OpenClaw

The Original AI Agent Framework

OpenClaw is the pioneering AI agent framework that started it all. Created by Austrian developer Peter Steinberger in November 2025, OpenClaw has grown to become the most popular and comprehensive AI agent framework with over 364,000 GitHub stars (as of May 2026).

Project History:

• Originally named "Clawdbot"
• Briefly renamed to "Moltbot"
• Finally settled on "OpenClaw"
• Reached 100,000 stars in ~30 days
• Reached 180,000 stars by mid-February 2026
• Reached 247,000 stars by March 2, 2026
• Reached 364,000 stars by May 2026
• One of the fastest-growing GitHub projects in history
• 21st most-starred repository on GitHub

Latest Version: v2026.4.29 (April 29, 2026) - Memory system upgraded to "Character Wiki" with proactive commitment tracking, NVIDIA NIM added as built-in provider, and various performance improvements.

Viral Growth: The project attracted 2 million visitors within days of going viral, with millions of installs worldwide.

Why OpenClaw?

Largest Ecosystem: Access to 13,729+ skills through the official ClawHub marketplace, covering everything from email automation to code generation.

Multi-Platform Integration: Native support for Discord, Slack, Telegram, WeChat, DingTalk, Feishu, and more. Connect your AI assistant wherever you work.

Flexible AI Model Support: Works with Claude, GPT, Kimi, Zhipu, and many other AI models. Switch between models based on your needs and budget.

Enterprise-Ready: Docker containerization, vector database integration, and browser automation make it suitable for production deployments.

Who Should Choose OpenClaw?

If you want maximum flexibility and don't mind technical setup, OpenClaw is the gold standard. If you want something that "just works" out of the box, consider QClaw or AutoClaw.

Key Features

$#1.
Extensible Plugin Architecture OpenClaw's modular design allows you to add new capabilities through plugins and skills. The community has contributed thousands of skills for various use cases.

$#2.
Long-term Memory Built-in vector database integration enables your AI assistant to remember context across conversations and sessions.

$#3.
Browser Automation Automate web interactions like form filling, data extraction, and website navigation through integrated browser automation.

$#4.
Real-time Task Execution Execute tasks 24/7 with reliable scheduling and monitoring capabilities.

Installation

# Quick install (recommended)
curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash

# Windows PowerShell
iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex

# NPM installation
npm install -g openclaw@latest

# Docker deployment
docker pull openclaw/openclaw:latest
docker run -d --name openclaw -p 18789:18789 openclaw/openclaw:latest

# Source code build
git clone https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw.git
cd openclaw && pnpm install
pnpm openclaw setup

System Requirements

Common Use Cases

Email Automation

Automatically sort, categorize, and respond to emails based on your preferences and past behavior.

Code Assistance

Generate, debug, and optimize code with AI-powered suggestions integrated into your development workflow.

Social Media Management

Schedule and post content across multiple platforms automatically.

Research Automation

Gather, summarize, and analyze information from various sources automatically.

Security Considerations

⚠️ Critical Security Advisory: OpenClaw has been described as "Agentic AI's Biggest Security Wake-Up Call" due to several security incidents.

Known Security Issues:

• System-level access to your computer
• Critical CVE vulnerabilities discovered
• Hundreds of API keys exposed in early incidents
• Account hijacking by crypto scammers reported
• 341+ malicious skills discovered in ClawHub (February 2026)

Essential Security Practices:

• ✅ Review Skills Carefully: Only install skills from trusted sources
• ✅ Use Container Isolation: Run OpenClaw in Docker for better security
• ✅ Monitor Logs: Regularly check execution logs for suspicious activity
• ✅ API Key Protection: Never share your API keys or configuration files
• ✅ Keep Updated: Install security patches immediately
• ✅ Limit Permissions: Use minimum required permissions

Recommendation: For production or sensitive data, consider security-focused alternatives like NanoClaw (container isolation), ZeroClaw (sandboxed), or IronClaw (WASM sandbox).

Source: LearnDevRel Security Analysis

Comparison with Alternatives

Community and Support

• Official Website: https://openclaw.ai
• Documentation: https://docs.openclaw.ai
• GitHub: https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw (364K+ stars)
• Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenClaw
• Discord: Active community server
• Reddit: r/openclaw

Latest Statistics (May 2026)

GitHub Metrics:

• Stars: 364,000+
• Forks: 47,700+
• Open Issues: 3,436
• Open Pull Requests: 3,465
• Organization Followers: 8,900+

Community Size:

• Millions of installs worldwide
• 2 million+ visitors during viral peak
• Active development with regular updates

Last Updated: May 2, 2026 Source: GitHub - OpenClaw

Quick Start Guide

Get OpenClaw up and running in about 10 minutes.

Option A: Docker (Recommended)

docker pull openclaw/openclaw:latest
docker run -d --name openclaw openclaw/openclaw:latest

Option B: Manual Installation

git clone https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw.git
cd openclaw
npm install
npx openclaw setup

Step 3: Configure Your AI Model

Set your preferred AI model and API key in the configuration file.

Step 4: Connect a Platform

Link your messaging platform (Telegram, Discord, etc.) and start sending commands.

Time to first result: ~10 minutes with Docker, ~20 minutes with manual setup.

Full documentation: https://docs.openclaw.ai

Source code: https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw

FAQ

Is OpenClaw free to use?

Yes, OpenClaw is free and open source (MIT license). You only pay for AI model API costs if using external models.

What are the system requirements for OpenClaw?

OpenClaw requires 2GB RAM of RAM minimum. Runtime: Node.js v22+, Docker. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Can I self-host OpenClaw?

Yes. OpenClaw is open source (MIT) and can be self-hosted on your own hardware. Clone the repository from GitHub and follow the installation guide.

What platforms does OpenClaw support?

OpenClaw supports: Wechat, Telegram, Discord, Slack, Dingtalk, Feishu. Check the official documentation for the most up-to-date list of supported platforms.

Is OpenClaw suitable for beginners?

OpenClaw requires some technical knowledge to set up (Node.js v22+, Docker). If you are a beginner, consider starting with QClaw (one-click install) or MaxClaw (cloud-based, no setup) first, then graduate to OpenClaw as you gain experience.

Related Agents

• Hermes Agent - Self-improving AI agent framework with learning loop, compatible with OpenClaw ecosystem
• QClaw - Tencent's one-click AI agent with native WeChat/QQ integration
• Kimi Claw - Moonshot AI's cloud-native agent with 40GB storage
• AutoClaw - Zhipu AI's one-click desktop agent with 50+ pre-built skills
• MaxClaw - MiniMax's cloud-hosted agent with 50GB storage
• CoPaw - Alibaba's open-source agent with DingTalk/Feishu integration

License

MIT License - Free and open source for commercial and personal use.