Install Node.js and npm

Preparation and version selection

Node.js runs several clients, while npm installs their packages. Choose an LTS release from Node.js downloads that satisfies your client's version requirement. An existing installation may be too old. Installing this runtime does not require a MonkeyAI key.

OpenClaw requires Node 24.x at least 24.16 or 26.1+, with security guidance recommending 24.22.1+ / 26.12.1+. Select a qualifying version from the official download page; distribution repositories and the default Homebrew package may not satisfy this requirement.

Windows

Download the official installer for your x64 or ARM64 system. Keep the npm and PATH components enabled, finish installation and reopen PowerShell. If you already use Chocolatey or Scoop, choose one existing package manager instead of mixing installation sources:

powershell
choco install nodejs-lts
# Alternatively, with Scoop already configured:
scoop install nodejs-lts

These are third-party package manager commands, not MonkeyAI installers. On a managed computer, use your organization's approved source.

macOS

Use the official macOS installer, or run brew install node if Homebrew is already installed. The Homebrew formula does not guarantee a pinned LTS version; compare its result with the client's requirements. Match Apple Silicon or Intel architecture and reopen Terminal afterward.

Linux

On Ubuntu / Debian, inspect the distribution's candidate version before installing:

bash
apt-cache policy nodejs
sudo apt-get install nodejs npm

On RHEL-family systems, inspect the available repository or module stream appropriate to the OS release:

bash
dnf info nodejs
sudo dnf install nodejs npm

Old CentOS repositories may be unsupported. If packages are too old, use the matching architecture release and instructions from the Node.js download page. Avoid unknown remote installer scripts. For npm global permission errors, prefer a user-owned Node installation over adding sudo to every command.

Verification and troubleshooting

text
node --version
npm --version

Both commands should print versions. Locate the executable using where.exe node on Windows or command -v node on macOS / Linux. Reopen the terminal and inspect PATH when commands are missing; remove obsolete installation paths when versions disagree. If PowerShell blocks npm.ps1, the verified npm.cmd executable is an alternative without weakening the global execution policy.

Next step

Continue to Codex, Claude Code or Gemini CLI. Each client still needs its MonkeyAI endpoint, eligible key group and model after installation.