OpenClaw AI: Complete Setup and Automation Guide 2026
OpenClaw is the fastest-growing AI agent in 2026. Complete setup guide covering installation, skills, messaging integration, and automation workflows.
Community Skills
Messaging Integrations
GitHub Growth
Supported Platforms
Key Takeaways
OpenClaw has become the most talked-about AI project of early 2026 — and for good reason. Unlike conventional chatbots that only generate text, OpenClaw is an autonomous AI personal assistant that actually takes action on your behalf. It clears your inbox, manages your calendar, checks you in for flights, controls your browser, and runs shell commands — all from WhatsApp, Telegram, or whatever messaging app you already use.
Created by Peter Steinberger and originally known as Clawdbot (then briefly Moltbot before its final rebrand), OpenClaw has gone from a personal experiment in November 2025 to the fastest-growing open-source project on GitHub in under three months. Its ClawHub marketplace now hosts over 3,000 community-built skills, its user base spans millions, and it has spawned an entirely new ecosystem — including MoltBook, the social network for AI agents.
What Is OpenClaw?
OpenClaw is an open-source, autonomous AI personal assistant designed to execute real-world tasks — not just answer questions. Where traditional AI assistants like Siri or Google Assistant respond to voice commands within their walled gardens, and ChatGPT generates text within a browser tab, OpenClaw operates as a full-spectrum digital agent with access to your operating system, browser, file system, and messaging platforms.
The Origin Story: Clawdbot → Moltbot → OpenClaw
Peter Steinberger began building OpenClaw as a personal AI assistant in late November 2025 under the name Clawdbot. The project gained viral attention after a MacStories review described it as "what the future of personal AI assistants looks like." After a brief rebrand to Moltbot (which also inspired the MoltBook AI social network), the project settled on OpenClaw — reflecting its open-source nature and its lobster mascot.
Runs entirely on your machine. No cloud dependency. Your data stays private by default.
Works with Claude, GPT, Gemini, or local Ollama models. Switch providers without changing workflows.
Control your AI from WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack, or 50+ other messaging platforms.
Core Architecture
OpenClaw's architecture is intentionally simple — a local Node.js gateway that bridges messaging platforms to AI model APIs, with a plugin system for extending capabilities. Understanding this architecture helps you make better decisions about deployment, security, and customization.
┌─────────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐
│ Messaging App │────▶│ OpenClaw │────▶│ AI Model │
│ (WhatsApp, │ │ Gateway │ │ (Claude, │
│ Telegram, │◀────│ (Node.js) │◀────│ GPT, etc.) │
│ Discord...) │ └──────┬───────┘ └──────────────┘
└─────────────────┘ │
┌──────────┼──────────┐
│ │ │
┌─────▼───┐ ┌───▼────┐ ┌───▼────┐
│ Skills │ │Browser │ │ File │
│(ClawHub)│ │Control │ │ System │
└─────────┘ └────────┘ └────────┘Key Components
- Gateway Server: A Node.js process running on port 18789 that acts as the central hub, routing messages between your chat apps, the AI model, and local system resources.
- Control UI: A web-based dashboard accessible at localhost for monitoring agent activity, managing skills, and adjusting settings.
- Persistent Memory: A local database that stores conversation history, learned preferences, and context across sessions — allowing the agent to remember your habits and improve over time.
- Skills Engine: A plugin system that loads community or custom skills from ClawHub, extending what the agent can do beyond its core capabilities.
- Browser Bridge: A headless browser integration that lets the agent navigate websites, fill forms, extract data, and interact with web applications on your behalf.
Installation Guide
OpenClaw supports macOS, Windows (via WSL2), and Linux. The scripted installer handles Node.js installation and all dependencies automatically — no development experience required.
