Agent Setup
First steps after your agent comes online — credentials, secrets, logs, and Tailscale.
Your agent shows ONLINE. Here's how to go from zero to ready.
Save your credentials
Open the Access tab and copy:
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Public URL | Your agent's stable HTTPS endpoint |
| Username | Used for desktop login and SSH |
| Password | Used for desktop login and SSH |
| Runtime token | Varies by runtime — Gateway Token, API Key, or Session Token |
If the token field shows "pending", click Refresh from container — some runtimes write their token during first boot.
Open the right surface
You have two ways to access your agent:
- Open Desktop — the full remote Linux desktop (start here)
- Public URL — the runtime web UI or API
The desktop is your primary workspace. Use the public URL to reach the runtime's API or web UI from external scripts and integrations.
Add your secrets
Go to Secrets and add the keys your runtime needs:
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-...
OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-...
GEMINI_API_KEY=...Paste in .env format to bulk-import multiple keys at once.
Secret values are masked after saving. Copy them somewhere safe before closing the tab if you'll need them again.
Check the logs
Open the Logs tab before you start working. If your agent started cleanly, you'll see normal boot output.
If something looks wrong — missing keys, failed startup, a crashed process — logs are the fastest way to find it.
Verify the environment
Open a terminal inside the desktop and do a quick sanity check:
- Are the right tools installed? (
which claude,node --version, etc.) - Did your secrets land? (
echo $ANTHROPIC_API_KEY) - Is the workspace writable? (
touch ~/test && rm ~/test)
Set up your AI tools
Every runtime comes with Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, VS Code, and more pre-installed. To get them working:
- Add the relevant API key to Secrets (e.g.
ANTHROPIC_API_KEYfor Claude Code) - Restart the agent so the key is injected
- Open a terminal:
claude --version,codex --version,opencode --version
See Pre-installed Tools for the full list and setup guides. For runtime-specific details (OpenClaw gateway, OpenFang config.toml, etc.) see Runtimes.
Connect Tailscale (optional)
If you want private SSH access from your own machine:
- Go to account Networking settings and save a reusable Tailscale auth key
- Open the agent's Tailscale Network card and click Connect
- Wait for the Tailscale IP to appear (
100.x.x.x) - SSH in:
ssh <username>@<tailscale-ip>
See Networking & SSH for full details.
Setup flow
Quick checklist
- Access credentials saved
- Desktop or runtime URL opens cleanly
- Required secrets added (e.g.
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY) - Logs look clean at startup
- Terminal shell is usable
- AI tools verified (
claude --version,codex --version) - Tailscale connected (if needed)