Getting Started

Installation

Get Constclaw running in under 5 minutes.

Prerequisites

✓ Node.js ≥ 22 installed on your machine
✓ Chrome 114+ (or Chromium-based browser with Side Panel API)
✓ macOS, Linux, or Windows (WSL2 strongly recommended)

Install OpenClaw gateway

Constclaw talks to your local OpenClaw gateway via WebSocket. Install it first using the official installer:

macOS / Linux / WSL2bash

"c"># Recommended installer (detects OS, installs Node 22+ if needed)
"kw">curl -fsSL https://"kw">openclaw.ai/install.sh | "kw">bash

Windows PowerShellbash

"c"># Windows PowerShell
iwr -useb https://"kw">openclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex

npm (manual)bash

"c"># Or install manually via "kw">npm
"kw">npm install -g "kw">openclaw@latest

Note: The installer handles Node.js setup automatically on macOS/Linux. On Windows, use WSL2 for the best experience. See installer docs for details.

Run the onboarding wizard

The wizard guides you through gateway setup, AI provider configuration, and daemon installation:

bash

"c"># Run the onboarding wizard (recommended)
"kw">openclaw onboard --install-daemon

"c"># The wizard will:
"c"># 1. Set up the gateway config
"c"># 2. Configure your AI provider (Anthropic / OpenAI)
"c"># 3. Install as a system daemon (auto-start on login)

Recommended provider: Anthropic Claude Pro/Max + Opus 4.6 gives the best long-context strength and prompt-injection resistance. See OpenClaw onboarding docs.

Start the gateway

If the daemon is installed, it starts automatically. For manual control:

bash

"c"># Start the gateway in the foreground
"kw">openclaw gateway

"c"># Or use the dashboard (includes gateway start)
"kw">openclaw dashboard

"c"># Verify it's running
"kw">openclaw status
"kw">openclaw doctor

"c"># Health check — you should see: ok: true
"kw">openclaw health

The gateway binds to ws://127.0.0.1:18789 by default. You can change the port in ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json.

Download & load Constclaw

Download the extension ZIP and load it in Chrome developer mode:

Download

Download the latest release ZIP and unzip it.

Open Extensions

Navigate to chrome://extensions/ in Chrome.

Enable Developer Mode

Toggle Developer mode in the top-right corner.

Load Unpacked

Click Load unpacked and select the ai-assistant-extension folder.

Configure the extension

Click the Constclaw icon in your toolbar to open the side panel. Click the ⚙️ settings button and verify:

Setting

Default

Notes

Gateway URL

ws://127.0.0.1:18789

Change only if using a custom port or remote gateway

Gateway Token

empty

Only needed if OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN is set

Response Language

English

Language for AI responses

Analysis Mode

Explain & Define

Default mode for the Analyze button

✓

Test it out

Go to any webpage, highlight any text, and click the "Ask Constclaw" floating button that appears. The side panel should show your selected text with an Analyze button. Click it — you'll get an AI response in seconds.

🦀

You're all set! Constclaw is connected to your local OpenClaw gateway. Your data never leaves your machine.

Troubleshooting

Cannot connect to OpenClaw at ws://127.0.0.1:18789

Run openclaw gateway or openclaw dashboard. Check openclaw status.

Gateway rejected connection — check your token

Set your OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN in extension Settings.

Gateway connection timed out (10s)

Run openclaw doctor to diagnose. Check port is 18789.

Button appears but no response

Check openclaw logs. Ensure AI provider (Anthropic/OpenAI) is configured.

Extension not visible in Chrome

Pin Constclaw from the extensions puzzle icon in the toolbar.

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