Fix “npm install failed for openclaw@latest”

! npm install failed for openclaw@latest
npm error code ELIFECYCLE
npm error errno 1

A failed npm install -g openclaw@latest can have several root causes. Work through the steps below in order — most users are unblocked by checking the Node.js version and clearing the npm cache.

Step 1: Check Node.js Version

OpenClaw requires Node.js v22.12.0 or later. Installing on an older version will fail during the postinstall step:

node --version   # Must be v22.12.0+
npm --version

# If outdated, install Node.js v22 LTS:
# Via nvm (recommended):
nvm install 22
nvm use 22

# Or download from nodejs.org (LTS)

Step 2: Clear npm Cache

A corrupted npm cache is a common cause of install failures. Clear it and retry:

npm cache clean --force
npm install -g openclaw@latest

Step 3: Fix Network / Registry Errors

If the error message contains ECONNRESET, ETIMEDOUT, or ENOTFOUND registry.npmjs.org:

# Reset to the official npm registry
npm config set registry https://registry.npmjs.org/

# Test registry connection
npm ping

# Retry install
npm install -g openclaw@latest

Step 4: Fix Permissions (Linux / macOS)

On Linux or macOS, you may see EACCES: permission denied when installing globally. The recommended fix is to change the npm prefix to a user-writable directory:

mkdir -p ~/.npm-global
npm config set prefix '~/.npm-global'

# Add to ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc:
export PATH="$HOME/.npm-global/bin:$PATH"

# Reload shell:
source ~/.zshrc

# Now install without sudo:
npm install -g openclaw@latest

Step 5: Run Verbose Install for Diagnosis

If the above steps haven't resolved the issue, run with verbose logging to identify the exact failure point:

npm install -g openclaw@latest --verbose 2>&1 | tee /tmp/openclaw-install.log

# Review the log:
cat /tmp/openclaw-install.log | grep -E "error|ERR|WARN" | head -50

Verify Successful Install

openclaw --version
openclaw gateway status
npx clawkit-doctor@latest