NanoClaw Linux Setup

Run commands automatically. Only pause when user action is required (WhatsApp QR scan, choosing Claude auth).

Notes

• •Runs directly on the host (no containers).
• •The systemd service uses npm run dev (tsx), not dist/index.js.

1) Prerequisites

Required

• •Linux x86_64 (tested on Ubuntu 24.04)
• •Node.js >= 20 (Node 22 recommended)
• •npm (comes with Node)
• •Build tools for native modules (needed by better-sqlite3)

Install system packages:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y \
  git \
  ca-certificates \
  build-essential \
  python3 \
  pkg-config

Optional but useful:

sudo apt-get install -y sqlite3

Claude authentication (pick one)

NanoClaw uses the Claude Agent SDK. Provide either:

• •CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN (Claude Code OAuth), or
• •ANTHROPIC_API_KEY

2) Clone / fork

If you already have the repo, skip.

git clone https://github.com/gunabot/nanoclaw.git
cd nanoclaw

3) Install dependencies

npm install

If this fails due to better-sqlite3 build errors, see Troubleshooting.

4) Configuration (.env)

NanoClaw reads env vars from .env in the project root.

Minimum Discord + Claude example:

cat > .env << 'EOF'
ASSISTANT_NAME=Andy
DISCORD_TOKEN=
DISCORD_MAIN_CHANNEL_ID=
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=
# Or use: CLAUDE_CODE_OAUTH_TOKEN=
EOF

Notes:

• •Discord-only is supported. Leave WhatsApp steps out if you only want Discord.
• •For WhatsApp-only, you can omit DISCORD_TOKEN.

5) WhatsApp authentication (optional)

USER ACTION REQUIRED

Run:

npm run auth

Tell the user:

A QR code will appear. On your phone:

1. •Open WhatsApp
2. •Settings → Linked Devices → Link a Device
3. •Scan the QR code

When it prints “Successfully authenticated” (or “Already authenticated”), continue.

6) Register your WhatsApp main control chat (optional)

NanoClaw only needs this if you are using WhatsApp.

Ask the user:

Do you want to use your personal chat (Message Yourself) or a WhatsApp group as your main control channel?

Have them send a message in that chat, then capture recent JIDs by briefly running the app:

timeout 10 npm run dev || true

Then query recent chats:

# Personal chat (ends with @s.whatsapp.net)
sqlite3 store/messages.db \
  "SELECT DISTINCT chat_jid FROM messages WHERE chat_jid LIKE '%@s.whatsapp.net' ORDER BY timestamp DESC LIMIT 10;"

# Group chat (ends with @g.us)
sqlite3 store/messages.db \
  "SELECT DISTINCT chat_jid FROM messages WHERE chat_jid LIKE '%@g.us' ORDER BY timestamp DESC LIMIT 10;"

Create/update data/registered_groups.json (choose a trigger word; default is @Andy):

mkdir -p data
NOW=$(date -Is)
cat > data/registered_groups.json << EOF
{
  "JID_HERE": {
    "name": "main",
    "folder": "main",
    "trigger": "@Andy",
    "added_at": "${NOW}"
  }
}
EOF

Ensure the group folder exists:

mkdir -p groups/main/logs

7) Run NanoClaw

Foreground (dev runner via tsx):

npm run dev

8) Systemd (optional)

Create a service unit (adjust user/project path):

PROJECT_PATH=$(pwd)
NPM_BIN=$(command -v npm)

sudo tee /etc/systemd/system/nanoclaw.service > /dev/null << EOF
[Unit]
Description=NanoClaw assistant
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=$USER
WorkingDirectory=${PROJECT_PATH}
EnvironmentFile=${PROJECT_PATH}/.env
ExecStart=${NPM_BIN} run dev
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=3

# Hardening (best-effort)
NoNewPrivileges=true
PrivateTmp=true
ProtectSystem=full
ReadWritePaths=${PROJECT_PATH}

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
EOF

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable --now nanoclaw.service

Check status and logs:

systemctl status nanoclaw.service --no-pager
journalctl -u nanoclaw.service -f

9) Test

• •Discord: send a message in DISCORD_MAIN_CHANNEL_ID → expect a response.
• •WhatsApp: in your registered chat, send @Andy hello → expect a response.

Troubleshooting

better-sqlite3 fails to install / build

Symptoms: node-gyp errors during npm install.

Fix:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y build-essential python3 pkg-config
rm -rf node_modules package-lock.json
npm install

sqlite3: command not found

Install the CLI (NanoClaw itself does not strictly require it, but setup queries do):

sudo apt-get install -y sqlite3

WhatsApp auth keeps disconnecting

• •Re-run:
  bash

  npm run auth
  

• •If running under systemd, restart:
  bash

  sudo systemctl restart nanoclaw.service
  

No response to messages

• •Discord: confirm DISCORD_TOKEN is set and channel is allowed.
• •WhatsApp: confirm the message starts with the trigger (e.g. @Andy) and data/registered_groups.json contains the chat JID.
• •Check logs:
  bash

  journalctl -u nanoclaw.service -f
  

Claude auth not being picked up

• •Verify .env exists in the project root
• •If using systemd, verify EnvironmentFile= path is correct and restart the service