# Getting Started with OpenClaw
*March 1, 2026*


*Description: A quick introduction to OpenClaw agent orchestration and how to set up your first agent.*


OpenClaw is an open-source agent orchestration platform that helps you build AI agents with persistent memory, skill systems, and multi-agent coordination.

## Core Concepts

### Memory Architecture

OpenClaw uses a three-tier memory model:

- **Episodic** - Daily logs (`memory/episodic/YYYY-MM-DD.md`)
- **Semantic** - Knowledge base (`memory/semantic/topic.md`)
- **Procedural** - Workflows (`memory/procedural/process.md`)

### Skills System

Skills are modular capabilities stored in `~/.openclaw/skills/`. Each skill has:
- `SKILL.md` - Documentation
- Scripts or tools
- Configuration

### Sub-agents

OpenClaw can spawn specialized sub-agents for tasks:
- `homelab-guardian` - Infrastructure management
- `researcher` - Web research and analysis
- `communicator` - Outbound messages
- `orchestrator` - Tool selection

## Quick Start

### Installation

```bash
# Install OpenClaw
npm install -g openclaw

# Initialize workspace
openclaw init
```

### First Agent

```bash
# Create a simple agent
openclaw agent create my-agent

# Run it
openclaw agent run my-agent
```

## Next Steps

- [Memory Management Best Practices](/docs/memory-management/) - Learn about the memory architecture
- [Security Framework](/docs/security/sel-cynefin-framework/) - Understand agent security levels

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*This guide covers the basics of OpenClaw. For more details, see the [OpenClaw documentation](https://docs.openclaw.ai).*


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*Source: [Derek's Guides](https://guides.derekleeds.cloud/)*