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OpenClaw Complete User Guide- How to Use a Self-Hosted AI Assistant That Actually Does Things

In 2026, many AI tools can talk. Very few can do.
That is why OpenClaw became one of the most talked-about AI projects in the developer world almost overnight.

OpenClaw is not just a chatbot. It is a self-hosted AI assistant that runs all day, every day, on your own machine or server. It remembers things. It takes actions. It connects to your chat apps like Telegram or WhatsApp. And most importantly, it works for you, not a cloud company.

In just a short time, OpenClaw gained more than 65,000 GitHub stars, caused Mac Mini shortages, and pushed many people to rethink paying monthly fees for AI tools. Instead of paying $29 every month to a random startup, OpenClaw lets you run your own AI worker on a small VPS, a Raspberry Pi, or even a home computer.

This guide is written for users, not academics.
No heavy theory. No complex words.
Just clear steps and real examples.

By the end, you will know:

  • What OpenClaw is

  • How it works

  • How to install it

  • How to connect it to Telegram or WhatsApp

  • How to use skills and automations

  • How to turn it into a real 24/7 AI assistant

OpenClaw is a free and open-source AI automation tool.

It wraps powerful AI models like Claude and GPT-5 and gives them:

  • Memory

  • Tools

  • Skills

  • Automation

  • Messaging access

Instead of asking an AI a question and forgetting everything next time, OpenClaw remembers past events, understands your preferences, and continues working even when you are offline.

You can think of it as:

  • A personal AI employee

  • A digital assistant that never sleeps

  • A bridge between chat apps and real actions

It can:

  • Manage your calendar

  • Clean your email

  • Run scripts

  • Track stocks

  • Watch websites

  • Deploy code

  • Send alerts

  • Control your computer remotely

All from chat.

OpenClaw exploded in popularity for a few simple reasons.

2.1 It Is Truly Self-Hosted

Most AI tools run on someone else's servers.
OpenClaw runs on your machine.

That means:

  • Your data stays with you

  • You control the rules

  • You decide what it can do

  • You decide when it runs

You can host it on:

  • A VPS

  • A Raspberry Pi

  • A Mac Mini

  • A Linux server

Linux is recommended, but it works on other systems too.

2.2 It Works 24/7 Without Supervision

Once OpenClaw is running, it does not stop.

It can:

  • Monitor things in the background

  • Run tasks on a schedule

  • React when something changes

  • Send you messages automatically

You do not need to open an app or click buttons every time.

2.3 It Has Real Memory

OpenClaw remembers:

  • Past conversations

  • Previous tasks

  • Your preferences

  • Important events

This memory is not fake or temporary.
It is saved using hooks, which allow OpenClaw to store and reuse information across sessions.

2.4 It Connects to Chat Apps You Already Use

You do not need to learn a new interface.

OpenClaw works through:

  • Telegram

  • WhatsApp

  • Slack

  • Discord

You send messages like you normally do.
OpenClaw replies and takes action.

You do not need to understand deep system design, but knowing the basics helps.

OpenClaw uses a three-layer setup.

3.1 User Layer

This is you.

You interact through:

  • Telegram

  • WhatsApp

  • Discord

  • Web dashboard

You send commands in plain language.

3.2 Channel Layer

This layer translates messages.

It:

  • Takes messages from chat apps

  • Converts them into commands

  • Sends responses back

Think of it as a translator between chat and actions.

3.3 Gateway Core

This is the brain.

The gateway:

  • Talks to AI models

  • Calls tools

  • Runs skills

  • Triggers hooks

  • Stores memory

Everything important happens here.

Here is a clear list of core abilities.

4.1 Chat With Real Memory

It remembers:

  • Who you are

  • What you care about

  • What you asked before

You can shape its personality just by chatting.

4.2 Skills System

Skills are plug-ins.

They allow OpenClaw to:

  • Watch blogs

  • Check stocks

  • Manage files

  • Generate content

  • Run scripts

You can:

  • Use built-in skills

  • Install skills from MoltHub

  • Write your own skills

4.3 Automation and Scheduling

OpenClaw can:

  • Run tasks daily

  • Run tasks weekly

  • React to events

  • Trigger follow-ups

Once set, you do not need to repeat yourself.

