Most setups should use one Gateway because a single Gateway can handle multiple messaging connections and agents. If you need stronger isolation or redundancy (e.g., a rescue bot), run separate Gateways with isolated profiles/ports.

• OPENCLAW_CONFIG_PATH — per-instance config file
• OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR — per-instance sessions, creds, caches
• agents.defaults.workspace — per-instance workspace root
• gateway.port (or --port) — unique per instance
• Derived ports (browser/canvas) must not overlap

If these are shared, you will hit config races and port conflicts.

Profiles auto-scope OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR + OPENCLAW_CONFIG_PATH and suffix service names.

# main
openclaw --profile main setup
openclaw --profile main gateway --port 18789

# rescue
openclaw --profile rescue setup
openclaw --profile rescue gateway --port 19001

Per-profile services:

openclaw --profile main gateway install
openclaw --profile rescue gateway install

Run a second Gateway on the same host with its own:

• profile/config
• state dir
• workspace
• base port (plus derived ports)

This keeps the rescue bot isolated from the main bot so it can debug or apply config changes if the primary bot is down.

Port spacing: leave at least 20 ports between base ports so the derived browser/canvas/CDP ports never collide.

# Main bot (existing or fresh, without --profile param)
# Runs on port 18789 + Chrome CDC/Canvas/... Ports
openclaw onboard
openclaw gateway install

# Rescue bot (isolated profile + ports)
openclaw --profile rescue onboard
# Notes:
# - workspace name will be postfixed with -rescue per default
# - Port should be at least 18789 + 20 Ports,
#   better choose completely different base port, like 19789,
# - rest of the onboarding is the same as normal

# To install the service (if not happened automatically during onboarding)
openclaw --profile rescue gateway install

Base port = gateway.port (or OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_PORT / --port).

• browser control service port = base + 2 (loopback only)
• canvasHost.port = base + 4
• Browser profile CDP ports auto-allocate from browser.controlPort + 9 .. + 108

If you override any of these in config or env, you must keep them unique per instance.

• Do not pin browser.cdpUrl to the same values on multiple instances.
• Each instance needs its own browser control port and CDP range (derived from its gateway port).
• If you need explicit CDP ports, set browser.profiles.<name>.cdpPort per instance.
• Remote Chrome: use browser.profiles.<name>.cdpUrl (per profile, per instance).

OPENCLAW_CONFIG_PATH=~/.openclaw/main.json \
OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR=~/.openclaw-main \
openclaw gateway --port 18789

OPENCLAW_CONFIG_PATH=~/.openclaw/rescue.json \
OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR=~/.openclaw-rescue \
openclaw gateway --port 19001