Templates allow you to save deployment configurations for quick reuse. Instead of entering the same settings every time, you can create a template once and deploy from it instantly.
Understanding Templates
A template stores:
- Cloud provider and server size
- AI provider and model
- Communication channel (Telegram, Slack, etc.)
- Optional configurations like Tailscale
Templates save time when deploying multiple similar instances or sharing configurations with your team.
- API keys (for security)
- Deployment names (each deployment must be unique)
- Server-specific data like IP addresses
Built-in Templates
ClawControl includes two tested templates:
Hetzner + OpenRouter Kimi K2.5
Provider: Hetzner Cloud
Location: Ashburn, VA (US East)
Server: CPX11 (2 vCPU, 2GB RAM, 40GB SSD)
AI Provider: OpenRouter
Model: moonshotai/kimi-k2.5
Channel: Telegram
DigitalOcean + OpenRouter Kimi K2.5
Provider: DigitalOcean
Location: NYC1 (New York)
Server: s-1vcpu-2gb (1 vCPU, 2GB RAM, 50GB SSD)
AI Provider: OpenRouter
Model: moonshotai/kimi-k2.5
Channel: Telegram
Built-in templates cannot be edited or deleted. Fork them to create customized versions.
Viewing Templates
Open template manager
From the ClawControl main menu:You’ll see a list of all available templates:> Hetzner + OpenRouter Kimi K2.5 [built-in] · telegram
DigitalOcean + OpenRouter Kimi K2.5 [built-in] · telegram
My Custom Template [custom] · telegram
View template details
Select a template to see its full configuration:Hetzner + OpenRouter Kimi K2.5
Deploy OpenClaw on Hetzner Cloud (US East) with OpenRouter
using Moonshotai Kimi K2.5 model via Telegram
Type: Built-in
Provider: Hetzner Cloud
Server Type: cpx11
Location: ash
AI Provider: openrouter
Model: moonshotai/kimi-k2.5
Channel: telegram
[F]ork [U]se [Esc] Back
Using a Template
Deploy from a template in two ways:
Method 1: From Template Manager
Select template
Navigate to /templates and select your desired template.
Press U to use
Press U to use this template for a new deployment.The new deployment wizard opens with pre-filled settings:Using template: Hetzner + OpenRouter Kimi K2.5
Step 1: Deployment Name
Complete deployment
You only need to provide:
- Deployment name
- API keys (if not saved)
- Telegram bot token
- Telegram user ID
All other settings come from the template. Method 2: From New Deployment Wizard
Select template
At the first step, choose a template instead of “Blank configuration”:Step 1: Choose Template
Blank configuration
> Hetzner + OpenRouter Kimi K2.5 [built-in]
DigitalOcean + OpenRouter Kimi K2.5 [built-in]
Continue with template
The wizard skips provider and AI provider selection, using template values instead.
Creating Custom Templates
Create templates by forking existing ones:
Select template to fork
Go to /templates and choose a template as your starting point.
Press F to fork
Press F to start the fork wizard:Fork Template - Name
Enter a name for the new template:
My Custom Template
Customize settings
The wizard walks through each setting:Provider:> Hetzner Cloud
DigitalOcean
> s-1vcpu-2gb - 1 vCPU, 2GB RAM, 50GB SSD - $12/mo
s-2vcpu-2gb - 2 vCPU, 2GB RAM, 60GB SSD - $18/mo
s-2vcpu-4gb - 2 vCPU, 4GB RAM, 80GB SSD - $24/mo
Anthropic - Claude models
> OpenAI - GPT models
OpenRouter - Access multiple providers
Google - Gemini models
Groq - Fast open-source models
Confirm and save
Review your template configuration:Fork Template - Confirm
Name: My GPT-4 Template
Provider: DigitalOcean
Droplet Size: s-2vcpu-2gb
AI Provider: openai
Model: gpt-4o
Channel: telegram
Press Y to confirm, N to go back
Y to save. Your template is now available for deployments. Managing Custom Templates
Editing Templates
Templates cannot be edited directly. To modify a template:
- Fork the existing template with
F
- Make your changes
- Delete the old template (if desired)
Deleting Templates
Select custom template
Go to /templates and select a custom template.Only custom templates can be deleted. Built-in templates are permanent.
Press D to delete
Press D to start deletion:Delete Template
Are you sure you want to delete "My Old Template"?
This action cannot be undone.
Press Y to confirm, N to cancel
Confirm deletion
Press Y to permanently delete the template.
Example Templates
Development Template
Name: Development Server
Provider: Hetzner Cloud
Server: cpx11 (2 vCPU, 2GB RAM)
AI: OpenRouter - anthropic/claude-3-5-haiku
Cost: ~$5-6/month
Production Template
Name: Production Server
Provider: DigitalOcean
Server: s-2vcpu-4gb (2 vCPU, 4GB RAM)
AI: Anthropic - claude-sonnet-4-20250514
Cost: ~$24/month + Anthropic usage
Multi-region Template
Name: EU Server
Provider: Hetzner Cloud
Location: fsn1 (Germany)
Server: cpx11
AI: OpenRouter - moonshotai/kimi-k2.5
Template Best Practices
Create templates for different use cases:
- dev-template: Fast, cheap models for testing
- prod-template: Production-ready configuration
- personal-template: Your preferred settings
- team-template: Standardized team configuration
Naming Conventions
- Use descriptive names: “Production GPT-4 Server”
- Include key details: “Hetzner - Claude Sonnet”
- Avoid generic names: “Template 1”, “Test”
Version Control
Templates are stored as JSON files in ~/.clawcontrol/templates/. You can:
- Back them up:
cp -r ~/.clawcontrol/templates ~/backups/
- Share them: Send JSON files to teammates
- Version control: Store in Git for team collaboration
Documentation
When sharing templates, document:
- Monthly cost estimate
- Recommended use case
- Model capabilities
- Any special configuration
Sharing Templates
Export template
Templates are stored at:~/.clawcontrol/templates/template-id.json
cp ~/.clawcontrol/templates/my-template.json ~/shared/
Share with teammates
Send the JSON file via:
- Email
- Slack
- Git repository
- Shared drive
Import template
Recipients copy the file to their templates directory:cp shared-template.json ~/.clawcontrol/templates/
Next Steps