TinyClaw

TinyClaw is a lightweight wrapper around Claude Code that acts as a 24/7 personal assistant. At roughly 400 lines of code, it connects Discord (via bot token) and WhatsApp (via QR code), uses a file-based queue to avoid race conditions, and runs comfortably in tmux. The project openly credits OpenClaw as inspiration—if OpenClaw is the Swiss Army knife, TinyClaw is the pocket knife: fewer blades, easier to understand, perfect for a simple assistant that "just works."

Developers who prefer minimal dependencies and a codebase they can read in an afternoon often gravitate toward TinyClaw. You won't get skills, browser automation, or the ClawHub ecosystem, but you will get a working assistant on Discord and WhatsApp with minimal fuss.

• Discord integration — Bot token setup, responds in DMs and optionally in servers.
• WhatsApp integration — QR code pairing, same familiar flow as OpenClaw.
• File-based queue — Avoids race conditions when multiple messages arrive; processes one at a time.
• Claude Code under the hood — Uses Claude's coding assistant directly, not the full OpenClaw Gateway.
• Multi-channel ready — Architecture supports Telegram, Slack, and others; they can be added with minimal changes.
• Runs in tmux — Designed for headless servers; start it and forget it.

TinyClaw fits when:

• You want a simple 24/7 assistant on Discord and/or WhatsApp—no skills, no browser, no complex config.
• You prefer a small, readable codebase—~400 lines vs OpenClaw's thousands.
• You're okay with Claude Code as the backend—no OpenAI, Ollama, or other providers out of the box.
• You don't need the OpenClaw ecosystem—skills, Moltbook, browser automation, voice, multi-agent teams.

Choose OpenClaw when you need the full platform: hundreds of skills, multiple LLM providers, browser automation, Canvas, voice, and the largest community. TinyClaw trades capability for simplicity.

TinyClaw setup typically involves:

1. Cloning the repository from GitHub
2. Configuring Discord bot token and/or WhatsApp (QR pairing)
3. Setting Claude API access (or equivalent)
4. Running the process in tmux or as a service

For exact steps and configuration, see the TinyClaw GitHub repository. This site does not maintain or endorse TinyClaw; we include it as a well-known minimal alternative for users evaluating options.

Similarities: Both connect to messaging apps, both use Claude (or compatible models), both can run 24/7 as personal assistants.

Differences:

• TinyClaw is ~400 lines; OpenClaw is a full platform with a large codebase.
• TinyClaw uses Claude Code directly; OpenClaw has a Gateway, agents, skills, and multi-provider support.
• TinyClaw supports Discord and WhatsApp; OpenClaw supports 15+ channels including Slack, Signal, iMessage, Teams.
• TinyClaw has no skill ecosystem; OpenClaw has ClawHub with hundreds of skills.
• TinyClaw is minimal by design; OpenClaw is extensible by design.