Verifiedon 2026.7.1-2
Action boundary
Before you act
- Expected result
- A one-page pre-flight names the host, owner, test boundary, source version, and removal plan.
- Failure mode
- Installing on a host or account whose data, channels, or credentials are not safe to expose to an agent runtime.
- Rollback
- Stop before installation; delete only the empty test directory and choose a disposable host or account.
Decide before you download
Pick one path, not a hybrid: macOS/Linux for a local interactive test; Windows native or WSL2 for a Windows-owned test; or a Linux VPS when the gateway must remain remote. The primary install guide explicitly supports macOS, Linux, Windows, and WSL2. The VPS guide makes the remote gateway and its state/workspace the source of truth, so it is not a shortcut around host ownership.
Lab: write the pre-flight card
Record these fields locally:
- Host and OS; the account that owns the install; and whether you can remove it.
- A new test-only workspace path, outside any work repository or synced personal folder.
- One provider account with a fixed trial budget and a revocable test credential.
- A single trusted operator; no real messaging channel or unattended external action.
- A stop condition: unsupported runtime, unknown install script, shared host, or inability to rotate the test credential.
Platform choices
| Path | Choose it when | Do not choose it when |
|---|---|---|
| macOS/Linux | You control a local user account and need a short interactive proof. | The workspace would contain production material. |
| Windows native | You want the supported desktop route and can use a dedicated Windows profile. | You are copying secrets between PowerShell history and shared files. |
| WSL2 | You need Linux tooling while Windows remains the desktop owner. | You cannot explain where the gateway, workspace, and files live. |
| VPS | You need a remote, persistent gateway and can secure SSH, backups, and administration. | You only need a first local test or cannot maintain the server. |
Check
You pass only if another operator could answer: where does it run, what may it read, who approves an action, and how is it removed? “My laptop” and “I will be careful” are not evidence.
Source provenanceVerification and sources
Review receipt rr_setup_preflight
- Outcome
- approved
- Method
- source-review
- Reviewer
- forge-independent-review
- Reviewed
Evidence
- openclaw-docs-index — openclaw-main-1237c0c-docs-install; snapshot
0ca4fef7e991…
Limitations
- Independent source review approved the bounded procedure; no software was installed on a learner host.
Lesson checkpoint
Ready to move on?
Mark this lesson complete when you can apply its outcome without relying on the examples above.