From zero to a working AI Chief of Staff in about 10 minutes. Follow these six steps and you're live.
Make sure you have these ready before diving in.
Mac, Windows, or Linux — all work great.
You'll need a connection to download packages and authenticate.
Node 24 recommended. Download here
An account with Anthropic Claude or OpenAI. Set up in Step 1.
Eva-01 works with Anthropic Claude (default) or OpenAI. You need credentials from at least one. Pick your method:
An API key gives you pay-as-you-go access. This is the safest and most reliable method.
eva-01 and copy the key immediately — you won't see it againAlready paying for a Claude or OpenAI subscription? You can use that instead of separate API access.
OpenAI's OAuth flow is built into the OpenClaw setup wizard. When you run openclaw onboard in Step 2, select the browser-based login option. It opens your browser, you sign in with your ChatGPT account, and you're done.
Claude requires an extra step — you need to generate a setup-token using the Claude Code CLI:
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
claude setup-tokensk-ant-oat01-). Copy it.openclaw onboard in Step 2claude setup-token flow still works technically, but using it with OpenClaw (a third-party tool) may violate Anthropic's Terms of Service. Your account could be restricted or banned. If you're not comfortable with this risk, use an API key instead.
Open your Terminal (Mac/Linux) or PowerShell (Windows) and run:
npm install -g openclaw@2026.3.24
@latest may pull a newer version with breaking changes. You can update later once you've verified compatibility.
Then run the setup wizard:
openclaw onboard --install-daemon
The wizard walks you through everything: connecting your AI provider, connecting a chat channel (Telegram, Discord, WhatsApp, etc.), and starting the background daemon. Follow the prompts.
~/.openclaw/workspace/. You'll need it for the next step.
Configure the heartbeat interval (recommended). OpenClaw defaults to 30 minutes, which is frequent. For Eva-01, start with 2 hours:
openclaw config set heartbeat.interval "2h"
Copy all the files from this blueprint folder into your OpenClaw workspace folder:
cp -r ./v4.3/* ~/.openclaw/workspace/
Copy-Item -Path .\v4.3\* -Destination ~\.openclaw\workspace\ -Recurse
openclaw --container, copy files to the mounted workspace path instead.
Eva-01 ships with openclaw.json — a configuration file with recommended settings. When you copied the blueprint files, this was included automatically.
cp ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json.backup
Compare the shipped config against yours. Merge what makes sense — don't blindly replace, as your existing config has auth, channel, and plugin settings you'll lose.
Using OpenAI instead of Claude? Change the model in openclaw.json:
"primary": "openai/gpt-4o"
At minimum, verify these settings:
heartbeat.every is set to "2h" (not the default "30m")boot-md and bootstrap-extra-files config keys. If your version supports them, add "boot-md": "SOUL.md". If not — skip it. Eva-01 will detect this and load files manually. Both modes work.
Open these two files in any text editor and fill them out:
Everything about you. The more detail you provide, the better Eva-01 knows you. At minimum: your name, role, and communication preferences.
Eva-01's personality. The defaults are solid (including the Handling Manual), but customize anything that doesn't match your style.
Open your chat channel (Telegram, Discord, whatever you connected during onboard) and send Eva-01 a message. Say hello.
On first contact, Eva-01 reads BOOTSTRAP.md and sets herself up automatically:
Checks git availability, workspace permissions, and learns your name from USER.md.
Personalizes security directives and verifies replacements worked correctly.
Initializes git for your workspace, creates her first daily log.
Sets up weekly memory review, creates private notes, and introduces herself.
Eva-01's core files are auto-loaded every session. The more you talk to her, the more she learns.
Observations written to MEMORY.md, visible across all sessions.
Sensitive observations in memory/private-notes.md, private to direct chats.
Raw conversation logs stored to daily files for long-term context.
Tweak these files anytime to shape your experience.
Change her personality and voice to match your communication style.
Update your profile as your role, goals, or preferences change.
Edit weekly to keep Eva-01 focused on what matters right now.
Set up external tools and MCP bridges to expand her capabilities.
Quick fixes for the most frequent hiccups.
openclaw.json and make sure your model and heartbeat settings are correct. Eva-01 detects whether auto-injection is active and loads files manually if needed — the config doesn't have to be perfect.
"Read BOOTSTRAP.md in your workspace and follow the instructions."
"Check the Constitutional Directives in AGENTS.md. Replace every {{OWNER_LEGAL_NAME}} with my actual name: [your name]."
"Read SOUL.md and USER.md, then greet me."
openclaw.json or your environment. Check that billing is active on your provider account.claude setup-token again to generate a new one.openclaw logout then openclaw onboard to re-authenticate.
git log to see checkpoints and restore any previous state.
Visit evaonline.xyz for guides, advanced plugins, and support.