OpenClaw Roadmap
This OpenClaw Roadmap is a free, full-text syllabus of 118 lessons in 20 stages, starting with Introduction and ending with More topics. It suits anyone who wants to learn OpenClaw, whether new to it or filling gaps. There is no fixed length: every lesson is open from the start, so you go at your own pace and skip what you already know.
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1. IntroductionIntroduction
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The diagram draws the same 118 lessons as a map, with lines showing the order. It needs JavaScript; the full syllabus below lists every lesson as text.
Full syllabus: every lesson in the OpenClaw roadmap
20 stages and 118 lessons, in the order the roadmap suggests. Every lesson is free to read and open from the start.
Stage 1: Introduction
Introduction
Open Claw is a self-hosted AI agent gateway that connects your messaging apps to AI models you control. You run a single Gateway process on your own machine or server, and it becomes the bridge between platforms like Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord, Slack, Signal, and more, and an always-available AI assistant. It is…
OpenClaw vs Claude Code
Claude Code is Anthropic's official CLI tool for AI-assisted coding, tightly integrated with Claude models and designed for developer workflows. OpenClaw is a community-built alternative that runs independently, supports a wide range of AI providers beyond Anthropic, and extends beyond coding to general agent…
Use cases
Open Claw can be used for a wide range of tasks: you can connect it to your messaging apps to have it read and respond to messages on your behalf, set up scheduled jobs using cron and heartbeats to run recurring tasks like daily summaries or file cleanups without any human input, process incoming data from webhooks…
Stage 2: How OpenClaw Works
How OpenClaw Works
Open Claw runs a single long-lived Gateway that owns all messaging surfaces and exposes a typed WebSocket API for control-plane clients like the macOS app, CLI, and web UI. When a message arrives, the Gateway routes it to the appropriate agent, which then runs through a full loop of context assembly, model…
Gateway
The Gateway is the single always-on process that handles routing, the control plane, and all channel connections. It runs on a single multiplexed port that serves the WebSocket control and RPC interface, HTTP APIs, the Control UI, and hooks. By default, it binds to localhost and requires an auth token before…
Agents
An agent in Open Claw is a fully isolated unit with its own workspace folder containing its personality and configuration files, its own state directory that holds auth profiles and the model registry, and its own session store that keeps the full conversation history separate from every other agent. Because auth…
Agent Loop
When Open Claw receives a message, it runs a full agent loop rather than returning a single response. The loop validates the message, resolves the model, assembles the system prompt from skills and context files, and then sends everything to the model for inference. If the model decides to call a tool, like running…
Context Window
The context window is the amount of conversation history, instructions, and tool results the AI model can see at once when generating a response. Open Claw manages this carefully through a context engine and compaction system so long-running agents don't exceed the model's limits.
Channels
Channels are the messaging platforms through which users interact with Open Claw, and each one connects to the single Gateway process that routes incoming messages to the right agent and sends replies back. Every channel runs simultaneously on the same Gateway, so you can be connected to Telegram, WhatsApp,…
Skills
OpenClaw uses AgentSkills-compatible skill folders to teach the agent how to use tools. A skill is a markdown file injected into the system prompt that gives the agent context, constraints, and step-by-step guidance for using tools effectively. Skills live in your workspace, in shared folders, or ship inside plugins.
Memory System
The memory system allows Open Claw agents to remember information across conversations. Instead of starting fresh every time, agents can store and retrieve facts, past interactions, or user preferences from structured memory files in the workspace. Open Claw also includes a compaction system that automatically…
Proactive Core
The proactive core is what allows Open Claw agents to act on their own initiative rather than just responding to messages. Using heartbeats, cron jobs, and standing orders, the agent can run tasks on a schedule or trigger automatically based on conditions you define.
Stage 3: Setting up OpenClaw
Setting up OpenClaw
Setting up Open Claw involves installing the package via npm, running the onboarding wizard to connect your AI model provider and first communication channel, and optionally installing the Gateway as a background daemon so it starts automatically.
Stage 4: Local Machine
Local Machine
Running Open Claw on your local machine means installing it directly on your personal computer. This is the quickest way to get started and is good for experimentation, though it comes with limitations around uptime and accessibility from outside your network.
