Getting Started
Lessons from running OpenClaw agents in production — not hypotheticals, but patterns that survived contact with reality.
Setting up an effective agent isn't one step; it's a progression. Start with the workspace files that give your agent a brain, then add infrastructure (memory, models, automation), and finally learn the operational patterns that make it all reliable.
Setup Sequence
Phase 1 — Foundation
Get the agent thinking and behaving correctly before adding automation.
- Workspace Files — The four core files (AGENTS.md, SOUL.md, USER.md, TOOLS.md) that transform a chatbot into something useful. What to put in each, and the guardrails to add early.
- Model Routing — Route models by task, not by default. The single biggest cost lever.
- Memory Search — Give your agent semantic recall over its own workspace. ~10 minute setup, highest-impact early infrastructure.
Phase 2 — Automation
Once the foundation works, make it run without you.
- Scheduling & Crons — Sessions don't persist. Crons, sentinels, and native schedulers are how autonomous work happens.
- Integrations — One integration at a time. The pattern that works vs. the pattern that doesn't.
Phase 3 — Operational Patterns
The habits that make the difference between "runs" and "runs well."
- Persistence & Maintenance — What to persist, what to cut, and how to keep workspace files healthy.
- Testing & Iteration — Test models on real tasks, expect iteration, and the realistic trajectory from setup to autonomy.
What's Next
Once the basics are working:
- Workspace Files & Bootstrap — structure your files and optimize what gets injected
- Memory Search — semantic recall setup and tuning
- Model Optimization — advanced routing and cost strategies
- Scheduling & Automation — crons, sentinels, and native schedulers
- Agent Architecture — multi-agent identity, routing, and coordination
- Agentic Patterns — scout/dispatch, research fleets, pipelines