Your First OpenClaw Config File

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What is clawhub.json?

The clawhub.json file is your agent's brain. It tells OpenClaw:

Which LLM to use (OpenAI, DeepSeek, Claude)
Your API credentials
Agent behavior and capabilities
Plugin configurations

Minimal Example

Here's the simplest possible config:

{
  "llm": {
    "provider": "openai",
    "apiKey": "sk-...",
    "model": "gpt-4o"
  }
}

Recommended Config (Production-Ready)

For real-world use, add these fields:

{
  "llm": {
    "provider": "openai",
    "apiKey": "sk-...",
    "model": "gpt-4o",
    "temperature": 0.7,
    "maxTokens": 4000
  },
  "agent": {
    "name": "MyAssistant",
    "host": "127.0.0.1",
    "port": 3000,
    "logLevel": "info"
  },
  "skills": [
    "browser-use",
    "memory-core"
  ]
}

Using DeepSeek (10x Cheaper)

DeepSeek V3.2 offers GPT-4-level performance at 1/10th the cost:

{
  "llm": {
    "provider": "deepseek",
    "apiKey": "sk-...",
    "model": "deepseek-chat",
    "baseURL": "https://api.deepseek.com/v1"
  }
}

💡 Pro Tip: Use our Cost Estimator to compare pricing before committing.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Trailing Commas

JSON doesn't support trailing commas. Our Config Wizard handles this automatically.

❌ Windows Path Escaping

Use C:\\\\Users not C:\\Users. The wizard auto-fixes this.

❌ Hardcoded API Keys

Never commit API keys to Git. Use environment variables instead.

Best Practices

Use 127.0.0.1 instead of localhost

Avoids IPv6 issues in Node.js v18+

Set maxTokens to prevent runaway costs

Recommended: 4000 for most tasks

Enable logging in development

Set logLevel to "debug" for troubleshooting

Validate before deploying

Use Config Wizard to catch syntax errors

Next Steps

Docker Setup

Deploy with Docker Compose

Browse Plugins

Add capabilities to your agent

Last Updated: February 6, 2026 | Time to Create: 30 seconds (with Config Wizard) or 10 minutes (manual)