Stage 5: VPS/Cloud
VPS/Cloud
Running Open Claw on a VPS or cloud platform gives you a machine that is always online and accessible from anywhere. This is the most common production setup and is recommended over running on a local machine for anything beyond experimentation.
Stage 6: Dedicated Hardware
Dedicated Hardware
Running Open Claw on dedicated hardware means using a physical device like a Raspberry Pi or Mac Mini that runs continuously in your home or office. This gives you full control and low ongoing costs with no monthly cloud fees.
Stage 7: Installation
Installation
Installation covers the steps to get Open Claw onto your chosen environment. It requires a recent version of Node.js, an API key from your chosen model provider, and takes around five minutes. The core install command is npm install -g openclaw@latest, after which you run openclaw onboard to connect your first…
Docker
Docker lets you run Open Claw inside a container, an isolated environment that keeps it separate from the rest of your system. This makes installation cleaner, reduces conflicts with other software, and makes it easier to remove or update later.
Why and Why not?
A local machine is the right choice if you are just getting started, experimenting with Open Claw, or running it as a personal assistant for yourself only. It requires no ongoing costs, no remote infrastructure to manage, and lets you get up and running in minutes. It is not a good fit if you need your agent to be…
Security Best Practices
Use a local machine setup only for single-user personal use. Bind the Gateway to localhost so it is never exposed to the internet, set a strong randomly generated auth token, and store all API keys in environment variables rather than config files. Run Open Claw as a non-root user, keep your sender allowlist to…
Why and Why not?
Running Open Claw on dedicated hardware like a Raspberry Pi or Mac Mini gives you full control and no ongoing cloud fees, but the hardware itself is a constraint. Low-powered devices like a Raspberry Pi may struggle with memory-intensive tasks or multiple simultaneous agent sessions, and any hardware failure means…
Raspberry Pi
A Raspberry Pi is a small, low-cost single-board computer that can run Open Claw 24/7 with minimal power consumption. It is a popular self-hosting choice for hobbyists who want a home server.
Mac Mini
A Mac Mini is a compact desktop computer that works well as a home server for Open Claw. It is more powerful than a Raspberry Pi and runs macOS, which may simplify setup for Mac users.
Why and Why not?
A VPS or cloud server is the right choice if you need your agent to be always online, reachable from anywhere, and capable of receiving webhooks from external services. It is the most common production setup and works well for personal assistants, team automation, and any workflow that requires continuous…
Security Best Practices
When running Open Claw locally, bind the Gateway to localhost only so it is never exposed directly to the internet, set a strong, randomly generated auth token, and never hardcode API keys in config files — use environment variables instead. Run the process as a non-root user, keep your sender allowlist minimal,…
Pick a Provider
Open Claw runs on any VPS or cloud server that supports Node.js, so you are not locked into a specific provider. The official docs include setup guides for several popular options, including DigitalOcean, Render, Hetzner, Fly.io, Google Cloud Platform, Azure, and exe.dev, each with different trade-offs around…
Stage 8: Onboarding
Onboarding
Onboarding is the guided first-run process that walks you through connecting your first AI model provider and communication channel so your agent is ready to receive and respond to messages. You can run it with openclaw onboard.
Stage 9: Hooks
Hooks
Hooks are small scripts that run inside the Gateway when specific agent events fire, like /new, /reset, /stop, or lifecycle events. They are automatically discovered from directories and can be inspected with openclaw hooks.
Anthropic
Anthropic is the company behind the Claude family of models. Connecting Open Claw to Anthropic lets you use Claude as your agent's underlying model, which is well-suited for reasoning, writing, and tool use.
OpenAI
OpenAI provides access to models like GPT-4o. Open Claw can use these models as the AI brain behind your agent by configuring your OpenAI API key in the model provider settings.
Gemini
Gemini is Google's family of AI models. Open Claw supports Gemini as an alternative model provider, giving you access to Google's AI infrastructure for powering your agents.
