OpenClaw

Extracted Attributes

• License

  MIT License

• Developer

  Peter Steinberger

• Former Names

  Clawdbot, Moltbot

• GitHub Popularity

  68,000 stars

• Operating Systems

  Cross-platform (macOS, iOS, Android, Windows, Linux)

• Primary Interface

  Messaging platforms (Signal, Telegram, Discord, WhatsApp, etc.)

• Extension Marketplace

  ClawHub

• Programming Languages

  TypeScript, Swift

Timeline

• Initial release of the software under the early names Clawdbot and Moltbot. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2025-11-01

• OpenClaw achieves viral popularity following the success of the Moltbook project and its open-source release. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2026-01-25

• The inaugural community meetup, ClawCon, is held at Frontier Tower in San Francisco. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2026-02-04

• Cybersecurity experts and researchers highlight significant security risks and vulnerabilities within the OpenClaw ecosystem and ClawHub. (Source: Web Search)

  2026-02-06

OpenClaw

OpenClaw (formerly Clawdbot and Moltbot) is a free and open-source autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) agent developed by Peter Steinberger. It is an autonomous agent that can execute tasks via large language models, using messaging platforms as its main user interface. OpenClaw achieved popularity in late-January 2026, credited to its open source nature and the viral popularity of the Moltbook project.

Web Search Results

• What is OpenClaw? Your Open-Source AI Assistant for 2026

  OpenClaw (affectionately called “Molty”) is a viral open-source personal AI agent with 68,000 GitHub stars (and counting), created by PSPDFKit founder Peter Steinberger. It brings together the technology of agents with the data and apps you use on your local machine to serve as a high-powered, high-context AI assistant. It operates a local gateway that connects AI models with your favorite tools, integrating with familiar chat apps to facilitate convenient interactions. Many describe it as “self-improving”, likened to AGI (artificial general intelligence), because it can enhance its own capabilities by autonomously writing code to create relevant new skills to execute your desired tasks, implement proactive automation, and maintain long-term memory of user preferences. [...] Key takeaways: OpenClaw is a viral open-source AI assistant that acts as a proactive personal agent, connecting AI models with your local files and messaging apps like WhatsApp and Discord to automate tasks around the clock. Users can expand the tool’s capabilities using over 100 preconfigured AgentSkills that allow the AI to execute shell commands, manage file systems, and perform web automation. The project remains model-agnostic and privacy-focused, allowing you to bring your own API keys for cloud models or run local models entirely on your own infrastructure. DigitalOcean offers 1-Click OpenClaw Deploy, which features a hardened security image. ## What is OpenClaw (previously Moltbot and Clawdbot)? [...] Don’t see a skill that fits your needs, but have an idea for one? Prompt OpenClaw to create it, then share with the class. Quickly deploy an always-on instance of OpenClaw using a DigitalOcean 1-Click OpenClaw Deploy, which features a hardened security image, starting at $24/month. ## What is OpenClaw? FAQ What is OpenClaw? OpenClaw is a self-hosted agent runtime and message router that acts as a personal AI assistant running on your own machine. It functions as a long-running Node.js service that connects various chat platforms, like WhatsApp and Discord, to an AI agent that can execute real-world tasks. Why is OpenClaw going viral?

