---
title: "OpenClaw: features, version and quickstart · DotsAgent"
description: "OpenClaw by OpenClaw Foundation: licence, latest version, MCP support, durable runs, human approval, tracing and evals, plus a quickstart to copy."
url: https://dotsagent.io/frameworks/openclaw
---

Ready-made agent · OpenClaw Foundation

# OpenClaw at a glance

A ready-made, self-hosted AI assistant you message from WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, iMessage and more. It is not a framework for building your own agent, and by design there is no hosted service in the middle.

**Best for:**  Running your own personal or team assistant on hardware you control.

[Self-host OpenClaw step by step →](https://dotsagent.io/openclaw)

## Key facts

- **Maintainer**: OpenClaw Foundation
- **Languages**: TypeScript
- **Licence**: MIT
- **Latest version**: `2026.9.7` · September 30, 2026
- **Repository**: [openclaw/openclaw](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw) · 391,115 stars
- **Hosted option**: None

## Quickstart

Install the package, set the credentials, then run the smallest agent from the official docs. Model IDs are the ones the docs use and may not be enabled on your account.

`Install`

```
curl -fsSL https://openclaw.ai/install.sh | bash   (Windows: iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex)
```

Needs Model provider API key (onboarding detects/asks)

`Shell`

```
openclaw onboard
openclaw gateway install
openclaw dashboard
```

[Quickstart source](https://docs.openclaw.ai/)

## Features

| Any model | — | Any provider with failover, plus local models |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MCP client | — | Extends through plugins, skills and ClawHub |
| MCP server | — | — |
| Multi-agent | — | Routes to isolated sessions per agent, workspace or sender |
| Durable runs | — | The Gateway owns sessions; cron jobs, hooks and webhooks |
| Human approval | — | — |
| Tracing | — | — |
| Evals | — | — |

## Recent changes

- The project is now stewarded by the OpenClaw Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
- TOOLS.md is no longer injected; put tool notes in a ## Tools section of AGENTS.md.
- HEARTBEAT.md is still accepted but does nothing.

## Sources

1. [docs.openclaw.ai](https://docs.openclaw.ai/)/
2. [docs.openclaw.ai](https://docs.openclaw.ai/concepts/agent)/concepts/agent
3. [github.com](https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/blob/main/LICENSE)/openclaw/openclaw/blob/main/LICENSE
4. [registry.npmjs.org](https://registry.npmjs.org/openclaw)/openclaw
5. [api.github.com](https://api.github.com/repos/openclaw/openclaw)/repos/openclaw/openclaw

Independent reference for people who build AI agents. Not affiliated with any vendor named here.

© 2026 DotsAgent · Facts checked October 1, 2026