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openclaw

The AI that really does things. Any OS. Any Platform. The lobster way. 🦞

Updated Sep 28, 2026
Website GitHub Docs
Platforms
macos, linux, windows, docker
Pricing
free-open-source
Status
active
License
Other

What it does

Core capabilities at a glance

  • Assistant
  • Crustacean
  • Molty
  • Openclaw
  • OWN Your Data
  • Personal

Deep dive

The full breakdown - performance, comparisons, and setup

openclaw

openclaw is a local-AI tool - The AI that really does things. Any OS. Any Platform. The lobster way. 🦞.

Overview

OpenClaw is an open-source AI assistant that runs on your own computer and meets you in the channels you already use: Discord, iMessage, Slack, Teams, Telegram, WhatsApp, and 20+ more, plus native apps for macOS, iOS, Android, Windows, and Linux. One Gateway runs it as a personal assistant on a laptop or as a shared team deployment; configuration is the only difference.

Yours, with no catch. State, memory, and credentials live on your hardware. Models and agent harnesses (Claude, Codex, local models) are plugins you can swap without changing anything else. Your prompts go to the model provider and chat platforms you configure, plus any diagnostics export you enable yourself; by default OpenClaw itself phones home for nothing but a daily version check, anonymous feature statistics are opt-in, and 'update.checkOnStart: false' disables both (what OpenClaw sends). OpenClaw is stewarded by the OpenClaw Foundation, an independent 501(c)(3), and has no paid tier, hosted service, or token. The architecture case — trusted gateway, untrusted execution, deterministic policy — is in Why OpenClaw.

The installer supports macOS, Linux, and Windows. It provisions a supported Node.js runtime when needed.

Already manage Node.js? Install the published package instead (Node 24.16+ or 26.1+; Node 26 recommended):

openclaw is open-source, written primarily in TypeScript, with 390,665 GitHub stars under the Other license. The latest release is v2026.9.6 (2026-09-23).

Install

A quick way to get started (always check the official docs for the latest):

npm install -g openclaw@latest --allow-scripts=openclaw

How it fits a local-AI stack

openclaw runs on your own hardware, so pair it with a model and a GPU sized to your needs. Use the VRAM calculator to pick a model that fits your card, and see what you can run for hardware guidance. Related local-AI tools in the directory:

Sources

Stats from GitHub, 2026-09-28.

Frequently asked

Quick answers to common questions

What is openclaw?

openclaw is a other tool for local AI workloads. The AI that really does things. Any OS. Any Platform. The lobster way. 🦞

Is openclaw free and open source?

Yes, openclaw has 390,665 GitHub stars and is licensed under Other. You can self-host it for free on macos, linux, windows, docker.

What platforms does openclaw support?

openclaw runs on macos, linux, windows, docker.

What hardware do I need for openclaw?

The hardware requirements depend on which models you run. Check our hardware directory for compatible GPUs and systems. openclaw has 390,665 GitHub stars and an active community.

Does openclaw support GPU acceleration?

openclaw supports GPU acceleration via CUDA, Metal, or Vulkan depending on your platform. For the best performance, pair it with an NVIDIA RTX 4090 or 5090.

What are the best alternatives to openclaw?

Popular alternatives include other other tools in our directory. Browse our full collection at /tool for comparisons, community reviews, and benchmark data to find the right fit for your workflow.

How much does openclaw cost?

openclaw is free-open-source. It is completely free and open source to self-host.

Pairs well with

Complementary tools, models, and hardware