Prerequisites: This guide assumes you have basic Docker knowledge and have already completed the basic OpenClaw installation. You'll need Docker Desktop (Windows/Mac) or Docker Engine (Linux), Docker Compose, and basic command line skills. Estimated setup time: 30-45 minutes for full production deployment.
Running OpenClaw directly on your machine works for testing, but production deployments need reliability, isolation, and easy maintenance. Docker containers provide all three. I've been running OpenClaw in Docker for six months with zero downtime and effortless updates.
This guide walks through everything from basic containerization to advanced production setups with health checks, automatic restarts, and VPN integration. Whether you're deploying to a home server or cloud infrastructure, you'll have a rock-solid OpenClaw deployment by the end.
Why Docker for OpenClaw?
Isolation & Security
OpenClaw runs in its own container with limited access to your host system. Even if compromised, attackers can't escape the container.
Easy Updates
Pull new image, restart container. No dependency conflicts or system pollution. Updates take 30 seconds instead of 30 minutes.
Auto-Restart
Configure automatic restarts on failure. Your AI agent recovers from crashes without manual intervention.
Portability
Same container runs on any Docker host. Move from local testing to cloud deployment with zero code changes.
Step 1: Install Docker
Windows Installation
- Download Docker Desktop from
docker.com/products/docker-desktop - Run installer with admin privileges
- Enable WSL 2 backend when prompted
- Restart computer after installation
Verify installation:
docker --version
macOS Installation
Download Docker Desktop for Mac (Intel or Apple Silicon). Installation is straightforward - drag to Applications folder and launch.
Linux Installation
# Ubuntu/Debian
curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
# Install Docker Compose
sudo apt install docker-compose-plugin
# Log out and back in for group changes
Step 2: Create Dockerfile
Production-Ready Dockerfile
Create a file named Dockerfile in your OpenClaw project directory:
# Use official Node.js LTS image
FROM node:20-alpine
# Set working directory
WORKDIR /app
# Copy package files
COPY package*.json ./
# Install dependencies (production only)
RUN npm ci --only=production
# Copy application code
COPY . .
# Create non-root user for security
RUN addgroup -g 1001 -S openclaw && \
adduser -S openclaw -u 1001
# Change ownership
RUN chown -R openclaw:openclaw /app
# Switch to non-root user
USER openclaw
# Health check
HEALTHCHECK --interval=30s --timeout=10s --retries=3 \
CMD node healthcheck.js || exit 1
# Start OpenClaw
CMD ["node", "index.js"]
Why This Dockerfile is Secure
- ✓ Alpine Linux base = 5MB image vs 150MB for full Node
- ✓ Non-root user prevents privilege escalation attacks
- ✓ Health check auto-restarts on failure
- ✓ Production dependencies only (faster builds, smaller size)
Step 3: Docker Compose Configuration
Complete docker-compose.yml
Create docker-compose.yml for easy orchestration:
version: '3.8'
services:
openclaw:
build: .
container_name: openclaw-agent
restart: unless-stopped
env_file:
- .env
volumes:
- ./data:/app/data
- ./logs:/app/logs
networks:
- openclaw-net
logging:
driver: "json-file"
options:
max-size: "10m"
max-file: "3"
mem_limit: 2g
cpus: 1.5
security_opt:
- no-new-privileges:true
read_only: true
tmpfs:
- /tmp
networks:
openclaw-net:
driver: bridge
Key Features
- • restart: unless-stopped - Auto-restart on crash
- • volumes - Persist data across restarts
- • mem_limit - Prevent memory leaks
Security Hardening
- • read_only: true - Immutable filesystem
- • no-new-privileges - Blocks privilege escalation
- • tmpfs - Writable /tmp in memory
Step 4: VPN Integration (Critical for Security)
VPN07 - Best for Docker Deployments
Why Docker Needs VPN Protection
- Exposed API Traffic: Docker containers connect directly to the internet. All OpenAI/Anthropic API calls are visible to your ISP and network administrators.
- Container Isolation: VPN07 provides network-level encryption for all container traffic. Even if container is compromised, traffic remains encrypted.
