Openclaw

What Is Openclaw?

Openclaw is an open-source skill management and sharing platform designed specifically for Claude Code and AI agents. Developed as a plugin for the Happycapy Skills platform, Openclaw enables persistent memory for AI agents across sessions using advanced context injection techniques. It also offers real-time observation feed streaming, allowing system events, outputs, or logs to be sent directly to messaging channels for monitoring and collaboration. The platform is highly extensible, supporting a variety of AI providers and seamless integration with agent-based workflows.

At its core, Openclaw acts as a gateway plugin that equips Claude-based and compatible AI agents with long-term memory capabilities. This is achieved by maintaining context through system prompt injection, which ensures that agents retain relevant information from previous sessions. Additionally, Openclaw can be configured to send real-time observations, such as agent events or logs, to messaging channels, providing an extra layer of transparency and traceability.

Why Use Openclaw?

AI agents often suffer from statelessness, meaning they do not retain information between sessions unless explicitly designed to do so. This can limit their usefulness in complex, multi-step, or collaborative workflows where context and memory are crucial. Openclaw addresses this issue by providing:

• Persistent Memory: Agents retain contextual information and memory across sessions, improving coherence and continuity.
• Real-Time Observation Feeds: Optional streaming of agent events and outputs for improved monitoring and collaboration.
• Automated Setup: A single command installer that checks dependencies, configures memory slots, sets up AI providers, and manages plugin installation.
• Extensibility: Compatibility with multiple AI providers, including Claude, Gemini, and others, allowing teams to select the best model for their use case.
• Open Source: Transparent, auditable, and customizable to meet specific organizational or project needs.

By integrating Openclaw, teams ensure that their AI agents have the critical foundation for advanced skill management, reliable memory, and actionable observability.

How to Use Openclaw

Quick Installation

The recommended method to install Openclaw is through the automatic installer script. This approach handles all prerequisites and setup interactively. Run the following command in your terminal:

curl -fsSL https://install.cmem.ai/openclaw.sh | bash

This script will:

• Check for required dependencies (such as Bun and uv)
• Install the Openclaw plugin to your gateway
• Guide you through memory slot and AI provider configuration
• Start the necessary worker processes
• Optionally set up a real-time observation feed

Install with Options

You can predefine your AI provider and API key to skip interactive prompts:

curl -fsSL https://install.cmem.ai/openclaw.sh | bash -s -- --provider=gemini --api-key=YOUR_KEY

For fully unattended installation, which defaults to the Claude Max Plan and skips the observation feed, use:

curl -fsSL https://install.cmem.ai/openclaw.sh | bash -s -- --non-interactive

To upgrade an existing Openclaw installation while preserving your current settings, run:

curl -fsSL https://install.cmem.ai/openclaw.sh | bash -s -- --upgrade

After installation, restart your gateway service and verify the setup to ensure the plugin is running correctly.

Manual Setup

If you require more granular control or need to troubleshoot, Openclaw also supports manual installation. Clone the repository directly from the official source:

git clone https://github.com/thedotmack/claude-mem.git
cd claude-mem/openclaw

Follow the step-by-step instructions in the project documentation to build and configure the plugin, set up dependencies, and connect your preferred AI provider.

When to Use Openclaw

Openclaw is ideal for scenarios where AI agent continuity, collaboration, and observability are critical:

• Development of Persistent Agents: For agents that must remember past interactions, user preferences, or ongoing tasks across multiple sessions.
• Team-Based Collaboration: In environments where multiple users interact with agents and need to observe real-time events or outputs.
• Complex Workflows: When agents are part of automated pipelines that require stepwise state retention and action tracking.
• Skill Sharing and Management: For organizations seeking to standardize and share agent skills across teams or projects using open-source tooling.

Important Notes

• Compatibility: Ensure your gateway environment supports Openclaw's dependencies, including Bun and uv. The installer checks for these but manual users should verify compatibility.
• Security: When using real-time observation feeds, consider the privacy and sensitivity of the data being streamed to external messaging channels.
• AI Provider Setup: Openclaw supports multiple AI providers, but you must provide valid API keys and select the appropriate provider during setup.
• Upgrades: The upgrade command preserves your existing settings, making it safe to update the plugin without losing configuration.
• Documentation: For troubleshooting, advanced configuration, and contribution guidelines, refer to the official Openclaw GitHub repository.

Openclaw delivers robust, open-source skill management and memory capabilities for Claude Code and AI agents, empowering users to build smarter, more persistent, and observable agent-based applications.