OpenClaw¶

Status: Planned Category: AI Agent Gateway

What is OpenClaw?¶

OpenClaw is a self-hosted AI agent gateway that connects your chat apps (Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord, Slack) to AI coding agents. It runs as a single Node.js process — no Docker required.

Instead of switching between chat apps and AI tools, OpenClaw acts as a central hub: you message it on any platform, and it routes your request to an AI agent that can execute real-world tasks (run commands, manage files, browse the web, send alerts).

Why we want it: Enables the team to interact with AI agents directly from Telegram or WhatsApp without needing to open a laptop or access the n8n dashboard.

Technical Overview¶

Deployment Options¶

Option A — New LXC container (recommended)¶

Follows the existing homelab pattern: isolated container, own firewall rules, clean separation.

Option B — Install on Proxmox host directly¶

Simpler, but pollutes the host OS. Not recommended — breaks the isolation pattern.

Option C — Run on admin desktop¶

Since OpenClaw is a personal agent, it could run on your local machine instead of the server. No homelab changes needed, but it only works when your desktop is on.

Deployment Steps (to be completed)¶

This section will be filled in when deployment is executed. Follow the pattern from Adding a New Service.

• [ ] Decide hosting option (A, B, or C)
• [ ] Create LXC / install Node.js
• [ ] Install OpenClaw
• [ ] Configure chat platform connections
• [ ] Configure AI provider API key
• [ ] Set up firewall rules (if LXC)
• [ ] Test from Telegram/WhatsApp
• [ ] Update Credentials Index
• [ ] Snapshot

Credentials (to be added after deployment)¶

References¶

• OpenClaw Documentation
• OpenClaw GitHub
• Self-hosting guide