# Getting Started

> First steps after setup — connect a channel, set up your profile, and start talking to your agent.


# Getting Started

Welcome to easyClaw! Your AI agent is up and running. Follow this checklist to get everything configured.

## Setup Checklist

### ☐ 1. Set Up SSL
Your domain needs HTTPS for the chat interface to work. Go to [Settings](/settings) → **SSL Setup**, enter your domain name, make sure DNS points to your VPS IP, and click **Setup SSL**.

### ☐ 2. Configure Your Agent's Identity
Give your agent a name and personality. Go to [Settings](/settings) → **Identity** and set a name, creature type, vibe, and emoji. This is who your agent will be.

### ☐ 3. Fill In "About You"
Help your agent understand who you are. Go to [About You](/owner) and fill in your name, email, bio, and social links. This gets written to your agent's USER.md file.

### ☐ 4. Connect Telegram
The easiest way to talk to your agent from anywhere. Go to [Channels](/channels) → **Telegram** → **Configure**:
1. Message [@BotFather](https://t.me/BotFather) on Telegram and create a new bot
2. Copy the bot token and paste it in easyClaw
3. Enter your Telegram user ID (get it from [@userinfobot](https://t.me/userinfobot))
4. Save — then message your bot!

### ☐ 5. Harden Security
Go to [Security](/security):
- **Disable support access** if you don't need remote help right now
- Review the **fail2ban** dashboard for any banned IPs
- Consider which IPs should have SSH access

### ☐ 6. Talk to Your Agent!
Open the [Control Panel](/) (🦞 lobster icon on dashboard) or message your Telegram bot:
- "Hey, who are you?"
- "What can you help me with?"
- "Start a project for me"

## What's Next?

Once you're up and running:
- **Set up email** — let your agent check an inbox ([Channels](/channels) → Email)
- **Create projects** — organize what your agent works on ([Projects](/projects))
- **Explore skills** — add new abilities to your agent
- **Check health** — run diagnostics anytime ([Health](/doctor))

## Key Concepts

### Your Agent's Memory
Your agent wakes up fresh each session. It remembers things by writing to files:
- **MEMORY.md** — long-term notes and context
- **USER.md** — what it knows about you (populated from About You)
- **IDENTITY.md** — its own name, personality, and vibe

### Projects
Projects are tracked in `PROJECTS.md` in your agent's workspace. You can view them from the [Projects](/projects) page. Tell your agent to create projects via chat.

### Skills
Skills are plugins that give your agent new abilities — like checking weather, generating images, or managing DNS.

## Getting Help

- **[Troubleshooting](/help/troubleshooting)** — common issues and fixes
- **[Terminal](/terminal)** — direct command-line access to your VPS
- **[Health](/doctor)** — automated diagnostics
- **[Security](/security)** — enable support access for hands-on help from easyDNS

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_Canonical: https://easynode.ai/docs/getting-started/index.md_