What is OpenClaw

Learn what OpenClaw is — an open-source AI agent framework that connects AI models to messaging channels. Understand the openclaw AI architecture, Gateway, and multi-platform capabilities.

Overview

OpenClaw is an open-source, self-hosted AI agent framework designed for building and deploying intelligent agents across multiple channels. It provides a unified Gateway that connects AI models with messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, and more.

Key Features

Self-Hosted

OpenClaw runs entirely on your own hardware. You maintain full control over your data, models, and infrastructure. No vendor lock-in, no cloud dependency.

Multi-Channel Gateway

A single OpenClaw Gateway can serve multiple messaging channels simultaneously. Connect WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, and custom integrations through one unified system.

Agent-Native Architecture

Built from the ground up for AI agents. OpenClaw supports:

Tool use — Agents can call external tools and APIs
Sessions — Maintain conversation context per user
Memory — Long-term memory for persistent knowledge
Multi-agent routing — Route messages to specialized agents based on context

Open Source

OpenClaw is MIT licensed and fully open source. The community drives development, and you can inspect, modify, and extend every part of the system.

Architecture

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                OpenClaw Gateway              │
├─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬───────────────┤
│ WhatsApp│Telegram │ Discord │  Custom API   │
│ Channel │ Channel │ Channel │   Channel     │
├─────────┴─────────┴─────────┴───────────────┤
│              Message Router                  │
├──────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│          Agent Runtime Engine                │
├──────┬───────┬────────┬──────────────────────┤
│OpenAI│Claude │ Ollama │ Gemini / Kimi / ...  │
└──────┴───────┴────────┴──────────────────────┘

How It Works

Receive — The Gateway receives messages from connected channels (WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.)
Route — The message router determines which agent should handle the message
Process — The selected agent processes the message using the configured AI model
Respond — The response is sent back through the originating channel

Configuration

OpenClaw uses a JSON configuration file located at ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json. The configuration controls:

Channels — Which messaging platforms to connect
Agents — AI model settings and behavior
Security — Access control and allowlists
Memory — Persistence and context settings

{
  "channels": {
    "whatsapp": {
      "enabled": true,
      "allowFrom": ["+15555550123"]
    },
    "telegram": {
      "enabled": true,
      "botToken": "YOUR_BOT_TOKEN"
    }
  }
}

Use Cases

Customer Support — Deploy AI agents to handle customer inquiries
Personal Assistant — Create a private AI assistant on WhatsApp
Team Bot — Build a team assistant for Discord/Telegram groups
Development — Use agents for coding assistance with tool integration
Knowledge Base — Build agents with memory for Q&A systems

Next Steps

Quick Start — Install and set up OpenClaw
Install Guides — Platform-specific installation
AI Model Integrations — Connect your preferred AI model

What is OpenClaw

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