• OpenClaw

  | OpenClaw | | Developer | Peter Steinberger | | Initial release | November 2025 | | Repository "Repository (version control)") | github.com/openclaw/openclaw | | Written in | TypeScript, Swift "Swift (programming language)") | | Operating system | Cross-platform | | Type | Autonomous personal assistant | | License | MIT license | | Website | openclaw.ai | OpenClaw (formerly Clawdbot and Moltbot) is a free and open-source autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) agent developed by Peter Steinberger. It is an autonomous agent that can execute tasks via large language models, using messaging platforms as its main user interface. OpenClaw achieved popularity in late-January 2026, credited to its open source nature and the viral popularity of Steinberger's related Moltbook project. [...] Steinberger describes OpenClaw as "[an] AI that actually does things", and marketed it as an AI-based virtual assistant. ## Security and privacy [edit] OpenClaw's design has drawn scrutiny from cybersecurity researchers and technology journalists[which?] due to the broad permissions it requires to function effectively. Because the software can access email accounts, calendars, messaging platforms, and other sensitive services, misconfigured or exposed instances present security and privacy risks. Several articles[which?] have emphasized that OpenClaw is primarily suited for advanced users who understand the security implications of running autonomous agents with elevated access. [...] On February 4, 2026, the project held its inaugural community meetup, "ClawCon," at Frontier Tower in San Francisco. The event served as the first physical gathering for the OpenClaw developer community following the software's growth in early 2026. ## Functionality [edit] OpenClaw serves as an agentic interface for autonomous workflows across supported services. OpenClaw bots run locally and are designed to integrate with an external large language model such as Claude, DeepSeek, or OpenAI's GPT. Its functionality is accessed via a chatbot within a messaging service, such as Signal "Signal (software)"), Telegram "Telegram (software)"), Discord, or WhatsApp. Configuration data and interaction history is stored locally, enabling persistent and adaptive behavior across sessions.

• What Is OpenClaw? And How Does It Work? - Explained for Beginners

  الجميع يتحدث عن OpenClaw هذه الأيام، وأرى السؤال نفسه يتكرر باستمرار: ما هو OpenClaw وماذا يفعل تحديدًا؟ في هذا الفيديو، سأشرحه بأسلوب مبسط وسهل الفهم، وسأوضح سبب شهرته وما يميزه عن معظم أدوات الذكاء الاصطناعي الأخرى، وفي النهاية ستعرف ما إذا كان مناسبًا لك وكيفية البدء. لنبدأ بالأساسيات. ما هو OpenClaw؟ OpenClaw هو مساعد ذكاء اصطناعي مُستضاف ذاتيًا، يُشغّل على جهازك الشخصي أو خادم افتراضي خاص (VPS)، ولتشغيله ، تربطه بنموذج ذكاء اصطناعي مثل OpenAI أو Anthropic باستخدام مفاتيح API. يبدو هذا رائعًا، لكن دعني أوضح لك كيف يبدو في الواقع. في معظم الحالات، يكون النمط واحدًا. أولًا، تُثبّت مهارة. ثم تُنشئ مهمة مُجدولة ليُنفذها مساعدك. بعد ذلك، يُنفذ مساعد OpenClaw المهمة ويُسلّمك النتيجة. على سبيل المثال، لنفترض أنني ربطت حساب Gmail الخاص بي بـ OpenClaw باستخدام مهارة Google Workspace. ثم أنشئ [...] عن استخدام تطبيقات ChatGPT أو Claude كمساعد. بدلاً من إدارة محادثات متعددة داخل تطبيقاتهم وحثّ روبوت الدردشة باستمرار على القيام بكل شيء، مع OpenClaw، لديك مساعد واحد متصل بالإنترنت على مدار الساعة طوال أيام الأسبوع، قادر على العمل بشكل مستقل ويزداد فائدة مع مرور الوقت. ولأنك تستضيفه بنفسك، فأنت تتحكم في ما يتصل به، وما يمكنه الوصول إليه، وما تريده منه أن يفعله يوميًا. إذن، السؤال الحقيقي الآن هو: كيف تُعدّ OpenClaw؟ يمكنك إعداد OpenClaw على أي جهاز تقريبًا تملكه، سواءً كان حاسوبًا محمولًا احتياطيًا أو حاسوبًا مكتبيًا، وتُعد أجهزة Mac mini شائعة جدًا لهذا الغرض حاليًا. لكن بالنسبة للمبتدئين، قد تكون هذه الخيارات غير مريحة بعض الشيء. عادةً ما تتعامل مع أمور مثل إبقاء الجهاز قيد التشغيل على مدار الساعة، وإعادة توجيه المنافذ، والتأكد من استقرار الإعداد. وقد تكون هذه الخيارات غير موثوقة، لأنه [...] مرور الوقت، بمجرد أن يتم ضبطه ليتناسب مع سير عملك، سيبدأ OpenClaw في أن يبدو أقل كأداة وأكثر كشيء يساعدك بنشاط على البقاء على اطلاع دائم. تجدر الإشارة إلى أن أحد أكبر المخاوف حاليًا بشأن OpenClaw هو جانب الأمان. OpenClaw مستقل، وهذا ما يجعله مختلفًا، ولكنه يعني أيضًا أنه عليك أن تأخذ الأمان على محمل الجد. إذا قمت بربطه بأشياء مثل بريدك الإلكتروني الشخصي أو التقويم أو جهات الاتصال أو الملفات، فسيكون لديه وصول حقيقي. وإذا حصل شخص ما على مفاتيح API أو الرموز المميزة الخاصة بك، فيمكنه السيطرة على إعداداتك بالكامل، وتنفيذ إجراءات لم توافق عليها، مما يكلفك الكثير من الوقت والجهد، وربما المال. ابدأ بخطوات صغيرة، وكن ذكيًا، وابحث جيدًا، ولا تقم بتوصيل أو تثبيت إلا ما تحتاجه فعلاً. والأهم من ذلك، حافظ على أمان مفاتيحك ورموزك بنسبة 100%. خذ وقتك في التعلم، وعزز الأمان تدريجيًا. الآن، إذا كنت

