---
summary: "Shared Docker VM runtime steps for long-lived OpenClaw Gateway hosts"
read_when:
  - You are deploying OpenClaw on a cloud VM with Docker
  - You need the shared binary bake, persistence, and update flow
title: "Docker VM Runtime"
---

# Docker VM Runtime

Shared runtime steps for VM-based Docker installs such as GCP, Hetzner, and similar VPS providers.

## Bake required binaries into the image

Installing binaries inside a running container is a trap.
Anything installed at runtime will be lost on restart.

All external binaries required by skills must be installed at image build time.

The examples below show three common binaries only:

- `gog` for Gmail access
- `goplaces` for Google Places
- `wacli` for WhatsApp

These are examples, not a complete list.
You may install as many binaries as needed using the same pattern.

If you add new skills later that depend on additional binaries, you must:

1. Update the Dockerfile
2. Rebuild the image
3. Restart the containers

**Example Dockerfile**

```dockerfile
FROM node:24-bookworm

RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y socat && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*

# Example binary 1: Gmail CLI
RUN curl -L https://github.com/steipete/gog/releases/latest/download/gog_Linux_x86_64.tar.gz \
  | tar -xz -C /usr/local/bin && chmod +x /usr/local/bin/gog

# Example binary 2: Google Places CLI
RUN curl -L https://github.com/steipete/goplaces/releases/latest/download/goplaces_Linux_x86_64.tar.gz \
  | tar -xz -C /usr/local/bin && chmod +x /usr/local/bin/goplaces

# Example binary 3: WhatsApp CLI
RUN curl -L https://github.com/steipete/wacli/releases/latest/download/wacli_Linux_x86_64.tar.gz \
  | tar -xz -C /usr/local/bin && chmod +x /usr/local/bin/wacli

# Add more binaries below using the same pattern

WORKDIR /app
COPY package.json pnpm-lock.yaml pnpm-workspace.yaml .npmrc ./
COPY ui/package.json ./ui/package.json
COPY scripts ./scripts

RUN corepack enable
RUN pnpm install --frozen-lockfile

COPY . .
RUN pnpm build
RUN pnpm ui:install
RUN pnpm ui:build

ENV NODE_ENV=production

CMD ["node","dist/index.js"]
```

<Note>
The download URLs above are for x86_64 (amd64). For ARM-based VMs (e.g. Hetzner ARM, GCP Tau T2A), replace the download URLs with the appropriate ARM64 variants from each tool's release page.
</Note>

## Build and launch

```bash
docker compose build
docker compose up -d openclaw-gateway
```

If build fails with `Killed` or `exit code 137` during `pnpm install --frozen-lockfile`, the VM is out of memory.
Use a larger machine class before retrying.

Verify binaries:

```bash
docker compose exec openclaw-gateway which gog
docker compose exec openclaw-gateway which goplaces
docker compose exec openclaw-gateway which wacli
```

Expected output:

```
/usr/local/bin/gog
/usr/local/bin/goplaces
/usr/local/bin/wacli
```

Verify Gateway:

```bash
docker compose logs -f openclaw-gateway
```

Expected output:

```
[gateway] listening on ws://0.0.0.0:18789
```

## What persists where

OpenClaw runs in Docker, but Docker is not the source of truth.
All long-lived state must survive restarts, rebuilds, and reboots.

| Component           | Location                          | Persistence mechanism  | Notes                            |
| ------------------- | --------------------------------- | ---------------------- | -------------------------------- |
| Gateway config      | `/home/node/.openclaw/`           | Host volume mount      | Includes `openclaw.json`, tokens |
| Model auth profiles | `/home/node/.openclaw/`           | Host volume mount      | OAuth tokens, API keys           |
| Skill configs       | `/home/node/.openclaw/skills/`    | Host volume mount      | Skill-level state                |
| Agent workspace     | `/home/node/.openclaw/workspace/` | Host volume mount      | Code and agent artifacts         |
| WhatsApp session    | `/home/node/.openclaw/`           | Host volume mount      | Preserves QR login               |
| Gmail keyring       | `/home/node/.openclaw/`           | Host volume + password | Requires `GOG_KEYRING_PASSWORD`  |
| External binaries   | `/usr/local/bin/`                 | Docker image           | Must be baked at build time      |
| Node runtime        | Container filesystem              | Docker image           | Rebuilt every image build        |
| OS packages         | Container filesystem              | Docker image           | Do not install at runtime        |
| Docker container    | Ephemeral                         | Restartable            | Safe to destroy                  |

## Updates

To update OpenClaw on the VM:

```bash
git pull
docker compose build
docker compose up -d
```
