v3.25.2 โ€” OpenClaw ยท Claude Code ยท Codex ยท Gemini ยท Ollama

Run OpenClaw on any VPS.
Get a full AI workstation.

One command installs OpenClaw + a complete browser-based AI workstation. Agent chat, shared browser, code sandbox, remote desktop, terminal, email, skills marketplace, and automations โ€” connect providers with OAuth where supported or API keys where preferred. Free and open source.

One-command install
$ curl -fsSL https://bridgesllm.ai/install.sh | sudo bash

Ubuntu 22.04/24.04 or Debian 12+. Takes 2โ€“5 minutes. Disconnected? Run it again โ€” it resumes.

Works on every device

Your workspace. Any device.

Chat with AI agents, preview live HTML, switch models, and manage projects โ€” from your phone, tablet, or desktop. No app install needed.

โœ“ Touch-optimized chat interface
โœ“ Inline HTML previews & sandboxed renders
โœ“ Model switching on the fly
โœ“ Full desktop experience on tablet
โœ“ Works in modern browsers โ€” no app required
https://your-vps.example.com

What is BridgesLLM Portal?

It turns any cheap server into a full AI workspace you control from your browser. Chat with multiple AI models. Let your AI browse the web while you watch. Run code safely in sandboxes. Manage files, send email from your own domain, install new abilities from a marketplace, and schedule tasks to run while you sleep. Everything is included โ€” nothing extra to buy or configure.

Lower the friction

Everything you need.
Nothing to configure.

One curl command replaces hours of setup โ€” OpenClaw, web UI, code sandbox, remote desktop, SSL, and database. All configured and connected.

Install now โ€” it's free See setup guide

Takes 2โ€“5 minutes. Works well on many $5/month VPS plans for lighter workloads.

Lower the cost

Self-hosted AI on a cheap VPS.
No hardware. Flexible provider costs.

The portal is free. Your monthly cost is your VPS plus whatever model access you choose โ€” subscription-style sign-in where supported, API keys where needed, or local Ollama.

Best-value VPS + BridgesLLM Portal

VPS (e.g. Hetzner, DigitalOcean)$20โ€“40/mo
Portal softwareFree
Codex / GeminiSubscription-style sign-in available
ClaudePlan + Extra Usage may apply
API-key providersUsage-based if you choose them
Local OllamaOptional
Hardware upfront$0
Monthly total
Depends on your provider mix and usage
Flexible

Mac Mini M4 + API Keys

Mac Mini M4 (16GB)$800 upfront
Electricity (~150W average)~$13/mo
Claude API (heavy use)$50โ€“200/mo
OpenAI API (heavy use)$50โ€“150/mo
Amortized hardware cost~$67/mo
12-month total
$2,600โ€“$6,200+
$217โ€“517/mo

LIVE Gaming PC + API Keys

Mid-range gaming PC$1,200 upfront
Electricity (~400W average)~$35/mo
Claude API (heavy use)$50โ€“200/mo
OpenAI API (heavy use)$50โ€“150/mo
Amortized hardware cost~$100/mo
12-month total
$3,420โ€“$7,620+
$285โ€“635/mo

Cloud IDEs (Codespaces etc.)

GitHub Codespaces (4-core)~$0.36/hr
8h/day, 20 days/mo~$58/mo
No persistent environmentโ€”
Limited AI agent supportโ€”
12-month total
$696+ (no local agents)
$58+/mo

* Provider costs depend on the path you choose. Codex and Gemini support subscription-style sign-in. OpenAI API and other key-based providers are usage-based. Claude currently requires a plan plus Anthropic Extra Usage for OpenClaw-driven traffic.

Feature comparison

What you actually get.

Everything in BridgesLLM Portal vs. building it yourself.

Capability BridgesLLM Portal Mac Mini + APIs Gaming PC + APIs Cloud IDEs
Access from any browserโœ“ Built-in~ VNC/RDP required~ VNC/RDP requiredโœ“ Yes
Flat-rate AI model costsโœ“ OAuth subsโœ— Pay-per-tokenโœ— Pay-per-tokenโœ— Pay-per-token
Claude / Codex / Geminiโœ“ 6+ providers~ DIY setup~ DIY setup~ Limited
OpenClaw agent frameworkโœ“ Built-inโœ— Self-managedโœ— Self-managedโœ— No
Sandboxed code executionโœ“ Isolated per-project~ Manual setup~ Manual setupโœ“ Yes
Remote desktop (browser)โœ“ NoVNC built-inโœ— Extra softwareโœ— Extra softwareโœ— No
AI-controlled shared browserโœ“ Real Chrome via CDPโœ— Noโœ— Noโœ— No
Skills marketplaceโœ“ ClawHub built-inโœ— Noโœ— Noโœ— No
Cron automations (UI)โœ“ Browser-basedโœ— Manual crontabโœ— Manual crontabโœ— No
Project management + AIโœ“ Includedโœ— Not includedโœ— Not includedโœ— No
Self-hosted email serverโœ“ Includedโœ— Noโœ— Noโœ— No
Browser-based terminalโœ“ xterm.js built-in~ SSH only~ SSH onlyโœ“ Yes
Self-updatingโœ“ Auto-updatesโœ— Manualโœ— Manualโœ“ Managed
Setup wizard (no CLI)โœ“ Browser-basedโœ— Noโœ— Noโœ“ Yes
Works on $20/mo hardwareโœ“ Yesโœ— $800+ upfrontโœ— $1,200+ upfront~ Usage-based
Your data on your serverโœ“ Alwaysโœ“ Localโœ“ Localโœ— Cloud-hosted
Built for trust

