How to Deploy Your First OpenClaw Agent

Deploying an AI agent used to require spinning up servers, configuring Docker containers, managing SSL certificates, and wrestling with networking. EZClaws eliminates all of that. In this guide, you will go from zero to a fully running OpenClaw AI agent in under five minutes.

OpenClaw is an open-source autonomous AI agent framework capable of browsing the web, managing files, executing code, sending emails, and much more. EZClaws provides managed hosting so you can focus on what your agent does rather than how it runs.

By the end of this guide, you will have a live AI agent with its own HTTPS endpoint, ready to accept instructions through the dashboard or via a connected messaging platform like Telegram.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have the following:

• A Google account — EZClaws uses Google OAuth for authentication, so you will sign in with your existing Google account.
• An API key from a supported model provider — OpenClaw agents need access to a large language model. Supported providers include OpenAI, Anthropic, Google (Gemini), and others. If you do not have a key yet, see our guide on configuring model providers.
• A modern web browser — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge all work perfectly.

No command-line tools, servers, or cloud accounts are required. EZClaws handles all infrastructure for you.

Step 1: Create Your EZClaws Account

Navigate to ezclaws.com and click Get Started in the top navigation bar. You will be redirected to the sign-in page at /signin.

Click Sign in with Google and authorize EZClaws to access your basic profile information. EZClaws only requests your name and email address — no access to your Google Drive, Gmail, or other services.

Once authenticated, you will land on your dashboard at /app. This is your command center for managing agents, monitoring usage, and installing skills.

If this is your first time signing in, EZClaws automatically provisions trial credits so you can test the platform without subscribing. You can check your credit balance in the billing section at /app/billing.

Step 2: Navigate to Agent Creation

From your dashboard, click the Deploy New Agent button. This opens the agent creation form where you will configure your agent before deployment.

The form is organized into a few sections:

• Agent Name — A human-readable display name for your agent (e.g., "Research Assistant" or "Support Bot").
• Model Provider — The LLM provider your agent will use (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, etc.).
• API Key — Your API key for the selected model provider.
• Region — The geographic region where your agent will run. Choose the region closest to your users for the lowest latency.

Fill in the agent name first. Choose something descriptive so you can easily identify it later, especially if you plan to deploy multiple agents.

Step 3: Configure Your Model Provider

Select your preferred model provider from the dropdown. Each provider offers different models with varying capabilities and pricing:

• OpenAI — GPT-4o, GPT-4o-mini, and other models. Best for general-purpose tasks.
• Anthropic — Claude models. Strong at analysis, writing, and following complex instructions.
• Google — Gemini models. Good balance of speed and capability.
• Replicate — Access to open-source models. Useful for specialized tasks.

After selecting a provider, paste your API key into the key field. EZClaws encrypts your key and stores it securely — it is never exposed in logs or the UI after submission.

# Example: Getting an OpenAI API key
# 1. Go to https://platform.openai.com/api-keys
# 2. Click "Create new secret key"
# 3. Copy the key (starts with sk-)
# 4. Paste it into the EZClaws form

If you need help obtaining an API key, check out our detailed guide at /guides/manage-api-keys.

Step 4: Select a Deployment Region

Choose the region where your agent will be hosted. Available regions include:

• US West — Best for North American users.
• US East — Good for East Coast and European users.
• EU West — Ideal for European compliance requirements.
• Asia Pacific — Lowest latency for users in Asia and Oceania.

The region affects network latency between your agent and the model provider's API, as well as latency to any connected services. For most users, US West or US East provides the best overall performance since most model provider APIs are hosted in the United States.

Step 5: Deploy the Agent

Review your configuration, then click Deploy Agent. EZClaws will begin the provisioning process, which involves several automated steps:

1. Queued — Your deployment request is in the queue.
2. Creating — EZClaws is spinning up a dedicated container on Railway with the OpenClaw runtime.
3. Running — Your agent is live and ready to receive instructions.

You can watch the status transition in real time on your dashboard. Each status change is logged in the agent's event timeline, giving you full visibility into the deployment process.

Once the status shows Running, your agent is live. EZClaws automatically assigns an HTTPS domain that looks like:

https://your-agent-name-production-xxxx.up.railway.app

This domain is displayed on your agent's detail page at /app/agents/[id]. You can use it to interact with your agent's API directly or connect messaging integrations.

Step 6: Verify Your Deployment

Click on your agent's name in the dashboard to open its detail page. Here you will see:

• Status — Should show "Running" with a green indicator.
• Gateway URL — The HTTPS endpoint assigned to your agent.
• Usage — Real-time credit consumption for the current billing cycle.
• Event Log — A chronological list of deployment events.

To verify the agent is responsive, you can interact with it through the dashboard's built-in chat interface. Type a simple message like "Hello, what can you do?" and confirm you receive a response.

