(The Brain) Setting Up OpenClaw

The Catalyst: Intent First I wanted an assistant that understood the job before it opened its mouth: stable model, bounded context, a workspace the agent is allowed to touch, and identity files that do not turn every session into a data breach waiting to happen. OpenClaw is the “brain” in this stack. If you get the brain wrong, no amount of channel polish will save you. This article is Phase 1 of the Practical Guide series: how to stand OpenClaw up as a first-class brain, not a chat toy. Overvie