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OpenClaw on a Dedalus Machine. No SSH. Everything goes through the execution API. Full script: dedalus-labs/openclaw-ddls.
.env

1. Create the machine

exec(mid, cmd) below is a thin wrapper around client.machines.executions.create that polls until succeeded/failed and returns stdout. See the reference repo for the 15-line helper.

2. Install OpenClaw into persistent storage

Root fs is small and ephemeral. Redirect everything npm writes (prefix, cache, tmp) into /home/machine/.

3. Configure, then launch the gateway

Enable the HTTP endpoint before starting the gateway or you restart it. setsid is how you detach: the execution API waits on foreground processes, and nohup & alone inherits the session.

4. Chat

model is an agent target. Override the backing LLM with x-openclaw-model: anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6. Streaming with "stream": true. Sessions share history by user.

Full reference

openclaw.ts end-to-end + chat.ts replayer.
Last modified on April 28, 2026