Deploy in the cloud (Docker)

Running AccountingClaw as a cloud digital worker means pulling its Docker image and running it as a container — on your laptop, a server, or any cloud (AWS, GCP, Azure, or your own VPC). The image ships the AccountingClaw skills encrypted inside it; they decrypt and install on first start once you provide your activation key. This is the best option for always-on workers and shared team servers.

Before you start

You'll need three things:

Requirement	Where to get it
Docker installed and running	docker.com
Your activation key (cpaa_live_…)	Activate AccountingClaw
An OpenRouter API key (sk-or-…)	openrouter.ai — Hermes uses OpenRouter to reach your AI model

Step 1 — Pull the image

Pull the public AccountingClaw Hermes image. The --platform linux/amd64 flag lets it run on Apple Silicon and other ARM hosts through Docker's emulation.

docker pull --platform linux/amd64 cpaautomation/accountingclaw-hermes:latest

Step 2 — Run the container

Run the image with your two keys. Replace cpaa_live_... with your activation key and sk-or-... with your OpenRouter key, and change change-this-api-key to a secret of your own.

docker run -d \
  --platform linux/amd64 \
  --name accountingclaw \
  --restart unless-stopped \
  -v ~/.accountingclaw:/opt/data \
  -e CPAA_ACTIVATION_KEY="cpaa_live_..." \
  -e OPENROUTER_API_KEY="sk-or-..." \
  -e API_SERVER_ENABLED=true \
  -e API_SERVER_HOST=0.0.0.0 \
  -e API_SERVER_KEY="change-this-api-key" \
  -p 127.0.0.1:8642:8642 \
  cpaautomation/accountingclaw-hermes:latest gateway run

Tip: The Activation page generates this exact command with your key already filled in — copy it from there to skip the manual edit.

What each setting does

Setting	Purpose
--name accountingclaw	Names the container so the docker exec commands below can find it.
--restart unless-stopped	Keeps your worker running across reboots and crashes.
-v ~/.accountingclaw:/opt/data	Persists the installed skills, sessions, and config so they survive restarts. Keep this volume.
-e CPAA_ACTIVATION_KEY	Your personal activation key — unlocks the AccountingClaw skills on first start.
-e OPENROUTER_API_KEY	Your OpenRouter key — gives Hermes access to your AI model.
-e API_SERVER_ENABLED=true	Turns on the local HTTP API (optional — leave off if you only use the CLI).
-e API_SERVER_HOST=0.0.0.0	Binds the API inside the container so the published port can reach it.
-e API_SERVER_KEY	The secret callers must present to use the local API. Change it.
-p 127.0.0.1:8642:8642	Publishes the API on http://127.0.0.1:8642 — localhost only, not your network.

Step 3 — What happens on first start

The first time the container runs, it exchanges your activation key with CPAAutomation, decrypts the bundled AccountingClaw skills, and installs them into the /opt/data volume. This happens once; later restarts reuse the installed skills. Watch it happen with:

docker logs -f accountingclaw

Step 4 — Verify and start working

The hermes command lives inside the container, so reach it through docker exec:

docker exec -it accountingclaw hermes status
docker exec -it accountingclaw hermes skills list
docker exec -it accountingclaw hermes chat

• hermes status confirms the worker is healthy.
• hermes skills list shows the installed AccountingClaw skills (see the full Skills catalog).
• hermes chat opens an interactive session — this is how you brief the worker. See Working with AccountingClaw.

Optional: a shorter command

If you'd rather type hermes … directly from your host while the container runs, add a shell alias:

alias hermes='docker exec -it accountingclaw hermes'

Troubleshooting

Symptom	What to do
hermes: command not found	The hermes command runs inside the container. Use docker exec -it accountingclaw hermes …, or add the alias above.
"AccountingClaw activation required." in the logs	No key was passed. Set CPAA_ACTIVATION_KEY from your Activation page and re-run.
"Activation failed: invalid or revoked CPAA_ACTIVATION_KEY."	The key is wrong or has been revoked. Re-check it, or re-activate to issue a new one.
"Activation server unreachable"	The container can't reach CPAAutomation. Check the host's network/firewall and try again.
The local API doesn't respond on 127.0.0.1:8642	The API is only available when API_SERVER_ENABLED, API_SERVER_HOST, and API_SERVER_KEY are all set, and the port is published.

Next: Working with AccountingClaw.