System Requirements
- Operating System: macOS 12+, Ubuntu 20.04+, or Windows 10+ with WSL2
- Node.js: Version 22 or newer (installed automatically by the setup script)
- RAM: 1 GB minimum for the gateway, 4 GB recommended for stable builds
- Port: 18789 must be available for the Control UI
- API Key: At least one AI model API key (Anthropic, OpenAI, or Google), or Ollama for local models
Quick Install
# macOS / Linux — one-liner install
curl -fsSL https://get.openclaw.ai | bash
# Windows (WSL2)
wsl --install # if WSL2 not already set up
curl -fsSL https://get.openclaw.ai | bash
# Alternative: Install via npm
npm install -g @openclaw/cli
openclaw setupThe installer creates a configuration directory at ~/.openclaw/, downloads the latest gateway, and prompts you to configure your first AI model provider and messaging integration.
First Launch
# Start the OpenClaw gateway
openclaw start
# The Control UI opens at http://localhost:18789
# Follow the setup wizard to:
# 1. Add your AI model API key
# 2. Connect your first messaging platform
# 3. Send your first message to your agentConnecting Messaging Apps
OpenClaw's killer feature is its messaging-first interface. Instead of learning a new app, you control your AI agent from the chat apps you already use daily. As of February 2026, OpenClaw supports over 50 integrations, with the most popular being:
Connect via WhatsApp Business API or QR code pairing. Supports direct messages and group chats. See our WhatsApp integration guide.
Create a Telegram bot via BotFather and link it to OpenClaw. Supports inline commands, file uploads, and rich message formatting.
Deploy as a Discord bot in your server. Ideal for team automation, community management, and collaborative AI workflows.
Install as a Slack app with workspace permissions. Supports channel messages, DMs, slash commands, and thread replies.
Additional platforms include Signal, iMessage (macOS only), LINE, Feishu, Microsoft Teams, Matrix, and many more. OpenClaw can run on multiple platforms simultaneously, so you can message it from WhatsApp on your phone and Discord on your desktop without reconfiguring.
Skills and ClawHub Marketplace
Skills are the plugin system that makes OpenClaw extensible. ClawHub — the official marketplace — hosts over 3,000 community-built skills as of February 2026, covering everything from email management to cryptocurrency trading to media control.
How Skills Work
A skill is a directory containing instructions and code that teach OpenClaw how to perform a specific task. Skills can be as simple as a text file with prompts or as complex as a full Node.js module with API integrations. OpenClaw can also self-generate skills — ask it to create a skill for something it does not yet know how to do, and it will write one on the fly.
Popular Skill Categories
Email & Communication
Inbox triage, smart replies, email drafting, meeting scheduling
Productivity
Calendar management, task tracking, daily briefings, note-taking
Developer Tools
Code review, CI/CD monitoring, GitHub integration, deployment
Web Scraping & Research
Data extraction, price monitoring, competitor analysis, news aggregation
For developers interested in building and publishing skills, our ClawHub Developer Guide covers the full skill architecture, security requirements, and publishing workflow.
Browser Control and System Access
One of OpenClaw's most powerful — and potentially dangerous — features is deep system integration. The agent can control a headless browser, execute shell commands, read and write files, and interact with installed applications.
What OpenClaw Can Access
- Browser Automation: Navigate websites, fill forms, click buttons, extract data, take screenshots, and interact with web applications
- Shell Commands: Execute terminal commands, install packages, run scripts, and manage processes
- File System: Read, create, edit, and organize files and directories across your system
- Application Control: Interact with system applications (calendar, contacts, notes) through native APIs or AppleScript on macOS
- Network Requests: Make HTTP requests, call APIs, download files, and communicate with external services
Full system access means a compromised or poorly-configured agent could delete files, exfiltrate data, or execute malicious code. CVE-2026-25253 demonstrated remote code execution through malicious websites. Always run OpenClaw in sandbox mode for untrusted tasks and follow the security hardening checklist.
Persistent Memory and Personalization
Unlike stateless AI interactions, OpenClaw maintains persistent memory across sessions. This means it learns your preferences, remembers past conversations, and improves its responses over time. The memory system stores data locally in a SQLite database at ~/.openclaw/memory.db.
