NemoClaw Quick Start

The shortest path from install to first chat

HowToClaw quick start version: March 19, 2026

What NemoClaw is

NemoClaw is NVIDIA's secure way to run OpenClaw inside an OpenShell sandbox. It adds controlled network access, filesystem limits, process restrictions, and NVIDIA-routed inference so the agent does not run with broad host access by default.

If you want the fastest path to a working agent, use standard OpenClaw. If you want the safer default path, use NemoClaw.

Prerequisites

• Ubuntu 22.04 or newer is the primary supported path
• Node.js 20+
• npm 10+
• Docker running
• OpenShell installed
• NVIDIA API key from build.nvidia.com
• At least 8 GB RAM and 20 GB free disk

Recommended:

• 16 GB RAM
• 40 GB free disk

Step 1: Install OpenShell

curl -LsSf https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NVIDIA/OpenShell/main/install.sh | sh
openshell --version

Do not continue until openshell --version works.

Step 2: Install NemoClaw

curl -fsSL https://www.nvidia.com/nemoclaw.sh | bash
source ~/.zshrc
nemoclaw --version

If you use bash, reload ~/.bashrc instead.

Step 3: Run onboarding

nemoclaw onboard

During onboarding you will:

1. Pick a sandbox name such as my-assistant
2. Paste your NVIDIA API key
3. Accept the default strict network policy

When onboarding finishes, note the commands it prints for connect, status, and logs.

Step 4: Connect and chat

From the host:

nemoclaw my-assistant connect

Inside the sandbox:

openclaw tui

For a quick one-shot test instead:

openclaw agent --agent main --local -m "Say hello and explain this sandbox." --session-id smoke-test

Step 5: Approve network requests when needed

If the agent cannot reach a website or API, that is often expected. NemoClaw blocks unknown outbound access until you approve it.

From the host:

openshell term

Use the OpenShell TUI to review blocked destinations and allow only what the workflow actually needs.

Essential commands

# Host
nemoclaw my-assistant status
nemoclaw my-assistant logs --follow
openshell term

# Sandbox
openclaw tui
openclaw agent --agent main --local -m "hello" --session-id test

Common fixes

nemoclaw: command not found

Reload your shell and verify the install path is on PATH.

Docker errors during onboarding

Run:

docker ps

If Docker is not healthy, fix that first.

Internet access seems broken

Open:

openshell term

Then review the blocked host and approve it if appropriate.

Out-of-memory during setup

Free memory, add swap, or move to a machine closer to the recommended 16 GB RAM.

NemoClaw vs standard OpenClaw

FAQ

Is NemoClaw production-ready

Not yet. It is alpha software.

Do I need OpenShell first

Yes.

Where do I chat with the agent

Inside the sandbox with openclaw tui or openclaw agent ....

Why is the network blocked

Because NemoClaw is designed to keep outbound access under policy control.

Sources used for this quick start

• nemoclaw_howtoclaw_summary.md
• nemoclaw_guide.md
• nemoclaw_research_report.md