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Welcome to OpenClaw

OpenClaw is a personal AI assistant you run on your own devices. It acts as a central gateway that connects AI agents to all your messaging platforms—WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack, Signal, iMessage, and more.

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What is OpenClaw?

OpenClaw provides a local-first Gateway that serves as a single control plane for:
  • Multi-channel messaging: Connect to WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack, Signal, iMessage, Google Chat, Microsoft Teams, and more
  • AI agent integration: Built-in Pi agent runtime with RPC mode, tool streaming, and block streaming
  • Session management: Per-sender sessions with group isolation and activation modes
  • Security by default: DM pairing, allowlists, and sandbox isolation for group chats
  • Multi-platform support: macOS menu bar app, iOS/Android nodes, and web control UI
If you want a personal, single-user assistant that feels local, fast, and always-on, this is it.

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Key Features

Multi-Channel Inbox

Connect to WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack, Signal, iMessage, and more from a single gateway

Local-First Gateway

Self-hosted control plane for sessions, channels, tools, and events

AI Agent Runtime

Built-in Pi agent with tool streaming, workspace isolation, and multi-agent routing

Platform Apps

macOS menu bar app, iOS/Android nodes, and web control UI

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How It Works

The Gateway runs as a WebSocket server (default port 18789) on your local machine or VPS. All messaging channels connect through the Gateway, which routes messages to the appropriate AI agent based on your configuration.

Quickstart

Get up and running in under 5 minutes

Installation

Detailed installation instructions

Configuration

Configure your gateway and channels

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Architecture Overview

OpenClaw’s architecture consists of:
  1. Gateway: WebSocket control plane at ws://127.0.0.1:18789
  2. Channels: Messaging platform integrations (WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.)
  3. Agents: AI agent runtime with Pi agent support
  4. Sessions: Per-sender session management with group isolation
  5. Tools: Browser control, canvas, nodes, cron jobs, and automation
  6. Platform Apps: macOS app, iOS/Android nodes, web UI
Learn more about the architecture and core concepts.

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Use Cases

  • Personal AI Assistant: Chat with AI on your preferred messaging platform
  • Multi-Agent Systems: Route different channels or groups to specialized agents
  • Automation: Set up cron jobs, webhooks, and automated workflows
  • Team Collaboration: Shared AI assistant for Discord/Slack teams with role-based access
  • Voice Interaction: Voice Wake and Talk Mode on macOS/iOS/Android
  • Visual Workspace: Live Canvas for agent-driven visual interactions

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Security & Privacy

OpenClaw is self-hosted and local-first:
  • All data stays on your devices
  • Default DM pairing prevents unauthorized access
  • Allowlists control who can interact with your assistant
  • Sandbox isolation for group chats
  • Optional password/token authentication for web access
Learn more about security best practices.

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Next Steps

1

Install OpenClaw

Follow the installation guide to set up OpenClaw on your system
2

Run the Onboarding Wizard

Use openclaw onboard --install-daemon to configure your gateway and channels
3

Connect Channels

Set up your preferred messaging channels (WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, etc.)
4

Start Chatting

Send your first message and experience your personal AI assistant

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Community & Support

OpenClaw is MIT licensed and built by the community. Contributions welcome!