• What Is OpenClaw, Formerly Moltbot? Everything You ...

  OpenClaw is a security threat “on multiple levels,” says William Thackray, IT and cybersecurity expert and operations director at AGT. “Firstly, the platform’s GitHub repository reveals a troubling accumulation of unaddressed security vulnerabilities, from an exposed database, creating a direct pathway for unauthorised access to user information, to dangerous plugins. Koi Security, documented 341 malicious skills uploaded to ClawHub, OpenClaw's extension marketplace.” Granting an AI agent full system control creates a single point of failure, says Dasic. “If compromised, OpenClaw can access saved passwords, personal documents, browser sessions, and financial data." [...] Moltbook is a social network built exclusively for AI agents, launched in January 2026. “Unlike traditional forums where users interact and share content, Moltbook is a space where OpenClaw agents autonomously post content, comment, argue, joke and upvote or downvote each other,” says Dasic. Human users can observe agent interactions, but cannot directly participate. [...] OpenClaw’s rapid adoption is driven by demos showing extreme productivity gains — automating tasks that normally require human interaction, says Stefan Dasic, threat researcher at cybersecurity outfit Malwarebytes. “The promise of a powerful, locally run AI agent without obvious limits has resonated strongly within developer and AI enthusiast communities.” But things that grow so fast often come with risks. “It seems that in just a couple of days, everybody doing anything with AI, and even many who don’t, have installed and raved about this new agentic product,” says Erich Kron, CISO advisor at KnowBe4. “The almost feverish rush to use this product is frankly a little disturbing.”

• GitHub - openclaw/openclaw: Your own personal AI ...

  ## Repository files navigation # 🦞 OpenClaw — Personal AI Assistant EXFOLIATE! EXFOLIATE! OpenClaw is a personal AI assistant you run on your own devices. It answers you on the channels you already use (WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, Google Chat, Signal, iMessage, Microsoft Teams, WebChat), plus extension channels like BlueBubbles, Matrix, Zalo, and Zalo Personal. It can speak and listen on macOS/iOS/Android, and can render a live Canvas you control. The Gateway is just the control plane — the product is the assistant. If you want a personal, single-user assistant that feels local, fast, and always-on, this is it. Website · Docs · DeepWiki · Getting Started · Updating · Showcase · FAQ · Wizard · Nix · Docker · Discord [...] ## Advanced docs (discovery + control) Discovery + transports Bonjour/mDNS Gateway pairing Remote gateway README Control UI Dashboard ## Operations & troubleshooting Health checks Gateway lock Background process Browser troubleshooting (Linux) Logging ## Deep dives Agent loop Presence TypeBox schemas RPC adapters Queue ## Workspace & skills Skills config Default AGENTS Templates: AGENTS Templates: BOOTSTRAP Templates: IDENTITY Templates: SOUL Templates: TOOLS Templates: USER ## Platform internals macOS dev setup macOS menu bar macOS voice wake iOS node Android node Windows (WSL2) Linux app ## Email hooks (Gmail) docs.openclaw.ai/gmail-pubsub OpenClaw was built for Molty, a space lobster AI assistant. 🦞 by Peter Steinberger and the community.

• Instance Of

  Q7397