Your server. Your data. Your control.

Everything runs on your machine. Nothing phones home. Here's how the portal keeps things safe.

HTTPS everywhere

Automatic SSL certificates via Let's Encrypt. HSTS headers, CSP policies, and strict security headers out of the box.

Sandboxed execution

Each project runs in its own isolated Docker container. Agents can only access their project's files โ€” system directories and other users' data are blocked.

Role-based access

Owner, admin, user, and viewer roles. New accounts require approval. Disabled or banned accounts are locked out immediately.

Path traversal protection

Dedicated middleware blocks directory traversal, symlink escapes, and access to system paths. Repeated violations are tracked and escalated.

Firewall by default

The installer configures UFW automatically. Only SSH, HTTP, and HTTPS are exposed. Internal services are locked to Docker subnets.

Malware scanning

Uploaded files are scanned with ClamAV before storage. Detected threats are rejected automatically.

Full details in our security policy โ€” including known limitations and hardening recommendations.

Powered by OpenClaw

Every major AI model.
Flat-rate. No token counting.

BridgesLLM Portal runs on OpenClaw โ€” the open-source agent framework for running agent workflows on infrastructure you control. Connect Claude, Codex, Gemini, and Ollama through account sign-in, setup-token, API keys, or local-model paths depending on your setup. Predictable infrastructure cost, clearer ownership, and a full browser workspace.

OpenClaw logo OpenClaw (agent framework)
Claude Code logo Claude Code (Anthropic)
Codex logo Codex (OpenAI)
Gemini logo Gemini (Google)
Ollama logo Ollama (local models)

OpenClaw, Claude, Codex, Gemini, and Ollama names and logos are trademarks of their respective owners and are shown for identification only.

Setup in minutes

From zero to AI workstation
typically in minutes.

Get a VPS, run one command, and follow the steps below. No CLI experience required.

1

Get a VPS

Hetzner, DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode โ€” any supported Ubuntu or Debian VPS. 3.5GB+ RAM, 35GB disk, typically $20โ€“40/mo.

2

Run the installer

One curl command. Takes 2โ€“5 minutes. Prints your portal URL when done.

3

Setup wizard

Domain, SSL, admin account โ€” all in the browser. No config files to touch.

4

Connect AI & go

The setup wizard connects your AI providers โ€” paste an API key or sign in with OAuth. Start chatting immediately.

Detailed walkthrough

Step-by-step instructions

Everything you need for each step, including commands and tips.

Watch: Full install + setup walkthrough

1

Run the installer

SSH into your VPS and paste the install command. The script installs all dependencies, sets up the database, configures SSL, and starts the portal.

$ curl -fsSL https://bridgesllm.ai/install.sh | sudo bash

The installer is interactive โ€” it will ask for your domain name and create your admin account. When it finishes, it prints a URL to access your portal.

Tip: If the connection drops mid-install, just run the command again. It detects the existing installation and resumes where it left off.
2

Complete the setup wizard

Open the portal URL in your browser. The setup wizard walks you through domain configuration, SSL certificates, and your admin account. Everything is handled in the browser โ€” no config files to edit.

3

Connect your AI providers

The setup wizard walks you through connecting AI providers. Depending on the provider, you can use:

  • Account sign-in โ€” available for Codex and Gemini. Sign in with your existing account instead of pasting an API key.
  • Guided token or API key setup โ€” Claude uses a guided setup-token flow, and key-based providers use API keys from the provider dashboard.
  • Local models โ€” connect Ollama if you want a self-hosted model path.

You can add, change, or remove providers any time from the Settings page in the portal.

Alternative: If you prefer the command line, you can also run openclaw onboard in the portal's Terminal to configure providers manually.
4

Test agent chat

Go to Agent Chats in the sidebar. Select your AI provider and send a test message. If the dashboard shows a green status indicator, your agent is connected and ready.

That's it โ€” your AI workstation is live. Start chatting, create projects, or explore the file manager and remote desktop.