If the agent responds, congratulations — you have successfully deployed your first OpenClaw agent on EZClaws.

Step 7: Explore Next Steps

Now that your agent is running, consider these next steps to get the most out of it:

• Connect Telegram — Give your agent a chat interface by connecting a Telegram bot. See our guide on connecting a Telegram bot.
• Install Skills — Expand your agent's capabilities with pre-built skills from the marketplace at /app/marketplace. Learn how in our skills guide.
• Monitor Usage — Keep an eye on your credit consumption in the billing dashboard. Our monitoring guide covers this in detail.
• Add Memory — Give your agent persistent memory so it can remember context across conversations. See adding memory to your agent.

For a comprehensive overview of deployment options, visit our deployment guide.

Troubleshooting

Agent stuck in "Creating" status

If your agent has been in the "Creating" state for more than five minutes, try the following:

1. Refresh your dashboard page.
2. Check the agent's event log for error messages.
3. If the event log shows a provisioning error, delete the agent and create a new one.
4. Ensure your account has sufficient credits — deployments require a minimum credit balance.

Agent shows "Error" status

An error status usually indicates a configuration problem. Common causes include:

• Invalid API key — Double-check that your model provider API key is correct and has sufficient quota.
• Billing issue — Ensure your model provider account has an active payment method if the provider requires one.
• Rate limit — Some model providers impose rate limits on new API keys. Wait a few minutes and try again.

The error message on the agent's detail page will provide specific information about what went wrong. Use the Redeploy button after correcting the issue.

Cannot access the agent's gateway URL

If the gateway URL returns an error:

1. Confirm the agent's status is "Running" on your dashboard.
2. Wait 30 seconds after deployment completes for DNS propagation.
3. Try accessing the URL in an incognito window to rule out caching issues.
4. If the problem persists, check our status page for any platform issues.

Understanding the Dashboard

Your EZClaws dashboard provides several key sections:

• Agents — List of all your deployed agents with status indicators.
• Billing — Subscription plan details, credit usage, and payment history at /app/billing.
• Marketplace — Browse and install skills for your agents at /app/marketplace.
• Settings — Account preferences and notification settings at /app/settings.

The dashboard updates in real time using Convex's reactive data layer, so you never need to manually refresh to see the latest status of your agents.

How EZClaws Deployment Works Behind the Scenes

When you click "Deploy Agent," EZClaws performs the following automated steps:

1. Validates your configuration — Checks that all required fields are present and the API key format is valid for the selected provider.
2. Creates a Railway service — Provisions a dedicated container running the OpenClaw Docker image.
3. Configures environment variables — Securely passes your API key, admin credentials, and agent settings to the container.
4. Assigns an HTTPS domain — Railway automatically generates a domain with a valid SSL certificate.
5. Starts health monitoring — EZClaws polls the agent to confirm it is responsive and updates the status in your dashboard.

All of this happens automatically. There are no servers to configure, no Docker files to write, and no DNS records to manage. For more on how EZClaws compares to self-hosting, visit our alternatives page.

Best Practices for Your First Agent

Here are some tips to get the most out of your first deployment:

1. Start with a clear purpose — Define what you want your agent to do before deploying. A focused agent with well-defined skills performs better than a generic one.
2. Use a descriptive name — Names like "Customer Support Bot" or "Research Agent" make it easy to manage multiple agents.
3. Monitor your credits — Check the billing page regularly, especially during your trial period, to understand your usage patterns.
4. Keep your API key secure — Never share your model provider API key. EZClaws encrypts it, but you should also rotate it periodically on the provider's platform.
5. Explore the marketplace — Before building custom integrations, check if a pre-built skill already does what you need. The marketplace at /app/marketplace grows regularly.

What Can Your Agent Do?

Once deployed, your OpenClaw agent can perform a wide range of tasks:

• Browse the web — Search for information, visit websites, and extract data from web pages.
• Manage files — Read, write, and organize files within its environment.
• Execute code — Run Python, JavaScript, and shell commands to process data or automate tasks.
• Send emails — Compose and send emails when configured with email skills.
• Chat via Telegram — Respond to messages in real time through a connected Telegram bot.
• Perform research — Gather information from multiple sources and compile summaries.
• Automate workflows — Chain multiple tasks together to complete complex objectives.

To explore specific use cases, visit our use cases page for inspiration and examples.

Summary

You have now deployed your first OpenClaw AI agent on EZClaws. The entire process takes less than five minutes and requires no infrastructure knowledge. Your agent is running on dedicated hardware with an HTTPS endpoint, ready to handle whatever tasks you throw at it.

For your next steps, we recommend connecting a messaging platform like Telegram for easy interaction, and exploring the skills marketplace to extend your agent's capabilities. Check our blog for tips, tutorials, and product updates.

If you need help or have questions, reach out through the support channel or browse our other guides for detailed walkthroughs of every EZClaws feature.