daytona CLI ```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} brew install daytonaio/cli/daytona ``` ```powershell theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} powershell -Command "irm https://get.daytona.io/windows | iex" ``` Verify the installation: ```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} daytona --version ``` Older CLI versions miss newer sandbox commands; keep it current (for example `brew upgrade daytonaio/cli/daytona`). ## Authenticate ```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} daytona login --api-key=YOUR_API_KEY ``` ## Create a sandbox ```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} daytona sandbox create --name openclaw --snapshot daytona-medium --auto-stop 0 ``` | Flag | Why | | --------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- | | `--snapshot daytona-medium` | Provides enough memory headroom to run the Gateway | | `--auto-stop 0` | Keeps the sandbox running until manually stopped | ## Connect via SSH ```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} daytona ssh openclaw ``` ## Run onboarding Inside the sandbox, configure OpenClaw in one command: ```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} openclaw onboard --non-interactive --accept-risk \ --anthropic-api-key YOUR_ANTHROPIC_KEY \ --skip-daemon --skip-channels --skip-skills --skip-hooks --skip-health ``` `--skip-daemon` matters: Daytona sandboxes do not run a service manager, so you start the Gateway manually below. Swap the key flag for your provider (`--openai-api-key`, `--openrouter-api-key`, and so on); `openclaw onboard --help` lists them all. Channels, skills, and hooks are skipped here and configured later. Running `openclaw onboard` without flags starts a conversational setup assistant instead and requires an interactive terminal; `openclaw onboard --classic` runs the older step-by-step wizard. Onboarding configures a gateway auth token. Print it any time from the sandbox: ```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} node -p "require(process.env.HOME + '/.openclaw/openclaw.json').gateway.auth.token" ``` `openclaw config get gateway.auth.token` returns `__OPENCLAW_REDACTED__` rather than the value, because the CLI masks secrets in its output. ## Allow the preview URL origin The Gateway accepts browser connections only from allowed origins, and Daytona's preview proxy sits in front of it. Configure both before starting the Gateway. From your **local terminal** (not the sandbox SSH session), generate a signed preview URL for the Gateway port: ```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} daytona preview-url openclaw --port 18789 ``` Copy the URL it prints. Back in the sandbox SSH session, allow that origin and trust the in-sandbox preview proxy, replacing the example URL with your own: ```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} openclaw config set gateway.controlUi.allowedOrigins '["PASTE_YOUR_PREVIEW_URL"]' openclaw config set gateway.trustedProxies '["127.0.0.1"]' ``` Paste the URL exactly as printed: scheme and host only, with no trailing slash and no path. The Gateway compares the browser origin literally, and browsers send `https://host` without a trailing slash, so `https://host/` fails to match and the connection is rejected. Browser address bars often display that trailing slash, so copy from the terminal instead. ## Start the Gateway ```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} nohup openclaw gateway run > /tmp/gateway.log 2>&1 & ``` The Gateway runs in the background and survives SSH disconnects. Verify it is up: ```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} openclaw gateway health ``` The command reports the Gateway status, so `OK` means you are good to continue. To restart the Gateway later (after config changes or updates): ```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} pkill -f "openclaw gateway" || true nohup openclaw gateway run > /tmp/gateway.log 2>&1 & ``` ## Open the dashboard Open the preview URL you generated earlier in your browser. The Control UI asks for the gateway token on first connect; paste the value you printed after onboarding. ### Approve your device The first browser connection queues a device pairing request. Back in your sandbox SSH session: ```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} # List pending requests and copy the request id openclaw devices list # Approve it openclaw devices approve REQUEST_ID ``` ## Security Access to the Gateway is protected in three layers: | Layer | Description | | --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ | | Preview URL | Time-limited signed URL (expires after 1 hour) | | Gateway token | Required to connect via the Control UI | | Device approval | Each new browser or client must be explicitly approved | Keep your gateway token and preview URLs private. The Gateway stays bound to loopback; Daytona's preview proxy handles external access. ## Channel setup Unknown senders require pairing approval by default; see [Pairing](/channels/pairing). ### Telegram Create a bot with [@BotFather](https://t.me/botfather) (`/newbot`), copy the token, then configure OpenClaw from the sandbox SSH session: ```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} openclaw config set channels.telegram.enabled true openclaw config set channels.telegram.botToken YOUR_BOT_TOKEN ``` Restart the Gateway (see above), send your bot a DM, then approve the pairing code it reports: ```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} openclaw pairing list telegram openclaw pairing approve telegram PAIRING_CODE ``` Pairing codes expire after 1 hour. Full reference: [Telegram](/channels/telegram). ### WhatsApp WhatsApp ships as a separate plugin, so install and enable it first: ```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} openclaw plugins install clawhub:@openclaw/whatsapp --acknowledge-clawhub-risk openclaw plugins enable whatsapp ``` Installing does not enable a plugin, so the `enable` step is required; otherwise the Gateway reports the channel as configured but untrusted. Running the login command below without installing first prompts you to download the plugin from ClawHub or npm instead. Then link the account by scanning a QR code from the sandbox SSH session: ```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} openclaw channels login --channel whatsapp ``` On your phone: **Settings → Linked Devices → Link a Device**, then scan the QR code shown in the terminal. Restart the Gateway after linking, then message yourself on WhatsApp and OpenClaw replies in that chat. No pairing approval is needed: with no allowlist configured, the linked account's own number is allowed by default. Pairing applies to unknown senders, which is why Telegram needs it and self-chat does not. Allowlists, personal-number mode, and self-chat details: [WhatsApp](/channels/whatsapp). ## Updating The snapshot's global npm tree is owned by root, so plain `openclaw update` cannot write to it. Update from the sandbox SSH session with: ```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} sudo env "PATH=$PATH" npm install --global openclaw@latest openclaw doctor ``` `openclaw doctor` migrates any older config after the update. Restart the Gateway afterwards (see above). ## Stop and resume the sandbox ```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} # Stop daytona sandbox stop openclaw # Resume daytona sandbox start openclaw ``` Sandbox state persists across stop/start cycles, but the Gateway process does not auto-start. After a resume, reconnect and start it again: ```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} daytona ssh openclaw nohup openclaw gateway run > /tmp/gateway.log 2>&1 & ``` ## Troubleshooting ### Gateway not running after sandbox restart The Gateway process does not survive a sandbox restart. Reconnect with `daytona ssh openclaw` and start it again with the `nohup` command above. ### Preview URL expired Preview URLs are time-limited (default 3600 seconds). Regenerate from your local terminal, optionally with a longer expiry: ```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} daytona preview-url openclaw --port 18789 --expires 86400 ``` Each generated URL has a different host, so it is a new origin. After regenerating, update `gateway.controlUi.allowedOrigins` with the new URL and restart the Gateway, or the Control UI is rejected with `origin not allowed`. ### Sandbox auto-stopped If the sandbox was created without `--auto-stop 0`, it stops automatically when idle. Resume it with `daytona sandbox start openclaw`. ### Gateway port not reachable Confirm the Gateway is running and listening: ```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}} openclaw gateway health tail -20 /tmp/gateway.log ``` If you changed the Gateway port, pass the same port to `daytona preview-url`. ## Notes * For programmatic sandbox provisioning, see the [Daytona OpenClaw SDK guide](https://www.daytona.io/docs/en/guides/openclaw/openclaw-sdk-sandbox/) ## Related * [Gateway remote access](/gateway/remote) * [Gateway security](/gateway/security) * [Updating OpenClaw](/install/updating)