5

Optional: Give your agent portal awareness

Copy the prompt below and paste it into your OpenClaw agent's workspace file (e.g. AGENTS.md or system prompt). This teaches the agent how your portal works โ€” where files live, how projects are structured, and how to interact with users through the portal interface.

โ†“ Scroll down to the "Agent Portal Prompt" section to copy it.

Troubleshooting

Common issues and quick fixes

Agent chat says "Cannot connect to OpenClaw gateway"

The dashboard may show green while the real-time connection is still establishing. Click the Reconnect button on the dashboard, or restart the portal service:

sudo systemctl restart bridgesllm-product

SSL certificate not working / domain not resolving

Make sure your domain's DNS A record points to your VPS IP. After DNS propagates, re-run the installer to pick up the domain and provision SSL:

curl -fsSL https://bridgesllm.ai/install.sh | sudo bash

The installer detects the existing installation and only updates what's needed.

Update to the latest version

The portal includes a built-in self-update mechanism. From your portal's Settings โ†’ System, click Check for Updates. Or from the terminal:

curl -fsSL https://bridgesllm.ai/install.sh | sudo bash

Check service status

If something isn't working, check that both services are running:

systemctl status openclaw-gateway bridgesllm-product

View logs

Portal and gateway logs are available via journalctl:

# Portal backend logs journalctl -u bridgesllm-product -n 50 --no-pager # OpenClaw gateway logs journalctl -u openclaw-gateway -n 50 --no-pager

Change AI providers after setup

Go to Settings in the portal sidebar. You can add, remove, or switch providers (OAuth or API key) at any time. Alternatively, run from the terminal:

openclaw onboard
For your AI agent

Portal-aware agent prompt

Paste this into your OpenClaw agent's workspace instructions to teach it how your portal works. Your agent will know where to find files, how projects are structured, and how to help users through the interface.

Click to expand full prompt โ–ผ
System requirements

Runs on standard Ubuntu and Debian VPSes.

Use a supported box with enough RAM and disk. Smaller instances may start, but this is the supported baseline.

โœ“ Ubuntu 22.04+ or Debian 12+
โœ“ 3.5GB RAM minimum (4GB+ recommended)
โœ“ 35GB free disk space
โœ“ 2+ CPUs recommended
โœ“ Root or sudo access
โœ“ Ports 80 and 443 open
โœ“ Any modern VPS provider
Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know.

Can I install BridgesLLM Portal on a VPS that already has OpenClaw? +

Yes. The installer detects an existing OpenClaw installation and uses it instead of requiring a clean server. If OpenClaw is not already installed, the installer installs it for you.

If I click Update in the portal, does it also update OpenClaw? +

Yes. The portal's Update action runs the installer update flow. It updates the portal and checks installed dependencies, including OpenClaw, so you usually do not need to update OpenClaw separately first.

What size VPS do I need? +

Use Ubuntu 22.04+ or Debian 12+, 3.5 GB RAM minimum (4 GB+ recommended), 35 GB free disk space, root or sudo access, and ideally 2+ CPUs. Smaller instances may boot, but that is the supported baseline.

What does the installer set up automatically? +

The installer sets up the core portal stack for you: the portal app, OpenClaw, PostgreSQL, Caddy, and the main system services. The browser setup flow then handles guided configuration such as your admin account, provider connection, and domain/SSL steps.

Do I need API keys, or can I use subscriptions? +

It depends on the provider. Codex and Gemini support account or subscription-style sign-in. OpenAI API and other key-based providers use API keys. Claude works too, but OpenClaw-driven Claude usage currently requires a Claude plan plus Anthropic Extra Usage. Ollama runs locally and does not require a hosted-provider API key.

What do I actually pay for? +

BridgesLLM Portal itself is free and MIT-licensed. You pay for your VPS and whichever model access path you choose: subscription-style access where supported, API-key usage if you use those providers, Anthropic Extra Usage for Claude via OpenClaw, or local compute if you run Ollama.

Does my data stay on my VPS? +

Yes. Your portal data, projects, files, and local services stay on your server. If you connect external AI providers, requests for those models still go to the provider you chose, but the portal itself runs on infrastructure you control.

What's the difference between BridgesLLM Portal and OpenClaw? +

OpenClaw is the underlying agent/runtime layer. BridgesLLM Portal is the browser-based workstation built on top of it, adding agent chat, shared browser, code sandbox, remote desktop, terminal, files, and guided setup.

OpenClaw + full workstation.
One command away.

Free to install. Use the provider access method you prefer โ€” OAuth where supported or API keys where needed. You pay for the VPS and any model/provider access you choose.

Install command
$ curl -fsSL https://bridgesllm.ai/install.sh | sudo bash
Privacy Policy Terms of Use Contact Support

Questions before you install? Email support@bridgesllm.com or open an issue on GitHub.