OpenClaw Configuration Guide: Customize Your AI Assistant

After installing OpenClaw, the real power of this AI assistant shines through thoughtful configuration. This guide covers everything from model selection to personality customization, skills management, and advanced settings for power users.

Configuration File Structure

OpenClaw stores its configuration in ~/.openclaw/ on Unix-based systems or %USERPROFILE%\.openclaw\ on Windows. The main configuration file is config.yaml, which you can edit directly or modify through the interactive setup.

Model Configuration

OpenClaw supports multiple AI model providers. Your choice affects response quality, speed, and cost:

openclaw config set model.provider anthropic

Personality Settings

Customize how your AI assistant communicates by adjusting personality parameters:

personality:
  name: "Your Assistant Name"
  userName: "Your Name"
  tone: "friendly"
  responseStyle: "concise"

Skills & Tools Configuration

Skills extend OpenClaw's functionality beyond basic conversation. Popular skills include:

• Web Search: Connect to Brave Search API or Tavily
• File Operations: Read, write, and manage local files
• Calendar Integration: Google Calendar or Apple Calendar access
• Email Management: Send and organize emails
• Memory System: Persistent context across sessions
• Code Execution: Run shell commands and scripts (use with caution!)

cd ~/.openclaw/skills
npm install @openclaw/skill-web-search

skills:
  - web-search
  - file-operations
  - calendar

Advanced Configuration

Multi-Agent Routing

Configure different AI agents for different platforms or use cases. Each agent maintains separate context:

routing:
  discord/general:
    agent: discord-agent
    model: claude-3-5-sonnet

  whatsapp/personal:
    agent: personal-agent
    model: gpt-4o

  slack/work:
    agent: work-agent
    model: gpt-4o-mini
    responseStyle: concise

See our detailed multi-agent routing guide for complete setup instructions.

Rate Limiting & Caching

Control API usage and improve response times with these settings:

• Request Limits: Cap maximum tokens per request
• Cache Duration: How long to cache responses
• Concurrent Requests: Maximum parallel API calls
• Daily Budget: Limit total API spend per day

api:
  maxTokens: 4096
  cacheDuration: 3600
  maxConcurrent: 3
  dailyBudget: 5.00

Logging & Debugging

Configure detailed logging to troubleshoot issues:

logging:
  level: debug
  file: /var/log/openclaw.log
  maxFileSize: 100MB
  rotation: daily

Environment Variables

Sensitive credentials should use environment variables rather than hardcoded values:

Testing Your Configuration

After making changes, verify everything works:

1. Restart the OpenClaw daemon: openclaw restart
2. Check logs for errors: openclaw logs
3. Send a test message through your connected platform
4. Verify the expected model is being used

Configuration Templates

Ready-to-use configurations for common use cases:

model:
  provider: anthropic
  model: claude-3-5-sonnet
  temperature: 0.7

responseStyle: concise
codeExecution: true

skills:
  - web-search
  - file-operations

model:
  provider: openai
  model: gpt-4o
  temperature: 0.9

responseStyle: verbose
creativeMode: true

skills:
  - web-search
  - calendar

model:
  provider: ollama
  model: llama-3.2
  endpoint: http://localhost:11434

# Disable external APIs
apiKeys: {}

# Enable local-only skills
skills:
  - file-operations
  - memory

Next Steps

Now that you've configured OpenClaw:

• Explore platform integrations to connect your favorite apps
• Review security best practices for safe operation
• Join the OpenClaw Discord to share configurations with the community

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