- 24/7 Reliability: With 1000Mbps bandwidth and 99.9% uptime, VPN07 never becomes the bottleneck for your AI automation.
- Simple Integration: VPN07 offers WireGuard container images that work seamlessly with Docker networking.
Industry Standard for Production AI
VPN07 has been the international standard for containerized AI workloads since 2016. With dedicated support for Docker, Kubernetes, and other orchestration platforms, it's trusted by Fortune 500 companies and individual developers alike.
VPN-Enabled Docker Compose
Route all OpenClaw traffic through VPN07:
version: '3.8'
services:
vpn:
image: vpn07/wireguard:latest
container_name: vpn07-gateway
cap_add:
- NET_ADMIN
- SYS_MODULE
environment:
- VPN07_USERNAME=your_username
- VPN07_PASSWORD=your_password
sysctls:
- net.ipv4.conf.all.src_valid_mark=1
restart: unless-stopped
networks:
- openclaw-net
openclaw:
build: .
container_name: openclaw-agent
depends_on:
- vpn
network_mode: "service:vpn"
restart: unless-stopped
env_file:
- .env
volumes:
- ./data:/app/data
- ./logs:/app/logs
networks:
openclaw-net:
driver: bridge
With network_mode: "service:vpn", OpenClaw inherits the VPN container's network. All traffic is automatically encrypted and routed through VPN07.
Step 5: Build and Deploy
Launch Your Containerized OpenClaw
1. Build the Image
docker-compose build
First build takes 2-3 minutes. Subsequent builds use cache and complete in 30 seconds.
2. Start All Services
docker-compose up -d
-d flag runs in detached mode (background). VPN and OpenClaw both start automatically.
3. Check Status
docker-compose ps
You should see:
openclaw-agent Up 2 minutes (healthy)
4. View Logs
docker-compose logs -f openclaw
-f flag streams logs in real-time. Press Ctrl+C to exit (container keeps running).
Step 6: Monitoring & Health Checks
Create healthcheck.js
Add a simple health check script to your project:
// healthcheck.js
const http = require('http');
const options = {
host: 'localhost',
port: process.env.HEALTH_PORT || 3000,
path: '/health',
timeout: 2000
};
const request = http.request(options, (res) => {
if (res.statusCode === 200) {
process.exit(0);
} else {
process.exit(1);
}
});
request.on('error', () => process.exit(1));
request.end();
Docker runs this script every 30 seconds. If it fails 3 times, the container is marked unhealthy and automatically restarted.
Advanced Monitoring with Watchtower
Auto-update containers when new OpenClaw versions release:
# Add to docker-compose.yml
watchtower:
image: containrrr/watchtower
volumes:
- /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
command: --interval 3600 --cleanup
restart: unless-stopped
Watchtower checks for updates every hour and automatically pulls new images, restarts containers, and cleans up old versions.
Production Optimizations
Persistent Storage
Use named volumes instead of bind mounts for better performance:
- openclaw-data:/app/data
Resource Limits
Prevent OpenClaw from consuming all system resources:
cpus: 1.5
Log Rotation
Prevent logs from filling your disk:
options:
max-size: "10m"
max-file: "3"
Graceful Shutdown
Handle SIGTERM properly in your code:
cleanup();
process.exit(0);
});
Common Docker Issues & Solutions
Container Exits Immediately
Cause: Missing environment variables or startup script error
Fix: Check logs with docker-compose logs openclaw
VPN Connection Fails
Cause: Missing NET_ADMIN capability or wrong credentials
Fix: Verify VPN07 credentials and add cap_add: NET_ADMIN
Slow Performance
Cause: Resource constraints or inefficient VPN routing
Fix: Increase memory limits and use VPN07's optimized servers (1000Mbps bandwidth eliminates network bottlenecks)
Related Articles
Production-Ready OpenClaw with VPN07
Deploy OpenClaw with confidence using VPN07's Docker-native security. Perfect for 24/7 production environments with 1000Mbps bandwidth, zero throttling, and enterprise-grade encryption at an unbeatable price.