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OPENCLAW AI · OPEN-SOURCE PERSONAL ASSISTANT

OpenClaw AI Setup Guide

OpenClaw is a free, open-source personal AI assistant that runs locally on your machine and connects to your favorite messaging apps to automate real tasks. With over 100K GitHub stars, it is not just a chatbot — it is an AI agent that can operate your computer, manage files, browse the web, control smart home devices, and more.

⭐
100K+
GitHub Stars
🔌
50+
Integrations
🧠
35+
AI Models
🔒
Free
Open Source

🔬 What is OpenClaw?

OpenClaw (formerly Clawdbot/Moltbot) is a free, open-source personal AI assistant created by Peter Steinberger. It runs locally on your machine — Mac, Windows via WSL2, or Linux — and connects to your favorite messaging apps to automate real tasks on your behalf.

Unlike basic chatbots that only generate text, OpenClaw is a full AI agent with system-level access to your computer. It can read and write files, execute shell commands, navigate websites, fill out forms, extract data, control smart home devices, manage your calendar, and handle hundreds of other tasks automatically.

With support for 35+ AI model providers (including Claude, GPT-4, Google, and free local models via Ollama), 50+ integrations (Spotify, Hue, Obsidian, Twitter, Gmail, GitHub, and more), and 100+ pre-configured AgentSkills, OpenClaw is the most versatile open-source AI automation tool available in 2026.

🔒 Privacy-First Architecture
Your data is stored locally and never leaves your machine unless you explicitly send it to an AI provider. You bring your own API keys, and all processing happens on your hardware. No telemetry, no tracking, no cloud dependencies.

⚡ Key Features

OpenClaw comes packed with capabilities that go far beyond typical AI assistants:

🧠 Persistent Memory
Learns your preferences and context across sessions. The more you use it, the better it gets at anticipating your needs.
🌐 Browser Automation
Fill forms, extract data, navigate websites, and automate web-based workflows without writing any code.
💻 Full System Access
Read and write files, execute shell commands, manage processes, and control your operating system directly.
📚 100+ AgentSkills
Pre-configured abilities for common tasks like email management, code testing, data extraction, and more.
⏰ Scheduled Tasks
Cron-based background automation lets you set up recurring tasks that run on autopilot 24/7.
🤖 35+ AI Model Providers
Claude, GPT, Google, Ollama, vLLM, and dozens more. Use paid cloud models or free local models on your hardware.
🔌 50+ Integrations
Spotify, Hue, Obsidian, Twitter, Gmail, GitHub, Home Assistant, and many more built-in connectors.
💬 Multi-Platform Chat
Connect via WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack, Signal, iMessage, and more. Control your AI from any chat app.
🎤 Voice & Media
Transcription, text-to-speech, image generation, and video processing capabilities built right in.
🔒 Privacy-First
All data stored locally on your machine. Bring your own API keys. No cloud lock-in or telemetry.

📦 How to Install OpenClaw

Getting started with OpenClaw takes about 5 minutes. Follow these four steps:

1
Install via npm
Run the npm installer or use the bash one-liner to get OpenClaw on your system.
2
Run Onboarding
The guided setup walks you through configuration, preferences, and initial connections.
3
Choose AI Provider
Select Claude, GPT-4, a local model via Ollama, or any of the 35+ supported providers.
4
Connect Chat App
Link WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, or any supported chat platform to start messaging your AI.
🛠️ Quick Install Commands

npm install:

npm i -g openclaw

Then run onboarding:

openclaw onboard

The onboarding wizard will guide you through choosing your AI provider, connecting your chat platform, and configuring your first automations.

⚙️ What Can You Automate?

OpenClaw can handle virtually any task you can do on a computer. Here are some of the most popular automation use cases:

✉️ Email management & unsubscription
📅 Calendar management & scheduling
✈️ Flight check-ins & travel alerts
💻 Code testing & pull requests
🕷️ Web scraping & data extraction
📄 Document processing & tasks
💡 Smart home device control
🎵 Music & media playback
📡 Social media posting & monitoring
📈 Lead generation & CRM workflows
📁 File organization & backup
🔔 Custom notifications & alerts

💬 Supported Chat Platforms

Control your OpenClaw assistant from any of these 12+ messaging platforms. Send a message and your AI agent executes the task:

WhatsApp
Telegram
Discord
Slack
Signal
iMessage
IRC
Google Chat
Matrix
Microsoft Teams
LINE
Twitch

📋 System Requirements

  • Node.js 22+ — The installer handles this automatically if you do not have it.
  • Operating System — macOS, Linux, or Windows (via WSL2). Native Windows support is not yet available.
  • AI Model API Key — Required for your chosen AI provider (Claude, GPT-4, etc.). Free local models via Ollama do not require an API key.
  • Internet Connection — Required for cloud AI providers and chat platform connections. Local models can run offline.
💡 Tip: Running 24/7
For always-on automation, you can run OpenClaw on a VPS (virtual private server) or any always-on computer. Combine this with scheduled tasks via cron for fully hands-off background automation that works while you sleep.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Is OpenClaw free?

Yes, OpenClaw is completely free and open source. The only cost is AI model API usage if you choose a paid provider like Claude or GPT-4. You can also use free local models through Ollama or vLLM to run everything at zero cost.

Do I need coding experience?

No coding experience is required. OpenClaw has a guided onboarding process that walks you through everything. Basic command line knowledge helps (knowing how to open a terminal and type commands), but the setup wizard handles most of the complexity for you.

Which AI model should I use?

Claude or GPT-4 are recommended for the best results — they handle complex tasks and multi-step reasoning very well. However, OpenClaw supports 35+ providers including free local models through Ollama and vLLM if you want to avoid API costs entirely.

Is my data private?

Yes. OpenClaw runs entirely on your local machine. Your data never leaves your computer unless you explicitly send it to an AI provider for processing. You bring your own API keys, and there is no telemetry, tracking, or cloud storage involved.

Can it run 24/7?

Yes. You can run OpenClaw on a VPS or any always-on computer for continuous automation. It supports scheduled tasks via cron for background processing, so you can set up automations that run on autopilot without any manual intervention.

What is the difference between OpenClaw and ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is a web-based chatbot that generates text responses. OpenClaw is an AI agent that executes real tasks on your computer — it can manage files, browse the web, control applications, send messages, automate workflows, and interact with 50+ services. Think of ChatGPT as a conversation partner and OpenClaw as a digital employee.

Ready to Automate with AI?

Set up your own personal AI assistant in 5 minutes. Free, open source, and completely under your control. Join the 100K+ developers already using OpenClaw.

🦞 Visit OpenClaw.ai
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