OpenClaw DeadClaw Avoidance Checklist
Bernhard Rieder — bernhardrieder.com
Plain-English acceptance test for a consumer-ready Gateway.

GOAL
A non-power-user can Create Agent and Send to work without living in config docs.

PASS / FAIL (all must PASS)

[ ] Install completes on one supported OS without a custom patch spiral
[ ] Gateway starts with a documented one-liner or one button
[ ] Default auth works on first boot (no mystery 401 loop)
[ ] Control UI or clear CLI shows: Gateway healthy
[ ] "Create Agent" is obvious in under 2 minutes
[ ] Agent can be given a real task (message, tool, or job) without editing raw JSON by hand
[ ] Result returns somewhere the user already looks (chat / UI / notification)
[ ] One documented path to add a single messaging channel AFTER the Agent loop works
[ ] Advanced Gateway knobs exist but are not required for the happy path
[ ] Failure messages say what to fix next, not only "check the docs"

PRODUCT RULE
If a step fails for a sharp non-engineer, treat it as a product bug — not a user skill issue.

DO NOT
- Add vanity features before the driveway works
- Call "configurable" a feature when it is actually homework
- Ship another channel plugin as a substitute for Create Agent → Send to work

LINKS
https://docs.openclaw.ai/
https://docs.openclaw.ai/gateway/
https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/