Everything you need to run your Rick. Installation, commands, configuration, troubleshooting—it's all here.
Rick installs with a single terminal command. No Docker, no dependencies, no package managers. Just paste and go.
After install, Rick sends a heartbeat to confirm he's alive. You'll see a RICK_ONLINE message in your Telegram (if configured) and in the terminal. This is Rick's way of saying "I'm ready." From here, Rick begins his boot sequence: loading your SOUL.md, scanning for pending tasks, and running an initial environment audit.
All Rick operations run through the rick CLI. Here's every command you need.
Rick supports multiple LLM providers. Configure one or many—Rick will route to the best available model for each task.
The default and recommended provider. Haiku (Free), Sonnet (Pro), or Opus (Business) depending on your tier.
Get your key from:
console.anthropic.comKey format: sk-ant-...
Used as a fallback model on Pro and Business tiers. Supports GPT-4o and later models.
Get your key from:
platform.openai.comKey format: sk-...
Available as an additional fallback. Gemini Pro and Ultra supported on Pro+ tiers.
Get your key from:
aistudio.google.comKey format: AIza...
Run models locally for free. No API key needed. Great for experimentation and privacy-sensitive tasks.
Install from:
ollama.aiRuns on localhost:11434
All API keys are stored locally in your workspace config at ~/.openclaw/workspace. Keys never leave your machine. You can set them during install, or update them later with rick config.
Telegram is Rick's native communication channel. Here's how to set it up in 5 steps.
Open Telegram, search for @BotFather, and send /newbot. Follow the prompts to name your bot (e.g., "My Rick Bot").
BotFather will give you a token like 7123456789:AAH.... Copy this—you'll need it in the next step.
Paste the token during rick setup, or add it later via rick config. Rick stores it locally in your workspace.
Message @userinfobot on Telegram. It will reply with your numeric chat ID. Enter this during setup so Rick knows where to send messages.
Run rick start and send any message to your bot. Rick should respond within seconds. If he does—you're live.
Rick comes in three tiers. Start free, upgrade when you need more power.
| Feature | Free | Pro — $9/mo | Business — $499/mo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skills | 5 | 16 | 24 |
| Models | Haiku | Sonnet + 3 fallbacks | Opus + 5 fallbacks |
| Channels | Telegram | + Slack | + Email + Webhooks |
| Briefings | — | Daily + Weekly | + Nightly + Monthly Strategy |
| Sub-agents | No | No | Yes (5 concurrent) |
| Overnight | No | No | Graduated autonomy |
| Strategy Panel | No | No | Multi-model consensus |
| Rick Network | Rank only | + Benchmarks + Tips | + Prime channel |
See full pricing details at /pro.
Every Rick is part of a global network. Anonymous, opt-in, and designed to make every Rick smarter over time.
Task counts, skill usage patterns, and performance stats. No private data, no conversation content, no file contents. Ever.
Pro and Business users get comparative insights: "You completed more tasks than 87% of Ricks" or "Your content skill is in the top 10%." Real data, not vanity metrics.
Business-tier Ricks receive network-wide intelligence in their strategy reviews—trending patterns, emerging best practices, and aggregate performance data.
Don't want to participate? No problem. Use the --no-telemetry flag during install, or create a file at:
Rick will still work perfectly. You just won't see benchmarks or network insights.
Rick keeps himself current. Here's how the update system works under the hood.
Most problems have a one-line fix. Click to expand.
Run the health check and share the output with Rick HQ:
Copy the full output and send it to @rickaiassistant_bot on Telegram. We'll diagnose remotely.
First, try a restart:
If that doesn't work, run the repair script:
This re-registers and runs a full health check. If it persists, check rick logs for specific error messages.
Force an update check:
Rick auto-updates weekly, but you can trigger it manually anytime.
Generate a connection code so Rick HQ can diagnose your instance remotely:
Share the 6-character code with @rickaiassistant_bot on Telegram. Rick HQ will respond within 5 minutes.
Another process is holding port 18789. Kill it and restart:
Then run rick start to bring Rick back up.
Run the repair script to re-establish the network connection:
This re-registers your Rick with the network without affecting your config or memory.
Re-running the install script preserves your existing memory and config:
Your SOUL.md, USER.md, MEMORY.md, vault/, and daily-notes/ are never overwritten.
Pass the uninstall flag to the installer:
This removes the Rick runtime but leaves your workspace data intact at ~/.openclaw/ in case you want to reinstall later.
Check the key format for your provider:
Make sure you copied the full key with no trailing spaces. Update it with rick config and then rick restart.
Stuck? Reach out. We respond to everything.