The nanobot VPS template comes with nanobot already installed. This guide shows the shortest path to a working setup then points you to the official integration docs for Telegram and WhatsApp.
Tip: If you only need terminal access, you can stop after the config step and start using nanobot right away.
Connect to your VPS with SSH
Use the SSH credentials from the "New product login information" email.
Step 1 – SSH into the server
On Windows you can use PuTTY. On macOS or Linux use Terminal.
Initialize
Run command:
nanobot onboard
Configure
Set your API key in ~/.nanobot/config.json. Get API keys: OpenRouter (LLM) · Brave Search (optional, for web search) You can also change the model to minimax/minimax-m2 for lower cost.
Telegram setup
Telegram support needs a bot token then a nanobot config entry. The exact keys and commands can differ by nanobot version so follow the official guide for your release.
What you will need:
A Telegram bot token from @BotFather
Your Telegram numeric user ID so you can restrict who can talk to the bot
Where to configure it:
Open
~/.nanobot/config.jsonLook for the Telegram integration section in the official repository docs
Add the required Telegram fields exactly as shown there
After you update the config, start nanobot using the same command you used for terminal testing. If you run nanobot as a service, restart that service so it reloads the config.
WhatsApp setup
WhatsApp support usually requires linking your phone to a session and keeping that session available on the server. The exact flow depends on the WhatsApp library used by your nanobot build so use the official instructions for your version.
What you will need:
WhatsApp installed on your phone
A stable server session so the connection stays online
Where to configure it:
Open
~/.nanobot/config.jsonFollow the WhatsApp integration section in the official repository docs
Add the required WhatsApp fields exactly as shown there
If the session is lost after a reboot, repeat the linking steps from the official guide then restart nanobot.
CLI Reference
Scheduled Tasks (Cron)
# Add a job
nanobot cron add --name "daily" --message "Good morning!" --cron "0 9 * * *"
nanobot cron add --name "hourly" --message "Check status" --every 3600
# List jobs
nanobot cron list
# Remove a job
nanobot cron remove <job_id>
Update
For update use command:
uv tool upgrade nanobot-ai
More information on nanobot official page.