What Memory Enables
- Preference Learning: Remembers your communication style, formatting preferences, and task priorities
- Context Carryover: References previous conversations and decisions without being reminded
- Relationship Mapping: Tracks your contacts, their roles, and your interactions with them
- Habit Adaptation: Learns your routines and proactively suggests actions (like sending a daily briefing each morning)
First Automation Workflows
Once installed and connected, here are practical automation workflows to start with. Each can be triggered by a simple message to your agent:
Daily Email Triage
Message: "Check my email and give me a summary of anything urgent"
OpenClaw connects to your email via IMAP, scans unread messages, categorizes them by urgency, and responds with a prioritized summary. It can draft replies, flag items for follow-up, and archive low-priority messages.
Calendar Management
Message: "What's my schedule today? Move the 2pm meeting to 3pm."
The agent reads your calendar (Google Calendar, Outlook, or Apple Calendar), presents your schedule in a clean format, and can reschedule, create, or cancel meetings on your behalf.
Research and Summarization
Message: "Research the latest news about EU AI regulations and summarize the key points"
OpenClaw browses the web, collects relevant articles, and provides a structured summary with source links — turning a 30-minute research task into a 2-minute read.
Flight Check-In
Message: "Check me in for my flight tomorrow"
Using browser automation, OpenClaw navigates to the airline's website, logs in with your credentials, and completes the check-in process — a signature use case that helped the project go viral.
For enterprise-specific workflows like client onboarding, KPI reporting, and multi-channel communication, see our OpenClaw Enterprise Automation Guide.
Choosing Your AI Model
OpenClaw is model-agnostic — you can swap between AI providers based on your needs, budget, and privacy requirements. Here is how the major options compare:
| Model | Best For | Privacy | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Sonnet 4 | Reasoning, safety, complex tasks | Cloud (Anthropic) | $$ |
| GPT-5.2 | Speed, coding, tool use | Cloud (OpenAI) | $$ |
| Gemini 3 Pro | Multimodal, Google integration | Cloud (Google) | $$ |
| Ollama (LLaMA 3.3) | Full privacy, offline use | Fully local | Free |
Most users start with Claude Sonnet for its balance of capability, safety, and cost. For privacy-sensitive use cases or offline operation, Ollama with a local model eliminates all external API dependencies — though local models may be less capable for complex reasoning tasks.
Security Best Practices
OpenClaw's power comes with significant security responsibility. The agent has access to your system, your messaging accounts, and potentially sensitive credentials. Here are essential security practices for every user:
Vet all ClawHub skills before installing
Check skill source code, author reputation, and installation count. Look for the VirusTotal verified badge.
Use dedicated accounts for agent access
Create separate email and messaging accounts for OpenClaw rather than giving it your primary credentials.
Run in Docker container for isolation
Containerize OpenClaw to limit filesystem and network access. Bind to localhost only.
Rotate API keys regularly
After any security disclosure, rotate all API keys that may have been exposed in the LLM context window.
Monitor agent activity logs
Review the Control UI logs regularly for unexpected commands, file access, or network requests.
For a comprehensive security walkthrough including Docker setup, prompt injection defense, and enterprise zero-trust configuration, see our dedicated OpenClaw Security Hardening Guide.
Conclusion
OpenClaw represents a fundamental shift in how we interact with AI — from asking questions to delegating tasks. Its local-first architecture, model-agnostic design, and messaging-native interface make it accessible to both casual users wanting email automation and developers building complex agent workflows.
The security landscape is still evolving. The ClawHavoc incident and ongoing vulnerability disclosures are growing pains of a rapidly maturing ecosystem. With the VirusTotal partnership, new security leadership, and an increasingly security-aware community, OpenClaw is actively addressing these challenges.
Whether you are a marketer looking to automate content workflows, a developer building custom integrations, or a business leader evaluating enterprise AI agents, OpenClaw is the platform to watch in 2026.
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