Not an App. OpenClaw is an open-source AI Agent framework / execution AI assistant that runs on your computer or server to execute real tasks, not chat. **Real Talk:** It's basically a junior engineer with sudo privileges.

What's the essential difference from ChatGPT / Claude?

In short: ChatGPT 'thinks', OpenClaw 'does'. ChatGPT: Answers questions, gives advice OpenClaw: Reads files, runs commands, modifies code, executes workflows **Real Talk:** ChatGPT is a consultant. OpenClaw is an intern who actually does the work.

Does OpenClaw have its own LLM?

No. It's a 'scheduler' that needs you to connect: OpenAI, Claude or local models. 👉 It doesn't sell models, just makes models 'work'. **Real Talk:** You're the DJ. OpenClaw is just the mixer.

Is my data private with local models?

**Short answer:** If you use Ollama locally, yes. The model runs on your machine. **How to verify:** Don't take my word for it. Block outbound traffic (except localhost) via Little Snitch or `ufw`. If OpenClaw still talks to your local Ollama, it's local. If it hangs, check your `base_url`. **Caveat:** If you use API providers (DeepSeek, OpenAI, Anthropic), your prompts go to their servers. Read their privacy policies.

Does it support DeepSeek API?

✅ Yes. Set `LLM_PROVIDER=openai` and `BASE_URL=https://api.deepseek.com`. **Config example (.env)**: ```bash LLM_PROVIDER="openai" LLM_BASE_URL="https://api.deepseek.com" LLM_API_KEY="sk-your-key-here" LLM_MODEL="deepseek-reasoner" ``` 👉 See our **[DeepSeek Config Guide](/guides/how-to-use-deepseek-with-openclaw)** for full setup.

Does it support local DeepSeek (Ollama)?

✅ Yes. Use `provider: ollama`. **Config example (.env)**: ```bash # Install Ollama & pull model curl -fsSL https://ollama.com/install.sh | sh ollama run deepseek-r1:8b # Configure OpenClaw LLM_PROVIDER="ollama" LLM_BASE_URL="http://localhost:11434/v1" LLM_MODEL="deepseek-r1:8b" ``` ⚠️ **Warning:** Requires heavy hardware. See **[Hardware Reality Check](/guides/fix-openclaw-cuda-oom-errors)**.

What is the relationship between OpenClaw and Ollama?

**Ollama is the engine; OpenClaw is the driver.** Ollama runs the DeepSeek model (loads it into VRAM, handles inference). OpenClaw tells it what to do (reads files, runs commands, executes workflows). If Ollama is down, OpenClaw is useless. If OpenClaw isn't running, Ollama is just a chatbot. **Analogy:** Ollama = Engine, OpenClaw = Driver. You need both to drive the car.

Do I need to know programming?

Basic use: No coding needed, but need basic logic Advanced use: Knowing some command line/project structure helps 👉 It's not 'zero barrier', but 'low barrier, high ceiling'. **Real Talk:** If you don't know what `chmod +x` means, you're going to have a bad time.

Can it run on Windows / Mac / Linux?

✅ Mac: Most friendly ✅ Linux / Server: First choice for production ⚠️ Windows: Usually via WSL2 (strongly recommended) **Symptom:** `Error: connect ECONNREFUSED 127.0.0.1:11434` (Networking issue) **Real Talk:** Mac users suffer slowly (3.2 tokens/sec). Windows users suffer dramatically (WSL2 drama). Linux users just suffer.

Can OpenClaw run continuously?

Yes. It can: run long-term, retry on failure, save intermediate state, stop by rules. This is why it's called an autonomous agent. **Real Talk:** That's also why it's called a 'security risk'. It doesn't know when to quit.

Why am I getting JSON parsing errors?

DeepSeek R1 wraps responses in `` tags before the actual JSON. OpenClaw's JSON parser fails. **Symptom:** `SyntaxError: Unexpected token <` (The model is 'thinking' out loud) 👉 **Fix it here:** **[JSON Parsing Fix](/guides/fix-openclaw-json-mode-errors)**.

Is OpenClaw safe? How to prevent Prompt Injection?

