What is OpenClaw?

What is OpenClaw in one paragraph
OpenClaw is a personal AI assistant you run on your own devices. It replies on the messaging surfaces you already use (WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Mattermost (plugin), Discord, Google Chat, Signal, iMessage, WebChat) and can also do voice + a live Canvas on supported platforms. The Gateway is the always-on control plane; the assistant is the product.

What’s the value proposition
OpenClaw is not “just a Claude wrapper.” It’s a local-first control plane that lets you run a capable assistant on your own hardware, reachable from the chat apps you already use, with stateful sessions, memory, and tools - without handing control of your workflows to a hosted SaaS.
Highlights:
Your devices, your data: run the Gateway wherever you want (Mac, Linux, VPS) and keep the workspace + session history local.
Real channels, not a web sandbox: WhatsApp/Telegram/Slack/Discord/Signal/iMessage/etc, plus mobile voice and Canvas on supported platforms.
Model-agnostic: use Anthropic, OpenAI, MiniMax, OpenRouter, etc., with per‑agent routing and failover.
Local-only option: run local models so all data can stay on your device if you want.
Multi-agent routing: separate agents per channel, account, or task, each with its own workspace and defaults.
Open source and hackable: inspect, extend, and self-host without vendor lock‑in.
Docs: Gateway, Channels, Multi‑agent, Memory.

I just set it up what should I do first
Good first projects:
Build a website (WordPress, Shopify, or a simple static site).
Prototype a mobile app (outline, screens, API plan).
Organize files and folders (cleanup, naming, tagging).
Connect Gmail and automate summaries or follow ups.
It can handle large tasks, but it works best when you split them into phases and use sub agents for parallel work.

What are the top five everyday use cases for OpenClaw
Everyday wins usually look like:
Personal briefings: summaries of inbox, calendar, and news you care about.
Research and drafting: quick research, summaries, and first drafts for emails or docs.
Reminders and follow ups: cron or heartbeat driven nudges and checklists.
Browser automation: filling forms, collecting data, and repeating web tasks.
Cross device coordination: send a task from your phone, let the Gateway run it on a server, and get the result back in chat.

Can OpenClaw help with lead gen outreach ads and blogs for a SaaS
Yes for research, qualification, and drafting. It can scan sites, build shortlists, summarize prospects, and write outreach or ad copy drafts.
For outreach or ad runs, keep a human in the loop. Avoid spam, follow local laws and platform policies, and review anything before it is sent. The safest pattern is to let OpenClaw draft and you approve.
Docs: Security.

What are the advantages vs Claude Code for web development
OpenClaw is a personal assistant and coordination layer, not an IDE replacement. Use Claude Code or Codex for the fastest direct coding loop inside a repo. Use OpenClaw when you want durable memory, cross-device access, and tool orchestration.
Advantages:
Persistent memory + workspace across sessions
Multi-platform access (WhatsApp, Telegram, TUI, WebChat)
Tool orchestration (browser, files, scheduling, hooks)
Always-on Gateway (run on a VPS, interact from anywhere)
Nodes for local browser/screen/camera/exec
Showcase: https://openclaw.ai/showcase