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.

Start the 15‑minute Quickstart → Deploy on a VPS (recommended) → Connect Telegram →
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):
moltbot gateway start
moltbot logs --follow
# connect Telegram
# schedule a cron reminder
# get a message back in chat ✅

Want a guided path? Start here: Quickstart.

Popular right now

Short, practical pages you can bookmark.

Installation guide

From zero to a running gateway.

Read →

How to use OpenClaw (Moltbot)

The first 5 workflows that make it feel useful.

Read →

Is OpenClaw (Moltbot) safe?

A simple safety checklist before you connect real accounts.

Read →

OpenClaw (Moltbot) vs Clawdbot

What changed, what stayed the same, what to install.

Read →

Telegram: get chat id

The fastest ways to find group chat IDs.

Read →

Telegram: mention mode

Mention-only vs always-on (and why it matters).

Read →

Logs cheatsheet

The one command you’ll use daily.

Read →

Gateway cheatsheet

What the gateway is and what to check first.

Read →

Common errors

A growing index of quick fixes.

Read →

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
Moltbot 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 →

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.

See VPS recommendations → Follow the 15‑minute Quickstart →

Ready to get started?

Fastest path recommended

Deploy on a VPS so it can run 24/7. We keep it simple and opinionated.

Pick a VPS → Start Quickstart →
Local path for tinkering

Run on your own machine first, then move to a VPS once you like it.

Local quickstart steps →

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.