**Think of OpenClaw as a junior engineer with sudo privileges.** If you wouldn't trust a junior intern with root access to this folder, don't trust the agent. **Real incidents I've stopped:** - Agent tried to `rm -rf .` to "clean build artifacts" - Agent attempted `curl unknown.sh | bash` because it needed a tool **Mitigation**: - Run in Docker container with read-only filesystem - Use dedicated device (Mac Mini, cheap server) - Block dangerous commands (rm, format, dd, etc.) - Review EVERY execution log 👉 **Read the full autopsy:** **[CVE-2026-25253 Analysis](/guides/openclaw-security-rce-cve-2026-25253)**.

If you give too many permissions, yes. OpenClaw's capabilities ≈ permissions you give Correct approach: read-only by default, specify writable directories, block dangerous commands **Real Talk:** 'Going rogue' is just a fancy way of saying 'it did exactly what you told it to do, not what you meant'.

Suitable for production?

**Short answer:** Yes. **Honest answer:** Only if you have strict guardrails. Otherwise, expect to wake up at 3 AM. **Production requirements**: - You know exactly what the agent can and cannot do - You have tested EVERY workflow in staging - You have permission isolation (read-only by default) - You have logging AND rollback mechanisms - You have a human reviewing every action If you're missing any of these, you're not ready for production. 👉 Beginners should NOT start with production.

Fix 'Cannot find module @mariozechner/clipboard-linux-arm-gnueabihf' in OpenClaw

TL;DR: The Instant Fix

The Problem: OpenClaw crashes on Linux ARM (Raspberry Pi, etc.) because the clipboard package doesn't have a prebuilt native binary for ARM architecture.

The Error: Error: Cannot find module '@mariozechner/clipboard-linux-arm-gnueabihf'

The Solution:

Quick Fix: Upgrade OpenClaw to latest version (dependency is now optional)

Workaround: Use Docker (bypass native dependencies)

Deploy on Vultr (H100/A100 Ready) (High Availability & Limited Time Promotion for new accounts)

The Log: What You're Seeing

The Error:

[INFO] Starting OpenClaw...
[ERROR] Error: Cannot find module '@mariozechner/clipboard-linux-arm-gnueabihf'
Require stack:
- /app/dist/index.js:15:23
- at processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:96:5)

[System] Clipboard module failed to load
[Agent] Unable to use clipboard functionality

Context: This error occurs on Linux ARM devices (Raspberry Pi, ARM servers, etc.) when OpenClaw tries to load the clipboard package. The package has prebuilt binaries for x86/x64 but not for ARM.

Observed Behavior: OpenClaw starts but crashes or loses clipboard functionality. Copy/paste operations may fail silently.

Why This Happens (It's an Architecture Mismatch)

This is a Prebuilt Binary Availability Issue.

OpenClaw uses the @mariozechner/clipboard package for clipboard operations. This package includes:

Prebuilt native binaries for x86/x64 (Intel/AMD)
Fallback pure-JS implementation for other architectures

On Linux ARM (aarch64), if the npm version is old (< 9.0.0), it may:

Try to load a non-existent ARM binary
Fail to fall back to the pure-JS implementation
Crash with "Cannot find module" error

The ARM Architecture Problem

Architecture	Prebuilt Binary	Pure-JS Fallback	Status
x86/x64 (Intel/AMD)	✅ Included	✅ Available	Works out of box
ARM64 (Raspberry Pi, ARM servers)	❌ Not included	⚠️ May not load	Needs npm v9+
ARMv7 (Raspberry Pi Zero/older)	❌ Not included	❌ Not compatible	Needs manual build

Solution A: Upgrade OpenClaw (Recommended)

The clipboard dependency was made optional in newer versions of OpenClaw. Upgrading is the cleanest fix.

Step 1: Check Current Version

# Check current OpenClaw version
openclaw --version

# Or if installed via npm
npm list -g openclaw

Step 2: Upgrade OpenClaw

# Uninstall old version
npm uninstall -g openclaw

# Install latest version
npm install -g openclaw@latest

# Or using npx (always runs latest)
npx openclaw@latest start

Step 3: Verify Installation

# Check version again
openclaw --version

# Start OpenClaw
openclaw start

# Should work without clipboard errors

Why This Works: Newer versions of OpenClaw made the clipboard dependency optional. If it can't load, OpenClaw continues without clipboard functionality instead of crashing.

