openclaw-local-mac-mini

OpenClaw Local + Mac mini Setup

When to Use

Use when setting up or reviewing a private OpenClaw host on macOS, choosing its service lifecycle, or diagnosing host reliability. This guide does not authorize installing tools, changing account permissions, exposing ports or connecting messaging accounts.

Prerequisites

Select a reviewed immutable OpenClaw release and inspect its official prerequisites and installation method. Current upstream getting-started documentation lists Node.js 24.16+ or 26.1+; verify the selected release rather than reusing historical Node 18 guidance. Establish the host/user, approved provider credentials, storage, backup, spending limits and allowed tool/channel scope before onboarding.

Procedure

1. Inventory the existing installation and preserve config/data before changes. Download external source/installers only with authorization, pin the reviewed release/commit, inspect the complete tree and lifecycle hooks in a temporary directory, then obtain activation/install authorization. Never pipe an unreviewed network installer into a shell.
2. Use that release's documented installer or package workflow. Do not assume this application has db:migrate, dist/server.js, Redis, port3000 or /api/health: the previous generic web-app examples did not establish those interfaces.
3. Configure through the supported onboarding interface under the intended non-admin user. Keep credentials in the supported secret mechanism, with restricted file permissions; do not overwrite an existing .env or put secrets in command arguments. Cloud models still transmit prompts off-host; local hosting alone is not a privacy guarantee.
4. After approval to install persistence, use the supported Gateway service. The official macOS path uses a per-user LaunchAgent, not the generic root LaunchDaemon formerly shown here. Record login/unlock/reboot limitations.

# Existing reviewed CLI: inspect before making changes.
openclaw --version
openclaw gateway status
# Authorized background service installation:
openclaw gateway install
# Open the local UI for an authenticated, non-sensitive smoke check:
openclaw dashboard

5. Verify the actual listener/address and authentication from both allowed and denied clients. The documented default Gateway port is18789; inspect configuration rather than assuming it. Bind privately, require authentication/pairing and restrict remote access to intended identities. A VPN is additional transport/access control, not authorization for agent tools.
6. Test provider access with a synthetic prompt only after cost/data authorization; verify tool permissions, cancellation, logging and a restore procedure. Record exact versions and observations; dashboard HTTP success alone is not a working agent or native-session reload proof.

Host Reliability

Use host and operational checks. Preserve FileVault and screen locking. FileVault may require an interactive unlock after reboot; test this with the user's recovery plan before claiming unattended availability. Review any power setting with its previous value and restore path; do not create an admin service account, disable screen security, or enable broad firewall access as a default.

For Docker, use only the selected release's actual supported Compose files. Pin images, bind approved ports to loopback, keep volumes/backups explicit and verify the macOS container runtime starts in the intended user session. Do not add optional Redis/Ollama services without a demonstrated need; Linux containers on macOS do not imply native Apple GPU acceleration. Never remove volumes as routine troubleshooting.

Examples

For a host that stops after logout, record the CLI version, Gateway status, service owner and login state; compare the selected release's service documentation. Restore the supported per-user service rather than adding a second root-managed process. Verify one process owns the configured port and test restart under an approved maintenance window.

Limitations

No CLI, host, installation or provider request was exercised by this documentation. Hardware sizing depends on the workload and selected local model. This tree contains guidance only, not an installer or production Compose template. Channel pairing, remote access, persistence and paid model requests need explicit target-specific authorization.

Primary Reference

• Official getting started