Ollama
Ollama is a tool that lets you run open-source AI models locally on your own hardware, making it a natural fit for Open Claw setups where privacy, cost, or offline availability are a priority. It shines most in dedicated hardware setups like a Mac Mini or a capable home server, where you have enough RAM and…
Telegram
Telegram is a messaging app that supports bots via a straightforward API. It is one of the easiest channels to connect to Open Claw and is recommended as the first channel for new users.
WhatsApp
WhatsApp is the most popular channel in Open Claw. It connects via the Baileys library and requires a QR code pairing step to link your account to the Gateway.
iMessage
iMessage is Apple's built-in messaging system. The recommended way to connect it to Open Claw is via BlueBubbles, a macOS server that provides a full-featured REST API for iMessage integration.
Slack
Slack is a team communication platform. Open Claw connects to it via the Bolt SDK as a workspace app, making it useful for team-based automation and internal tooling.
Discord
Discord is a chat platform popular in gaming and developer communities. Open Claw connects to it via the Discord Bot API and Gateway, supporting servers, channels, and DMs.
Signal
Signal is an end-to-end encrypted messaging app. Open Claw connects to it via signal-cli, making it a strong option for users who prioritize privacy in their communications with the agent.
Auth & Model Providers
This section covers how to connect Open Claw to AI model providers like Anthropic, OpenAI, Gemini, or Ollama by entering your API credentials. The model provider is what powers the agent's intelligence.
Adding First Channel
After setting up your model provider, the next step is connecting a communication channel, in other words, the platform where you will actually talk to your agent. Telegram is recommended as the fastest channel to get started with.
Workspace Settings
Workspace settings define the environment your agent operates in, including its identity, behavioral guidelines, and what it knows about you. These are stored in a set of markdown configuration files in your project directory.
Gateway Settings
Gateway settings control how the Open Claw server behaves, including the port it listens on, authentication tokens, and which interfaces it binds to. These settings are critical for both functionality and security.
Adding Daemon
A daemon is a background process that runs continuously without needing a terminal window open. Configuring Open Claw as a daemon ensures it starts automatically and keeps running even after you log out or restart your machine.
Stage 10: Webhooks
Webhooks
Webhooks allow external services to send HTTP requests to Open Claw to trigger agent actions. This is how you can connect third-party tools like GitHub or custom apps to your agent.
AGENTS.md
AGENTS.md describes the agents available in your workspace, their roles, and how they relate to each other. It is used when running multiple agents to clarify who does what.
SOUL.md
SOUL.md is the file where you define the agent's personality, tone, and core behavioral guidelines. Think of it as the agent's character sheet. It shapes how it communicates and makes decisions across all conversations.
USER.md
USER.md contains information about you: your preferences, context, and anything you want the agent to know about you by default. The agent reads this to personalize its responses.
MEMORY.md
MEMORY.md is a persistent file where the agent stores important facts it has learned over time. It is regularly updated so the agent can recall relevant information in future conversations.
memory/YYYY-MM-DD.md
These are dated memory log files that store a record of what happened on a specific day. They give the agent a chronological history that it can reference when needed, and are created automatically by the session-memory hook.
Other Workspace Files
Open Claw recognizes several other special markdown files that are automatically injected into the agent's context at startup. BOOT.md contains instructions that the agent runs once when the Gateway starts. TOOLS.md describes the tools available to the agent and how they should be used. IDENTITY.md is an…
Hook Structure
Each hook is a directory containing a HOOK.md file with metadata and a handler.ts file with the logic to run. The metadata defines which events to listen for and what requirements the hook needs to be eligible.
Event Types
Open Claw hooks support a range of event types, including command events like /new and /reset, session events like compaction, agent bootstrap events, gateway startup events, and message received and sent events.
Stage 11: Usage Best Practices
Usage Best Practices
To get the most out of Open Claw, run openclaw doctor regularly to catch configuration drift early, and always run openclaw security audit --deep after any config change. Keep your workspace files like SOUL.md, USER.md, and MEMORY.md up to date so the agent always has accurate context about who you are and how you…
Securing Webhooks
The Webhooks plugin ensures that each route is protected by shared-secret authentication, rate limiting, request size guards, and in-flight request limiting. Use a strong unique secret per route, store it as a SecretRef rather than inline plaintext, and bind each route to the narrowest session that fits the…
Stage 12: Heartbeats
Heartbeats
Heartbeats are periodic signals the Gateway emits on a regular interval. They can be used to confirm the agent is alive and to trigger recurring background tasks without any human input.
