Builder & research workflows
Validate ideas, run market research, and turn noisy signals into a clearer build backlog.
Browse this theme →Free manual · built for fast self-hosting
Run OpenClaw (Moltbot) like a real teammate — from your own VPS.
OpenClaw (formerly Moltbot) is an open-source personal AI agent that can operate 24/7: send messages, run tasks, schedule jobs, and connect to tools. This manual is the shortest path from “I’m curious” to “it’s running” — in about 15 minutes.
No paid setup · No fluff · Copy‑paste steps
The fastest “first win”
Schedule a message that arrives while you sleep.
Example flow (you’ll do this in the quickstart):
openclaw gateway start openclaw logs --follow # connect Telegram # schedule a cron reminder # get a message back in chat ✅
Want a guided path? Start here: Quickstart.
Need help? (Done‑for‑you setup)
If you just want OpenClaw working without debugging, book a setup call. We’ll get you to first chat fast.
Popular searches (OpenClaw)
Pages optimized for what people actually type into Google.
Explore real OpenClaw use cases by theme
Jump straight into the workflow cluster that matches your goal. Each theme hub leads to detailed case studies, related pages, prompts, and implementation notes.
Support & messaging workflows
Route customer conversations, triage inboxes, and keep response speed high without losing control.
Browse this theme →Dev & ops workflows
Review pull requests, orchestrate integrations, and keep infra checks and remediation tighter.
Browse this theme →Personal & home workflows
Use OpenClaw for phone access, memory systems, home automation, and daily assistant routines.
Browse this theme →A simple mental model
ChatGPT reactive
A smart assistant you open in a tab and ask questions.
- You go to it
- Mostly text-in / text-out
- Limited automation without glue code
OpenClaw proactive
A smart employee running on your computer or VPS, connected to chat and tools.
- You message it via Telegram/Discord/etc.
- It can schedule work and follow through
- It can integrate with systems (logs, web, calendar, email…)
How it works (realistic example)
1
11:00 PM (Telegram)
You: “Tomorrow at 8am, send me a brief: inbox + today’s agenda.”
2
Immediately
Moltbot creates a scheduled job (cron) and saves the context.
3
8:00 AM
It wakes up, runs the task, and produces a concise summary.
4
8:01 AM
✅ You get the result in chat. No dashboards. No chasing.
This manual focuses on getting you to this point quickly and safely.
What you can build (starter set)
Daily briefings
Wake up to a short summary: what matters, what’s next, what to ignore.
Start with a cron reminder →System monitoring
Basic health checks + notifications to Telegram when something breaks.
Learn to tail logs →Chat-driven operations
Trigger actions from your phone: status checks, summaries, automation.
Connect Telegram →OpenClaw comparisons (choose faster)
OpenClaw vs n8n
Understand when to use agent reasoning vs fixed workflow orchestration.
Read comparison →OpenClaw vs Zapier
Choose between chat-native operations and traditional trigger-action automations.
Read comparison →Self-hosted AI agent comparison
Use a practical matrix to pick the right stack for your team.
Read guide →Cost (software is free)
Moltbot is open-source. You typically pay for hosting (a small VPS) and optionally model/API usage. If you want the simplest setup, start with a $5–$20 VPS.
Ready to get started?
Fastest path recommended
Deploy on a VPS so it can run 24/7. We keep it simple and opinionated.
Local path for tinkering
Run on your own machine first, then move to a VPS once you like it.
FAQ
What should I do first?
Get one channel working (Telegram), then ship one scheduled reminder. That proves your setup end‑to‑end.
Do you charge for setup?
No. Tutorials are free.
Why VPS?
Because “always-on” automation needs an always-on machine.