Linode (now part of Akamai) has maintained its reputation as the “developer’s cloud.” It doesn’t have the flashy UI of some competitors, but it offers rock-solid reliability, excellent documentation, and a great CLI.

If you prefer managing your OpenClaw infrastructure with precision, Linode is a great home for it.

The Linode Setup

  1. Sign up at Linode.
  2. Create Linode:
    • Distro: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS.
    • Region: Select one close to you.
    • Plan: Shared CPU -> Nanode 1GB (good for testing) or Linode 2GB (recommended for production).

Using StackScripts (Optional)

One of Linode’s coolest features is StackScripts. You can write a script that runs automatically upon deployment.

Here is a simple StackScript you can use to deploy OpenClaw automatically:

#!/bin/bash
# <UDF name="openclaw_repo" label="OpenClaw Git Repo" default="https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw.git" />

# Update system
apt-get update && apt-get upgrade -y

# Install Node.js
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_22.x | bash -
apt-get install -y nodejs git build-essential

# Clone Repo
git clone $OPENCLAW_REPO /opt/openclaw
cd /opt/openclaw

# Install Dependencies
npm install

# Setup PM2
npm install -g pm2
pm2 start index.js --name openclaw
pm2 save

Using this script means your server is ready the moment it boots up!

Manual Installation

If you prefer the manual route:

  1. SSH into your Linode.
  2. Install npm and node.
  3. Clone the repository.
  4. Run npm install and npm start.

Monitoring

Linode’s “Longview” is a great tool for monitoring your system’s health. Since OpenClaw can be CPU-intensive during inference (if using local models) or heavy on network (if browsing the web), keeping an eye on these metrics via Longview helps you know when it’s time to upgrade your plan.