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OpenClaw is open-source assistant software that you run on your own computer or server. Its always-on Gateway connects messaging channels and interfaces to AI models, tools, and agent sessions, so it can help carry out digital tasks—not just generate text. It is not a single AI model or a hosted chatbot: what it can do, and where data goes, depends on how you configure it.
What is OpenClaw?
OpenClaw is self-hosted assistant and orchestration software. It links a model runtime with messaging channels, tools, memory, and sessions. You choose the infrastructure and configure which model provider and capabilities it can use. The project describes the Gateway as its always-on control plane: it manages connections, sessions, events, routing, and tools. The OpenClaw FAQ puts it this way: “The Gateway is the always-on control plane; the assistant is the product.” OpenClaw FAQ
A browser-based Control UI, command-line interface (CLI), text user interface (TUI), and configured messaging channels can connect to the Gateway. Models and agent harnesses can be selected or changed through the project’s plugin approach. For an overview of the components and supported options, see the OpenClaw documentation hub.
What can OpenClaw do?
OpenClaw is designed to coordinate tasks through configured models, tools, and channels. Examples in the project FAQ include preparing personal briefings from inbox, calendar, or news; researching and drafting; setting reminders and follow-ups; automating browser tasks; and coordinating work across devices. Whether a particular task works depends on the channels, tools, permissions, model, and plugins you have set up.
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Messaging channels and interfaces
Official materials list Discord, Google Chat, iMessage, Mattermost, Signal, Slack, Telegram, WebChat, and WhatsApp, alongside channel plugins. The documentation also describes multi-agent routing, media support, mobile nodes, skills, scheduled automation, plugins, and the browser Control UI. Availability and behavior can vary by platform, plugin, and configuration; this list is not a guarantee that every feature works identically in every deployment. Check the documentation hub for current details.
Keep people responsible for consequential actions
For outreach, advertising, or other actions that affect people outside your setup, the project FAQ recommends keeping a human in the loop, reviewing content before sending, and following applicable laws and platform policies. An assistant’s ability to perform an action is not a reason to give it unrestricted permission to do so.
Is OpenClaw local or cloud-based?
The software runs on infrastructure you choose, such as a personal computer or server. That does not mean every part of a deployment is local. You can configure a local model, or use an external model provider; when external providers and messaging platforms are involved, they receive the traffic sent to them. Workspace and session state can remain on your hardware, but the project does not claim that no data ever leaves your device.
Running OpenClaw on a computer you already have or on a server are both possible operating choices. The official materials do not establish that you need to buy a dedicated computer or prescribe one ideal device. A server may be useful when you need the Gateway available independently of your personal computer, but it also means you are responsible for operating and securing that server.
What does OpenClaw send, and where does data go?
Data flows depend on your configuration. Messages and other content routed to a configured chat platform or model provider are handled by those services. Separately, the OpenClaw FAQ says its default update check sends the OpenClaw version, operating system, Node version, and CPU architecture. Optional anonymous feature statistics are off by default. The FAQ says disabling update.checkOnStart disables both the update check and those statistics. See the FAQ’s data and telemetry answers for the project’s current explanation.
Is OpenClaw safe to expose to other people or the internet?
There is no blanket safety guarantee: security depends on deployment choices and permissions. OpenClaw’s repository says inbound messages are untrusted and that, for the main session, tools run on the host unless sandboxing is configured. The architecture documentation explains the consequence: “The architecture decides what it can do long before any policy decides what it may.” That is a design rationale from the project documentation, not an independent security audit. Read the project’s security guidance, including its exposure and sandboxing guidance, before granting access to other users or exposing a Gateway remotely.
- Limit who can send messages to the assistant and what accounts or tools it can access.
- Understand whether tools execute on the host and whether sandboxing is configured.
- Review the risks and access controls before making the Gateway reachable remotely.
- For actions such as sending messages or changing data, use permissions and human review appropriate to the consequences.
Can a team or household share one Gateway?
A shared Gateway is supported, but the OpenClaw FAQ says one Gateway is one trust domain: “One boundary to respect: a gateway is one trust domain.” Share one only with people who trust one another. If users may act against each other’s interests, the FAQ recommends separate Gateways rather than treating a shared instance as a boundary between them. OpenClaw FAQ
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How do you install OpenClaw, and what does it require?
The documentation hub accessed on October 7, 2026 recommended Node 26 and listed Node 24.16+ or 26.1+ as supported versions. Software requirements can change, so check the official documentation hub and its installation guide for current version and platform instructions. The onboarding flow can configure access and open a browser dashboard; the docs also cover other installation methods. You will also need to choose where the Gateway runs and configure the model, channels, and permissions you want to use.
Who owns OpenClaw, and does it cost money?
The OpenClaw Foundation identifies itself as the project’s independent 501(c)(3) steward. According to the Foundation’s FAQ and the project repository, OpenAI is a donor, not the owner or controller of OpenClaw. The project says it is funded by donations and has no paid tier, hosted service, or token. That describes the software project’s model; it does not rule out charges from a model provider you choose or from hosting infrastructure you use. OpenClaw FAQ · OpenClaw repository
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