OpenClaw

OpenClaw is an open-source personal AI assistant that runs locally on your machine, connecting to your favorite messaging apps and giving AI agents genuine capabilities to help with your daily tasks.

Overview

Created by Peter Steinberger (@steipete), OpenClaw (formerly known as Clawdbot and Moltbot) represents a new paradigm in personal AI: instead of being locked into a single chat interface, your AI assistant lives on your computer with persistent memory, tool access, and the ability to reach you wherever you are.

Key differentiators:

Runs on your hardware (Mac, Windows, Linux)
Your data stays local and private
Connects to any messaging platform
Persistent memory across sessions
Extensible skill system
Open source (MIT licensed)

Core Features

Multi-Platform Messaging

Talk to your OpenClaw through:

WhatsApp
Telegram
Discord
Slack
Signal
iMessage

Works in both DMs and group chats.

Persistent Memory

Unlike typical chat interfaces that reset each session, OpenClaw maintains context about you, your preferences, and your ongoing projects. It genuinely learns and becomes uniquely yours over time.

Browser Control

OpenClaw can browse the web, fill forms, extract data, and interact with websites on your behalf using browser automation.

System Access

Full capabilities include:

Reading and writing files
Running shell commands
Executing scripts
Managing processes

You control the permission level: full access or sandboxed.

Skills & Plugins

Extend functionality with:

Community skills from ClawHub
Custom skills you create
Skills the agent writes for itself

Architecture

Model Agnostic

OpenClaw supports multiple AI providers:

Anthropic (Claude models)
OpenAI (GPT models)
Local models via Ollama and other providers

Installation Methods

One-liner (recommended):

curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash

npm:

npm i -g openclaw
openclaw onboard

From source:

git clone https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw.git
cd openclaw && pnpm install && pnpm run build
pnpm run openclaw onboard

Companion App

A macOS menubar companion app is available for quick access alongside the CLI.

Use Cases

Based on community reports, people use OpenClaw for:

Task automation: Email management, calendar scheduling, file organization
Development workflows: Running Claude Code sessions remotely, managing GitHub PRs
Home automation: Controlling smart devices, monitoring systems
Personal assistant: Morning briefings, reminders, research tasks
Content creation: Writing, editing, generating media
Data extraction: Web scraping, form filling, API interactions

Community

Discord: Active community for support and sharing skills
GitHub: github.com/openclaw/openclaw
Documentation: docs.openclaw.ai
Skill Registry: clawdhub.com

Why "OpenClaw"?

The project uses a lobster as its mascot (🦞). The "claw" refers to Claude (the AI model it was originally built around) combined with the idea of an AI that can actually grasp and manipulate things in your digital world—not just chat.

OpenClaw: The Open-Source Personal AI Assistant