Stage 13: Automating Tasks
Automating Tasks
Open Claw supports several mechanisms for running tasks automatically, including hooks, webhooks, heartbeats, and cron jobs, so your agent can act without waiting for a human to send a message.
onboard
openclaw onboard walks you through the initial setup process interactively, helping you connect your model provider and first channel step by step.
doctor
The openclaw doctor command checks your Open Claw installation for common configuration problems and misconfigurations. It is the first thing to run when something is not working as expected.
doctor --deep
openclaw doctor --deep is an extended version of openclaw doctor that performs a more thorough diagnostic check, scanning system services for extra gateway installs and deeper configuration issues that the standard check might miss. You can add the --yes flag to automatically accept any prompts without manual…
security audit
openclaw security audit scans your Open Claw setup for potential security vulnerabilities such as exposed ports, weak tokens, or insecure configurations. You can also run openclaw security audit --deep for a live Gateway probe, or openclaw security audit --fix to automatically tighten safe defaults.
Interval & Active Hours
You can configure how often heartbeats fire and restrict them to certain hours of the day, so your agent only runs automated tasks during times you define as active.
HEARTBEAT.md
HEARTBEAT.md is a workspace configuration file where you define what the agent should do during each heartbeat cycle — essentially a set of instructions for proactive, time-based behavior.
Stage 14: Cron Jobs
Cron Jobs
Cron jobs are scheduled tasks that run at specific times or intervals. They allow you to automate recurring actions like summaries, cleanups, or reports without any human prompt.
Stage 15: Sessions
Sessions
A session is the conversation context tied to a specific agent and chat source. Direct messages share one session by default, but you can isolate each sender into their own context, strongly recommended if more than one person can message your agent. All session state is owned by the Gateway and maintained…
gateway
openclaw gateway is the main command for interacting with the gateway process. It is the entry point for all gateway-related operations from the command line.
gateway start | stop | restart
openclaw gateway start, openclaw gateway stop, and openclaw gateway restart control the lifecycle of the Open Claw gateway process, starting it up, shutting it down, or restarting it after a configuration change.
Managing & Disabling Jobs
You can list, pause, and delete cron jobs from the command line, giving you control over which scheduled tasks are active at any given time.
Stage 16: Skills
Skills
Skills are modular capability packages that extend what your agent can do. Each skill is a markdown file injected into the system prompt that gives the agent context and guidance for using specific tools or following specific workflows.
Creating Skills
You can write your own skills by creating a SKILL.md file with instructions and placing it in your workspace's skills/ folder. This lets you teach the agent new behaviors tailored to your specific needs.
Installing from ClawHub
ClawHub is a community repository of pre-built skills. You can browse and install skills from ClawHub directly, saving time compared to building them from scratch.
Security Risks
Installing third-party skills carries risk since a skill can define instructions or tool access that could be misused. It is important to review skills from external sources before installing them.
channels list
openclaw channels list displays all the communication channels currently connected to your Open Claw gateway, along with their status.
channels login
openclaw channels login initiates the authentication flow for a specific channel, allowing Open Claw to connect to it on your behalf.
channels add --channel
openclaw channels add --channel adds a new communication channel to your Open Claw setup, specifying which platform to connect.
channels remove --channel
openclaw channels remove --channel disconnects and removes a channel from your Open Claw configuration.
channels status --probe
openclaw channels status --probe actively checks the connection status of your channels by probing them, rather than just reporting cached status.
Stage 17: Plugins
Plugins
Plugins are packages that can register any combination of capabilities: channels, model providers, tools, skills, speech, image generation, and more. Some are bundled with Open Claw, and others are published by the community on npm.
Installing Plugins
Plugins are installed via openclaw plugins install followed by the package name or path. Once installed, they become available to all agents in your workspace.
Creating Plugins
You can build your own plugins to add custom functionality to Open Claw, such as integrating a new service or adding a new type of tool the agent can call.
