What is Clawdbot (OpenClaw)? The Viral AI Agent Explained
Clawdbot, also known as OpenClaw, is one of the most popular open-source AI agents on GitHub. Created by Peter Steinberger, it lets anyone deploy a personal AI assistant to messaging platforms like Telegram, Discord, and WhatsApp.
145K+
GitHub Stars
One of the most popular open-source AI projects
Peter Steinberger
Created By
Well-known open-source developer and entrepreneur
Open Source
License
Free to use, modify, and self-host
AI Agent
Category
Personal assistant that connects to messaging platforms
What can Clawdbot do?
Clawdbot is a versatile AI agent framework that connects large language models to real-world messaging platforms.
Multi-Model Support
Clawdbot works with GPT-5.2, Claude Sonnet 4.5, DeepSeek V3, Gemini 3, and other major AI models. Switch providers without changing your setup.
Messaging Platform Integration
Connect Clawdbot to Telegram, Discord, WhatsApp, Lark, and more. One agent can serve multiple channels simultaneously.
Custom System Prompts
Define exactly how your agent behaves. Set personality, knowledge boundaries, response style, and specialized behavior through system prompts.
Conversation Memory
Clawdbot maintains context across messages, remembering previous conversations and user preferences for more natural interactions.
Tool Integration
Extend Clawdbot with tools for web search, code execution, image generation, and more. Build agents that can take real actions.
Open Source & Extensible
The full source code is available on GitHub. Developers can modify, extend, and contribute to the project freely.
Why does Clawdbot have 145K+ GitHub stars?
It solves a real problem
People want to use AI assistants on their favorite messaging apps, but building one from scratch requires knowledge of APIs, webhooks, message queues, and AI model integration. Clawdbot packages all of that into a single deployable project.
It's model-agnostic
Unlike bots tied to a single AI provider, Clawdbot supports GPT, Claude, DeepSeek, Gemini, Llama, and more. Users can switch models based on cost, performance, or preference without rebuilding their bot.
It has strong community backing
With thousands of contributors and an active community, Clawdbot gets regular updates, bug fixes, and new features. The project is well-documented and approachable for developers of all levels.
The challenge: Clawdbot requires technical setup
Despite being open source and well-documented, deploying Clawdbot still requires a server, Docker, API key management, and ongoing maintenance. For non-technical users, this is a barrier.
DesktopClaw makes Clawdbot accessible to everyone
DesktopClaw is a managed platform that deploys and hosts Clawdbot for you. No servers, no Docker, no terminal. Just a visual dashboard where you configure your agent and go live in minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Is Clawdbot free to use?
Yes. Clawdbot (OpenClaw) is open-source and free to use. However, self-hosting requires a server and technical knowledge. DesktopClaw offers managed hosting starting with a free 14-day trial.
Who created Clawdbot?
Clawdbot (OpenClaw) was created by Peter Steinberger, a well-known open-source developer. It has grown to 145K+ GitHub stars with an active community of contributors.
What's the difference between Clawdbot and DesktopClaw?
Clawdbot (OpenClaw) is the open-source AI agent software. DesktopClaw is a managed platform that deploys and hosts Clawdbot for you, removing the need for servers, Docker, or technical setup.