What if your AI assistant could actually do things — not just chat? What if it could send WhatsApp messages, control your browser, check your emails, and run terminal commands… all while you’re grabbing coffee? That’s exactly what Clawdbot delivers.
In this guide, I’m going to break down everything you need to know about Clawdbot: what it is, how it works, and why it’s quickly becoming the go-to solution for anyone serious about AI automation.
What is Clawdbot?
Clawdbot is an AI agent gateway that connects powerful language models like Claude to your messaging apps, local tools, and automation workflows. Think of it as the bridge between AI intelligence and real-world action.
Unlike traditional AI chatbots that live in a browser tab, Clawdbot runs locally on your machine. This means your AI assistant has access to your files, terminal, calendar, email, and even your browser — transforming it from a conversation partner into a true digital assistant that gets things done.
The name “Clawdbot” comes from CLAW + TARDIS — because every space lobster (the project’s mascot) needs a time-and-space machine to traverse the digital universe.
Why Clawdbot is a Game-Changer for AI Automation
Most AI tools are siloed. ChatGPT lives in your browser. Claude lives in Anthropic’s interface. They can think brilliantly, but they can’t act on your behalf without constant copy-pasting and manual intervention.
Clawdbot changes everything by giving your AI assistant:
- Multi-channel messaging — WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Signal, iMessage, and more
- Local system access — Read and write files, run terminal commands
- Browser automation — Control web pages, fill forms, extract data
- Scheduled tasks — Cron jobs that run automatically in the background
- Sub-agents — Spawn specialized agents for complex tasks
- Skills system — Teach your AI new capabilities through modular skill packs
This isn’t just another chatbot. It’s an autonomous AI assistant that can monitor your inbox, draft responses, manage your calendar, and execute tasks — all through natural language commands via your favorite messaging app.
Key Features of Clawdbot
📱 Multi-Channel Messaging Integration
Clawdbot supports an impressive array of messaging platforms:
- WhatsApp — Via WhatsApp Web protocol (Baileys)
- Telegram — DMs and group chats via the Bot API
- Discord — Full server and channel support
- Signal — Privacy-focused encrypted messaging
- iMessage — Native macOS integration
- Slack, Mattermost, Matrix — Enterprise communication platforms
This means you can message your AI assistant from whatever app you’re already using. No need to switch contexts or open special interfaces — just send a WhatsApp message like you would to a friend.
🖥️ Browser Automation
One of Clawdbot’s most powerful features is browser control. Your AI assistant can:
- Navigate to websites and interact with page elements
- Fill out forms automatically
- Extract data from web pages
- Take screenshots for visual context
- Control multiple browser tabs
Imagine telling your AI: “Check my competitor’s pricing page and summarize any changes.” With Clawdbot, it actually does it — opens the browser, reads the page, and reports back.
⏰ Cron Jobs and Scheduled Tasks
Clawdbot includes a built-in scheduler for automated tasks. Set up cron jobs that:
- Send daily summaries of your inbox
- Check specific websites for updates
- Run recurring analyses and reports
- Trigger reminders and notifications
The scheduler supports one-shot reminders, recurring intervals, and full cron expressions with timezone awareness. Jobs persist across restarts, so your automation keeps running even after updates.
🧠 Multi-Agent Architecture
For complex workflows, Clawdbot supports spawning sub-agents. These are specialized AI instances that handle specific tasks in isolation:
- Assign a sub-agent to research a topic while you continue chatting
- Run parallel analyses without blocking your main conversation
- Isolate sensitive operations in dedicated sessions
This multi-agent capability transforms Clawdbot from a single assistant into a team of AI workers that can divide and conquer your workload.
🔧 Skills System
The skills system is how Clawdbot learns new capabilities. Skills are modular instruction packs that teach the AI how to use specific tools or APIs. The ecosystem includes:
- Bundled skills — Core capabilities shipped with Clawdbot
- ClawdHub skills — Community-contributed skills from the public registry
- Custom skills — Your own skills for proprietary tools and workflows
Installing a new skill is as simple as clawdhub install <skill-name>. The AI immediately knows how to use it.