Security Risks
Plugins run at a deeper level than skills and can have significant access to your system. Open Claw installs plugin dependencies with --ignore-scripts to reduce risk, but you should still only install plugins from trusted sources.
Stage 18: MCP
MCP
MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open standard for connecting AI models to external tools and data sources. Open Claw supports MCP, allowing your agent to call tools from any MCP-compatible server.
Stage 19: Multi-Agents
Multi-Agents
Multi-agent mode lets you run several specialized agents in the same Open Claw gateway, each with its own workspace, auth profiles, and session store. They can operate independently or be coordinated through routing rules and shared memory.
Routing Rules
Routing rules determine which agent handles which incoming messages. Open Claw uses a deterministic, most-specific-wins system: peer matches beat channel-wide rules, which beat the fallback default agent.
models list | set | status
openclaw models list, openclaw models set, and openclaw models status let you view the AI models available in your setup, switch between them, and check which one is currently active.
models auth add
openclaw models auth add is the interactive auth helper. It can launch a provider auth flow (OAuth/API key) or guide you into manual token paste, depending on the provider you choose.
models auth setup-token
openclaw models auth setup-token stores the authentication token for a model provider, allowing Open Claw to make authenticated API calls on your behalf. It is part of the broader models auth command group, which also includes add, login, and paste-token.
cron list
openclaw cron list shows all the scheduled tasks currently registered in Open Claw along with their schedules and status.
cron add
openclaw cron add registers a new scheduled task, letting you define what the agent should do and when it should trigger automatically.
memory index --all
openclaw memory index rebuilds the search index for all memory files, ensuring the agent can efficiently retrieve relevant information from its stored memories.
memory search "<query>"
openclaw memory search "query" lets you search through the agent's stored memories using a keyword or phrase, useful for checking what the agent has remembered about past conversations or preferences.
backup create
openclaw backup create generates a snapshot of your Open Claw configuration and memory files so you can restore your setup if something goes wrong.
/new
/new starts a fresh conversation with the agent, clearing the current context so you are beginning from a clean slate. It also triggers the session-memory hook to save the previous session before resetting. You can optionally pass a model name after /new to start the session with a specific model.
/status
/status asks the agent to report its current state, including active tasks, connected channels, and any pending operations. It also shows provider usage and quota for the current model provider when usage tracking is enabled.
/model
/model is a directive that lets you switch the AI model the agent is currently using. You can pass a number from the model picker, a full provider/model string, or use /model list to see available options.
/context
/context explains what context the agent is currently working with. You can use /context list for a summary, /context detail for a breakdown of per-file, per-tool, per-skill, and system prompt sizes, or /context json for machine-readable output.
/compact
/compact is a text-only command that compresses or summarizes the current conversation context to free up space in the context window without losing essential information. You can optionally pass instructions to guide how the compaction is done.
/help
/help displays a list of available slash commands and a brief description of what each one does. It also works as an inline shortcut, meaning it can be embedded in a normal message and will be stripped before the model sees the rest of the text.
/stop
/stop interrupts the agent if it is currently in the middle of a task or loop, bringing it to a halt immediately. It targets the active chat session directly so it can abort the current run.
/reset
/reset resets the agent's current state, clearing any ongoing task or context and returning it to its idle state. Like /new, it triggers the session-memory hook before resetting.
/usage
/usage controls the per-response usage footer appended to normal replies. It takes off, tokens, full, or cost as arguments. /usage cost prints a local cost summary from your Open Claw session logs rather than appending it to each reply.
/think
/think is a directive that sets the agent's thinking level before responding. It takes off, minimal, low, medium, high, or xhigh as arguments. Higher levels make the agent reason more deeply before giving a final answer, which is useful for complex or ambiguous tasks. Aliases: /thinking, /t.
/fast
/fast is a directive that toggles fast mode for the current session. It takes on, off, or status as arguments. Fast mode maps to different provider-level behaviors depending on your model — for example, servicetier=priority on OpenAI or servicetier=auto on Anthropic. Omitting the argument shows the current…
/reasoning
/reasoning is a directive that enables or disables extended reasoning mode. It takes on, off, or stream as arguments. When set to on, the agent sends a separate message prefixed with Reasoning: before its final reply. stream enables Telegram draft streaming only. Alias: /reason.
