diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index a613155..3908cbc 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -62,6 +62,10 @@ COPY --chown=foxy:foxy --from=frontend-build /build/dist ./static
 HEALTHCHECK --interval=30s --timeout=5s --start-period=10s --retries=3 \
     CMD curl -f http://localhost:7000/api/health || exit 1
 
+# Copy and prepare startup script
+COPY --chown=foxy:foxy backend/start-container.sh ./
+RUN chmod +x ./start-container.sh
+
 # Runtime config
 ENV PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1 \
     PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE=1 \
@@ -71,4 +75,4 @@ EXPOSE 7000
 
 USER foxy
 
-CMD ["python", "-m", "uvicorn", "app.main:app", "--host", "0.0.0.0", "--port", "7000"]
+CMD ["./start-container.sh"]
diff --git a/backend/.env.example b/backend/.env.example
index d723a2d..bb0b426 100644
--- a/backend/.env.example
+++ b/backend/.env.example
@@ -6,11 +6,20 @@ TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN=your-telegram-bot-token
 TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID=your-chat-id
 
 # ─── OpenClaw ──────────────────────────────────────────────
+# OpenClaw installation type (standalone or Shared)
+# Shared: OpenClaw is installed on the host and shared with the container
+# Standalone: OpenClaw is installed inside the container with gateway running
+OPENCLAW_TYPE=standalone
 # Root path on the HOST (contains agents/, workspace/, config.json)
 OPENCLAW_HOME=/home/openclaw/.openclaw
 # Root path in the CONTAINER (keep as is)
 FOXY_HOME=/home/foxy/.openclaw
 
+# OpenClaw installation type (standalone or shared)
+# shared: OpenClaw gateway runs on the host (Default if empty)
+# standalone: OpenClaw gateway starts automatically inside the container
+OPENCLAW_TYPE=standalone
+
 # ─── Gitea ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
 GITEA_SERVER=https://gitea.your.server
 GITEA_OPENCLAW_TOKEN=your-gitea-token
diff --git a/backend/start-container.sh b/backend/start-container.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..758fc76
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/start-container.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+set -e
+
+echo "🦊 Starting Foxy Dev Team API Container..."
+
+# Defaults if not provided
+export FOXY_HOME="${FOXY_HOME:-/home/foxy/.openclaw}"
+export OPENCLAW_TYPE="${OPENCLAW_TYPE:-shared}"
+
+if [ "$OPENCLAW_TYPE" = "standalone" ]; then
+    echo "🔧 OPENCLAW_TYPE is standalone. Setting up OpenClaw..."
+    
+    # Initialize OpenClaw default configuration if it doesn't exist
+    if [ ! -f "$FOXY_HOME/config.json" ] && [ ! -f "$FOXY_HOME/config.yaml" ]; then
+        echo "📦 Initializing default OpenClaw config at $FOXY_HOME..."
+        mkdir -p "$FOXY_HOME/workspace"
+        mkdir -p "$FOXY_HOME/agents"
+        
+        # Write a simple default config if OpenClaw hasn't been onboarded
+        cat <<EOF > "$FOXY_HOME/config.json"
+{
+  "theme": "dark",
+  "logLevel": "info",
+  "gatewayPort": 20124,
+  "gatewayHost": "127.0.0.1",
+  "workspaceDir": "$FOXY_HOME/workspace",
+  "agentsDir": "$FOXY_HOME/agents"
+}
+EOF
+        echo "✅ Default configuration created."
+    else
+        echo "👍 OpenClaw configuration already exists at $FOXY_HOME."
+    fi
+
+    echo "🚀 Starting OpenClaw Gateway in the background..."
+    # Starting OpenClaw gateway in the background so it doesn't block FastAPI
+    if command -v openclaw >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        nohup openclaw gateway start > "$FOXY_HOME/logs/gateway.log" 2>&1 &
+        echo "✅ OpenClaw Gateway started."
+    else
+        echo "❌ 'openclaw' command not found, unable to start gateway!"
+    fi
+else
+    echo "🔗 OPENCLAW_TYPE is shared. Assuming OpenClaw Gateway is managed by the host."
+fi
+
+echo "🚀 Starting Uvicorn API Server..."
+exec python -m uvicorn app.main:app --host 0.0.0.0 --port 7000
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index aee6e63..f805abb 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@ services:
       - "${API_PORT:-7000}:7000"
     env_file:
       - backend/.env
+    environment:
+      - FOXY_WORKSPACE=${FOXY_WORKSPACE:-/home/foxy/.openclaw/workspace}
+      - OPENCLAW_TYPE=${OPENCLAW_TYPE:-standalone}
     volumes:
       - foxy-data:/app/data
       - "${OPENCLAW_HOME:-/home/openclaw/.openclaw}:${FOXY_HOME:-/home/foxy/.openclaw}"