Docker Deployment

Docker deployment provides isolation, easy management, and consistent environments. This guide covers deploying OpenClaw using Docker and docker-compose.

Prerequisites

• Docker installed and running
• Docker Compose (optional, for easier management)
• Basic Docker knowledge

Basic Docker Run

docker run -d \
  --name openclaw \
  -p 18789:18789 \
  -v ~/.clawdbot:/root/.clawdbot \
  -v ~/clawd:/root/clawd \
  openclaw/openclaw:latest \
  openclaw gateway

Using docker-compose makes management easier:

docker-compose.yml

version: '3.8'

services:
  openclaw:
    image: openclaw/openclaw:latest
    container_name: openclaw
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "18789:18789"
      - "18793:18793"
    volumes:
      - ~/.clawdbot:/root/.clawdbot
      - ~/clawd:/root/clawd
    environment:
      - NODE_ENV=production
    command: openclaw gateway

Starting with Compose

docker-compose up -d

Important directories to persist:

• Configuration: ~/.clawdbot - Contains config and credentials
• Workspace: ~/clawd - Contains memories, skills, sessions

Volume Mounting

Mount volumes to persist data:

volumes:
  - ~/.clawdbot:/root/.clawdbot
  - ~/clawd:/root/clawd

Port Mapping

Map required ports:

• 18789 - Gateway WebSocket (default)
• 18793 - Canvas host (default)

Network Mode

For better isolation, use bridge network:

networks:
  moltbot-network:
    driver: bridge

Configure via environment variables:

environment:
  - NODE_ENV=production
  - CLAWDBOT_CONFIG_PATH=/root/.clawdbot/moltbot.json
  - CLAWDBOT_STATE_DIR=/root/.clawdbot

Docker provides natural sandboxing:

• Isolation - Container isolation from host
• Resource Limits - CPU and memory limits
• Network Isolation - Separate network namespace

Resource Limits

deploy:
  resources:
    limits:
      cpus: '2'
      memory: 2G
    reservations:
      cpus: '1'
      memory: 1G

Common Commands

# Start
docker-compose up -d

# Stop
docker-compose down

# View logs
docker-compose logs -f

# Restart
docker-compose restart

# Execute commands
docker-compose exec openclaw openclaw status

# Update
docker-compose pull
docker-compose up -d

Update the container:

# Pull latest image
docker-compose pull

# Restart with new image
docker-compose up -d

Container Won't Start

Check logs:

docker-compose logs openclaw

Permission Issues

If you encounter permission errors:

• Check volume mount permissions
• Ensure user has access to mounted directories
• Check Docker daemon permissions

Port Conflicts

If ports are already in use:

• Change port mappings in docker-compose.yml
• Stop conflicting services
• Check: docker ps for running containers

• Use Volumes - Persist configuration and workspace
• Set Resource Limits - Prevent resource exhaustion
• Use Restart Policy - Auto-restart on failure
• Regular Updates - Keep image updated
• Backup Volumes - Regular backups of data
• Monitor Logs - Check logs regularly