Frequently Asked Questions

OpenClaw (formerly known as Clawdbot, then Moltbot) is a personal AI assistant that runs entirely on your own machine. It connects to messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack, Signal, and iMessage, allowing you to interact with an AI agent through the apps you already use. Your data stays private because everything runs locally on your device.

OpenClaw is an open-source, self-hosted AI assistant framework that gives you complete control over your data and AI interactions.

To restart OpenClaw Gateway, use one of these commands:

• openclaw restart - Quick restart command
• openclaw gateway restart - Explicit Gateway restart

If OpenClaw is running as a system service:

• Linux (systemd): systemctl --user restart openclaw
• macOS (launchd): launchctl unload ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.openclaw.gateway.plist then restart

For more details, see the CLI Reference.

To see all installed skills, use:

openclaw skills list

This will show all skills in your workspace (~/clawd/skills/). You can also browse skills directly in the file system or use ClawdHub to search and install new skills.

Learn more in our Skills Guide.

The project has evolved through several names: it started as Clawdbot, then was rebranded to Moltbot (combining "CLAW" and "TARDIS" - because every space lobster needs a time-and-space machine), and is now known as OpenClaw. Despite the name changes, the core mission of providing a privacy-first, self-hosted AI assistant has remained constant. The CLI command and some configuration files may still reference older names for backward compatibility, but the project is now officially called OpenClaw.

OpenClaw requires:

• Runtime: Node.js ≥22 (npm, pnpm, or bun)
• Platforms: macOS, Linux, Windows (via WSL2; strongly recommended)

The one-liner installer will automatically install Node.js if you don't have it.

Yes! OpenClaw runs entirely on your machine. Your conversations, memories, and configuration are stored locally as folders and Markdown files. The only external connection is to your chosen LLM provider (like Anthropic or OpenAI) for processing. Your data never leaves your control unless you explicitly configure it to.

For additional security, OpenClaw supports sandboxing for group chats and untrusted DMs, and you can configure strict DM policies requiring pairing before allowing access.

OpenClaw supports:

• WhatsApp - Via Baileys library with QR code pairing
• Telegram - Bot API via grammY
• Discord - Full bot integration
• Slack - Workspace integration
• Signal - Via signal-cli
• iMessage - macOS only
• Microsoft Teams - Bot Framework
• Google Chat - Workspace integration
• WebChat - Built-in web interface

And many more via plugins and extensions.

Yes, you'll need access to an LLM provider. OpenClaw supports:

• Anthropic - Claude Pro/Max subscriptions (recommended)
• OpenAI - ChatGPT/Codex subscriptions
• Local models - Run models entirely on your machine
• Other providers - Gemini, Moonshot, Minimax, and more

You can use OAuth for subscription-based access or API keys. OpenClaw itself is completely free and open source.

The easiest way is using the one-liner installer:

curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash

Then run the onboarding wizard:

openclaw onboard --install-daemon

For detailed instructions, see our complete installation guide.

The Gateway is OpenClaw's control plane - a single long-running process that manages all channel connections and the WebSocket control interface. It runs on port 18789 by default (loopback-only for security). The Gateway handles:

• Channel connections (WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, etc.)
• Session management
• Agent communication
• WebSocket control interface
• Dashboard/Control UI

You typically run one Gateway per host. It can be installed as a system service so it runs automatically.

Yes! OpenClaw supports group chats with several safety features:

• Mention-based activation - Bot only responds when mentioned (default)
• Group allowlists - Control which groups the bot can access
• Sandboxing - Group sessions can run in isolated Docker containers
• Reply tags - Proper threading and reply handling

You can configure group policies per channel to control access and behavior.

Skills are extensions that add functionality to OpenClaw. They can:

• Add new tools and capabilities
• Integrate with external services
• Extend the agent's knowledge
• Automate workflows

Skills are stored as Markdown files in your workspace (~/clawd/skills/). You can:

• Install skills from ClawdHub using npx clawdhub@latest install <skill-name>
• Browse and search skills on ClawHub.ai or the Awesome OpenClaw Skills repository (700+ skills available)
• Create your own skills
• Let OpenClaw create skills for you by asking it

Learn more in our Skills guide.

OpenClaw stores memories as Markdown files in your workspace. It automatically creates daily notes and remembers context across conversations. Memories are:

• Stored locally - As files you can read, edit, or delete
• Searchable - Use tools like Raycast or Obsidian to search
• Persistent - Context persists across sessions
• Editable - You can modify memories directly

The agent uses these memories to maintain context and remember your preferences, making it uniquely yours over time.

Yes! You can:

• Run multiple Gateways - On different machines with isolated profiles
• Use iOS/Android nodes - Connect mobile devices as nodes to your Gateway
• Remote access - Access your Gateway remotely via SSH tunnels or Tailscale

Each Gateway instance manages its own channels and sessions. You can route different channels to different agents or share sessions across devices.

Yes! OpenClaw includes a browser-based Control UI (Dashboard) that provides:

• Chat interface
• Configuration management
• Session monitoring
• Node management
• Gateway status

Access it at http://127.0.0.1:18789/ when the Gateway is running locally. For remote access, see our remote access guide.

To update OpenClaw:

openclaw update

After updating, run openclaw doctor to check for issues and verify your configuration.

You can also switch between release channels (stable, beta, dev) using:

openclaw update --channel stable|beta|dev

If you're having problems:

• Check our troubleshooting guide
• Run openclaw doctor to diagnose issues
• Review the configuration guide
• Check the official documentation
• Check the GitHub repository for community discussions

Most issues can be resolved by checking the configuration or reviewing the logs.

Yes! OpenClaw is completely open source under the MIT License. You can:

• View the source code on GitHub
• Contribute to the project
• Modify it to suit your needs
• Run it without any restrictions

The project is maintained by Peter Steinberger and the community.