4.4 Browser Automation

From your phone, you can:

  • Open a browser on your computer

  • Visit websites

  • Grab data

  • Run commands

This feels like remote control, but through chat.

4.5 Coding and Development Tasks

OpenClaw can:

  • Generate code

  • Fix bugs

  • Create login pages

  • Preview results

It can even deploy broken code with confidence.

5.1 System Requirements

You need:

  • A terminal

  • Internet access

  • Node.js environment

  • Linux recommended

It also works on macOS and other systems.

5.2 One-Command Installation

OpenClaw is installed using a single command.

Once installed, you will have access to commands like:

  • clawbot

  • moltbot

  • openclaw

(The name changed a few times, but OpenClaw is the final name.)

5.3 First Launch and Onboarding

After installation, run the OpenClaw command.

You will be asked to:

  • Read a security document

  • Understand risks

If you like living dangerously, you can move forward quickly.

OpenClaw does not force one model.

You can choose:

  • Anthropic (Claude)

  • OpenAI

  • Open-source models

6.1 Using Anthropic

Steps:

  1. Get your Anthropic API key

  2. Paste it during setup

  3. Confirm connection

Yes, it costs money, but it is powerful.

6.2 Using Free Open-Source Models

If you want:

  • Zero cost

  • Full control

You can use open-source models instead.

Telegram is one of the easiest ways to use OpenClaw.

7.1 Create a Telegram Bot

Steps:

  1. Open Telegram

  2. Search for BotFather

  3. Start a chat

  4. Choose a name

  5. Receive a bot token

This token is like a password. Keep it safe.

7.2 Connect the Token to OpenClaw

Paste the token into OpenClaw when asked.

Now OpenClaw knows how to talk to Telegram.

7.3 Pairing Your Account

When you message your bot, you will see:

Access not configured

It will give you a pairing code.

Steps:

  1. Copy the pairing code

  2. Go to your terminal

  3. Run the pairing command

Now your Telegram account is linked.

8.1 Choosing Skills

OpenClaw will ask which skills to enable.

You can:

  • Use defaults

  • Pick from MoltHub

  • Add custom ones later

8.2 Hooks Explained Simply

Hooks listen for events.

They allow OpenClaw to:

  • Remember things

  • Trigger actions later

  • Respond to changes

For example:

  • Remember stock prices

  • React when prices move

  • Send alerts

Enable session memory hooks early.

Now the fun part.

9.1 Basic Chat

You can:

  • Ask questions

  • Give commands

  • Set rules

It replies like a normal chat, but smarter.

9.2 Shaping Personality

You can say things like:

  • "Your name is Assistant to Jeff."

  • "Act casual."

  • "Use emojis."

No settings panel needed. Just talk.

Let's use a real example.

10.1 Ask About a Stock

Send a message like:

Check how my Microsoft stock is doing.

OpenClaw:

  • Fetches data

  • Replies with current status

10.2 Automatic Monitoring

OpenClaw does not stop there.

It:

  • Saves this request

  • Tracks the stock in the background

  • Watches for big changes

When something happens, it messages you.

No more manual checking.

11.1 BlogWatcher Example

You can install a skill that:

  • Monitors blogs

  • Finds new articles

  • Sends summaries

Steps:

  1. Open the dashboard

  2. Go to skills

  3. Install BlogWatcher

11.2 Create a Daily Task

You can set:

  • A daily schedule

  • Automatic fetching

  • Message delivery

Every day, OpenClaw sends you updates.

This is where it feels magical.

You can send:

Open GitHub and find the install command.

OpenClaw:

  • Opens a browser

  • Visits GitHub

  • Extracts information

  • Replies with results

All from Telegram.

OpenClaw can act as a coding agent.

13.1 Generate a Login Page

You can say:

Create a simple login page and preview it.

OpenClaw:

  • Writes code

  • Runs it

  • Shows preview

No switching tools.

13.2 Multi-Agent Workflows

OpenClaw supports:

  • Multiple agents

  • Task coordination

  • Shared context

This is useful for bigger projects.

OpenClaw is not hype.
It is one of the first tools that feels like a real AI worker.

It:

  • Runs nonstop

  • Remembers

  • Acts

  • Learns your habits

And it does this on your own hardware.

If you want an AI that actually helps you live and work better, OpenClaw is worth your time.

Once you set it up, you may wonder how you lived without it.

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