Complete Guide
OpenClaw
The open-source personal AI agent with 200k+ GitHub stars. Runs on your own machine, lives in WhatsApp and Telegram, remembers everything, and takes real actions — not just suggestions. Every guide in one place.
200k+
GitHub Stars
50+
Integrations
34
Guides on this site
Any
Supported LLMs
Getting Started
What OpenClaw is and how to get it running.
What is OpenClaw?
The open-source personal AI agent with 200k+ GitHub stars — what it does and why it matters.
Getting Started Guide
Complete installation and first setup — macOS, Linux, VPS, and Docker.
OpenClaw Review
Honest pros, cons, and verdict after extended daily use.
Is OpenClaw Safe?
Security risks, the Google ban, and exactly what to lock down before deploying.
SOUL.md Guide
Customise your AI's personality, tone, and rules — permanently.
Connect to Messaging Apps
Get OpenClaw running in your messaging apps of choice.
Choose Your AI Model
Connect OpenClaw to any LLM — cloud or local.
Best LLM for OpenClaw
Full comparison: Anthropic vs OpenAI vs Gemini vs local models.
OpenClaw with OpenAI (GPT-4o)
API key setup, model config, and cost management for OpenAI.
OpenClaw with Claude / Claude Max
Anthropic API setup — and why Claude Max subscriptions don't apply here.
OpenClaw with Gemini API
Google AI Studio setup — often free for personal use.
OpenClaw with Grok
xAI API setup — OpenAI-compatible, direct and unfiltered.
Local Models with Ollama
Zero API costs — run Llama, Mistral, and more offline.
Local Models with LM Studio
GUI alternative to Ollama — ideal for desktop machines.
Platform Guides
Install and run OpenClaw on your specific hardware.
Comparisons
How OpenClaw compares to other AI tools.
OpenClaw vs ChatGPT vs Claude vs Gemini
Feature-by-feature breakdown of the major AI tools.
OpenClaw vs Claude Code
Two different tools — when to use each.
OpenClaw vs Cursor
AI agent vs AI code editor — not competitors, but complementary.
OpenClaw vs Claude Desktop
Self-hosted agent vs Anthropic's native app — understanding the difference.
OpenClaw vs Moltbot
Why the community moved from Moltbot to OpenClaw.
Prompting Strategies
Get better results from OpenClaw with the right prompts and setup.
Best Prompts for OpenClaw
Copy-ready templates: daily tasks, research, actions, SOUL.md setup.
How to Get Better Results
SOUL.md tuning, model selection, context management, debugging.
OpenClaw for Coders
GitHub integration, dev workflow automation, mobile code help.
OpenClaw for Writers
Drafting, editing, idea capture, and long-form project memory.
OpenClaw for Researchers
Literature management, synthesis, Notion and Obsidian integration.
Advanced & Power User
Automation, orchestration, and power-user features.
Custom Skills & Plugins
Build your own integrations using the OpenClaw skill framework.
Hooks Guide
Event-driven automation — trigger any action on any OpenClaw event.
Browser Relay
Give your AI a browser — screenshots, form filling, web automation.
Multi-Agent Workflows
Parallel task execution and specialist agent orchestration.
Managing Token Costs
Model routing, context trimming, caching — keep API bills low.
OpenClaw as a Second Brain
Build a persistent personal knowledge base on top of OpenClaw's memory.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is OpenClaw?
OpenClaw is an open-source personal AI agent with 200k+ GitHub stars. It runs on your own machine or VPS, connects to WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, and Discord, maintains persistent local memory, and takes real actions — sending emails, running scripts, and integrating with 50+ tools.
Is OpenClaw free?
OpenClaw is free and open-source. You pay for the LLM API you connect it to (typically $5–30/month for personal use). Running local models via Ollama or LM Studio reduces API costs to zero.
Which AI model works best with OpenClaw?
Claude Sonnet is the best choice for complex tasks and reliable instruction-following. GPT-4o is strong for general use. Gemini Flash is the most cost-efficient option. For zero API costs, Llama 3.1 8B via Ollama handles everyday tasks well.
How long does OpenClaw take to set up?
On Linux or macOS, expect 1–2 hours for a full setup including WhatsApp or Telegram integration. On Windows via WSL2, add 30 minutes. On a Raspberry Pi, the base setup takes about an hour.
New to OpenClaw?
Start with the getting started guide — covers installation, your first LLM connection, and WhatsApp setup in one walkthrough.
Read the Getting Started Guide