/config
/config reads and writes your on-disk openclaw.json configuration file directly from chat. It is disabled by default and requires commands.config: true in your config to enable. It supports show, get, set, and unset subcommands and is owner-only.
/allowlist
/allowlist lists, adds, or removes entries from the sender allowlist that controls who can interact with the agent. Add and remove operations require commands.config: true to be set in your configuration.
/mcp
/mcp manages OpenClaw-managed MCP server definitions from chat. It is disabled by default and requires commands.mcp: true to enable. It supports show, get, set, and unset subcommands and is owner-only
/plugins
/plugins lets you inspect discovered plugins and toggle their enablement from chat. It is disabled by default and requires commands.plugins: true to enable. It supports list, show, install, enable, and disable subcommands. Write operations are owner-only. Alias: /plugin.
Stage 20: More topics
Run OpenClaw as a Non-Root User
Running as a non-root user means that even if the agent is compromised, an attacker cannot gain full system access. It is a basic but important layer of defense for any production setup.
Set a Strong Gateway Auth Token
The auth token is the password that protects your gateway from unauthorized access. It should be long, random, and unique and never shared or committed to version control.
Bind the Gateway to Localhost
Binding to localhost means the gateway only accepts connections from the same machine, not from the open internet. You can then use a reverse proxy or Tailscale to selectively expose it.
Deploy on an Isolated VPS, VM, or Dedicated Device
Running Open Claw on a dedicated, isolated machine rather than your personal computer limits the blast radius if something goes wrong and keeps your agent separate from your sensitive personal data.
Rotate All Credentials Immediately if a Breach is Suspected
If you think your setup has been compromised, changing all API keys, tokens, and passwords immediately limits how long an attacker can maintain access.
Start in Read-Only Mode and Widen Permissions Deliberately
Starting with minimal permissions and only expanding them as needed is a safer approach than granting broad access upfront. Open Claw supports tool allow and deny lists per agent to help enforce this.
Run openclaw security audit --deep After Every Config Change
Every configuration change is an opportunity to accidentally introduce a vulnerability. Running a deep security audit after changes catches problems before they become incidents.
Update OpenClaw Regularly
Open Claw releases often include security patches. Staying up to date ensures you are not running with known vulnerabilities that have already been fixed upstream.
Never Trust External Content to Prevent Prompt Injection
Prompt injection is an attack where malicious text in an email, webpage, or file tricks the agent into taking unintended actions. Treating all external content as untrusted input is a core security principle in Open Claw.
Never Hardcode API Keys
API keys stored directly in code or config files can be accidentally exposed through logs, version control, or error messages. Always use environment variables or a secrets manager instead.
Enable Device Pairing and Maintain a Minimal Sender Allowlist
Device pairing ensures only verified devices can talk to your agent. Keeping the allowlist minimal means only the people or systems you explicitly trust can send it messages.
Questions about the OpenClaw Roadmap
Is the OpenClaw Roadmap free?
Yes. All 118 lessons in this roadmap are free to read on Bibha AI Learning Labs, with no account and no payment. Signing in is optional: it lets you mark lessons as done and keep your progress, and it opens the AI tutor, which runs on your own API key.
How long does the OpenClaw Roadmap take?
There is no fixed duration. It has 118 lessons in 20 stages, and the time it takes depends on how many hours you give it each week. Nothing is locked, so you can skip what you already know, and your progress is saved once you sign in.
Where should I start the OpenClaw Roadmap?
Start with stage 1, Introduction, and work down in order. The stages are numbered in the order the roadmap suggests, but every lesson is open, so if you already know Introduction you can go straight to How OpenClaw Works or anything after it. Each lesson links to free resources for going deeper.
Can I learn OpenClaw in Hindi?
The lessons are written in English. Once you sign in, you can ask the AI tutor on any lesson to explain it in Hindi or Hinglish. It answers from that lesson’s own text, so the explanation stays on the syllabus. The tutor runs on your own Google, OpenAI or Anthropic key.