Solution B: Use Docker (Bypass Native Dependencies)

If upgrading doesn't work or you need immediate results, Docker bypasses all native module issues.

Step 1: Create Dockerfile

FROM node:18-alpine

# Install OpenClaw
RUN npm install -g openclaw

# Set working directory
WORKDIR /app

# Everything works in Linux container
CMD ["openclaw"]

Step 2: Build and Run

# Build image
docker build -t openclaw-arm .

# Run container
docker run -it --rm openclaw-arm

Why This Works: Docker creates an isolated environment where OpenClaw runs without ARM-specific native dependencies.

The "Survival" Recommendation

Stop debugging ARM compatibility issues.

Every hour you spend rebuilding modules, searching for ARM-compatible packages, or debugging architecture mismatches is an hour you're not shipping.

Debugging ARM compatibility is a huge time sink. x86 VPS just works.

Local ARM vs Cloud VPS Comparison

Issue	Local ARM (Raspberry Pi, etc.)	Cloud VPS (x86)
Prebuilt binaries	Often missing	Always included
Clipboard module	May need manual build	Works immediately
Debug time	2-4 hours (build, test, fail)	0 minutes
Performance	Limited CPU/RAM	Scalable
Cost	Hardware upfront + time	Hourly billing options

Deploy on Vultr (H100/A100 Ready) (High Availability & Limited Time Promotion for new accounts)

Complete Working Example

Verified Linux ARM Configuration

# 1. Check architecture
uname -m
# Output: aarch64 (ARM64)

# 2. Check current OpenClaw version
openclaw --version
# Or: npm list -g openclaw

# 3. Uninstall old version
npm uninstall -g openclaw

# 4. Install latest version
npm install -g openclaw@latest

# 5. Verify it works
openclaw start
# Should start without clipboard errors

Docker Alternative (Instant Fix)

FROM node:18-alpine

# Install OpenClaw
RUN npm install -g openclaw

# Set working directory
WORKDIR /app

CMD ["openclaw"]

# Build and run
docker build -t openclaw-arm .
docker run -it --rm openclaw-arm

FAQ

Q: Why does this happen on Raspberry Pi but not x86?

A: The clipboard package only includes prebuilt binaries for x86/x86_64. On ARM (aarch64), the package tries to load an ARM binary that doesn't exist. Newer OpenClaw versions made this dependency optional to fix this issue.

Q: Will upgrading OpenClaw break my configuration?

A: Usually not. OpenClaw maintains backward compatibility for config files. Your openclaw.json should work with newer versions. Backup your config before upgrading just in case.

Q: Can I just use x86 VPS instead of ARM?

A: Yes, and it's usually faster. x86 servers have better performance and more software compatibility. ARM is great for power efficiency, but for development work, x86 VPS saves debugging time.

Q: What if I can't upgrade OpenClaw?

A: Use Docker. It creates an isolated Linux environment that bypasses ARM native module issues entirely. See Solution B above for Docker setup.

Q: Is this specific to OpenClaw?

A: No. Any app using @mariozechner/clipboard on Linux ARM will have this issue. OpenClaw fixed it by making the dependency optional. Other apps may still have this problem.

Fix Docker EACCES: Permission Denied - Docker permission issues
Fix 'spawn npm ENOENT' on Windows - Node installation issues
Fix 'spawn EINVAL' on Windows - Permissions
Running OpenClaw with DeepSeek R1: Complete Guide - Setup and configuration

Bottom Line: ARM compatibility issues are time sinks.

Upgrade OpenClaw to the latest version for the quick fix, or use x86 VPS to avoid ARM debugging entirely.

Deploy on Vultr (H100/A100 Ready) (High Availability & Limited Time Promotion for new accounts)

Still Stuck? Check Your Hardware

Sometimes the code is fine, but the GPU is simply refusing to cooperate. Before you waste another hour debugging, compare your specs against the Hardware Reality Table to see if you are fighting impossible physics.