OpenClaw
OpenClaw
Open-source, local-first personal AI agent
OpenClaw is an MIT-licensed personal AI agent that runs on your own machine rather than a vendor's cloud. It reaches you through messaging apps you already use - WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Signal and others - and acts on your behalf via shell commands, browser automation, email, calendar and file operations. Memory and data are stored as Markdown files on your own disk, it is model-agnostic with bring-your-own API keys, and it is extensible through a portable AgentSkills format with over 100 preconfigured skills. Originally published as Clawdbot in November 2025 and renamed in January 2026.
Primary Functions
agent
automation
assistant
productivity
Features
- Runs locally on your own machine rather than a vendor cloud
- Reachable through WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Signal and other messaging apps
- Takes real actions: shell commands, browser automation, email, calendar and file operations
- Memory persisted as plain Markdown files you own and can inspect
- Model-agnostic - bring your own API key or run models locally
- Extensible via a portable AgentSkills format with 100+ preconfigured skills
Limitations
- Self-hosted, so you handle installation, updates and security yourself
- Granting an agent shell and file access carries real risk if misconfigured
- You pay for model inference separately - the agent itself is free but not the tokens
- No official mobile app; access is through messaging integrations
- Reported GitHub star counts vary widely between sources, so none is recorded here