How Clawdbot Works
Understanding Clawdbot’s architecture helps you appreciate its power:
The Gateway
At the heart of Clawdbot is the Gateway — a long-running process that owns all channel connections and the WebSocket control plane. When you run clawdbot gateway, you’re starting this central hub.
The Gateway handles:
- Message routing between channels and the AI agent
- Session management and conversation history
- Tool execution and permission enforcement
- Cron job scheduling
- Node coordination (mobile devices, other computers)
Agent Workspace
Clawdbot uses a dedicated workspace directory where the AI lives. This workspace contains:
- AGENTS.md — Operating instructions and memory
- SOUL.md — Persona, boundaries, and tone
- TOOLS.md — User-maintained tool notes and API keys
- memory/ — Daily logs and long-term memory files
- skills/ — Custom skill definitions
This gives you complete control over how your AI assistant behaves, what it knows, and what tools it can access.
Network Model
By default, Clawdbot runs in “loopback-first” mode — the Gateway only accepts local connections. This keeps your AI secure while running on your machine.
For remote access, you can:
- Use Tailscale for secure mesh networking
- Set up SSH tunnels
- Configure VPN access
Mobile nodes (iOS/Android apps) can connect via the Gateway WebSocket, giving you on-the-go access to your AI assistant.
Practical Use Cases for Clawdbot
Let me show you some real-world scenarios where Clawdbot shines:
1. Automated Email Triage
Set up a cron job that runs every morning. Clawdbot checks your inbox, summarizes important emails, and sends you a WhatsApp message with your daily briefing. No more drowning in unread messages.
2. Research Assistant
Need to research a topic? Message Clawdbot on Telegram: “Research the top 10 AI coding assistants and compare their features.” It searches the web, analyzes multiple sources, and delivers a comprehensive report.
3. Content Publishing
With the right skills installed, Clawdbot can draft blog posts, optimize them for SEO, and publish directly to WordPress. This very article was published using Clawdbot’s WordPress skill!
4. Code Review and Development
Clawdbot can read your codebase, make edits, run tests, and commit changes. It’s like having a junior developer on call 24/7, accessible via chat.
5. Customer Support Automation
Connect Clawdbot to your business WhatsApp. It can handle initial customer inquiries, answer FAQs, and escalate complex issues to humans — all while maintaining your brand voice.
6. Personal Productivity
Ask Clawdbot to check your calendar, set reminders, or summarize your day. It becomes your AI-powered personal assistant that’s always available on the platforms you already use.
Getting Started with Clawdbot
Ready to set up your own AI assistant? Here’s how to get started:
Step 1: Install Clawdbot
Clawdbot requires Node.js 22 or higher. Install globally via npm:
npm install -g clawdbot@latestStep 2: Run the Onboarding Wizard
The wizard guides you through initial setup:
clawdbot onboard --install-daemonThis creates your configuration file, sets up the workspace, and installs the Gateway as a background service.
Step 3: Connect Your Messaging Apps
Pair WhatsApp (or other channels) by scanning a QR code:
clawdbot channels loginStep 4: Start the Gateway
If not running as a service, start the Gateway manually:
clawdbot gatewayStep 5: Send a Test Message
Open WhatsApp (or your configured channel) and send a message to yourself. Your AI assistant will respond!
For detailed setup instructions and configuration options, check the official Clawdbot documentation on GitHub.
Who Should Use Clawdbot?
Clawdbot is ideal for:
- Developers who want AI coding assistance integrated into their workflow
- Entrepreneurs automating customer communication and business processes
- Power users who want maximum control over their AI assistant
- Teams building internal AI-powered tools and workflows
- Anyone who’s tired of copy-pasting between AI chat interfaces and their actual work
The learning curve is steeper than signing up for ChatGPT, but the payoff is exponentially greater. You’re trading convenience for actual capability.
Join the AI Automation Revolution
Clawdbot represents the next evolution of AI assistants — from conversational toys to genuine productivity tools that take action on your behalf.
If you’re serious about leveraging AI for real-world automation and want to connect with others doing the same, I’d love to have you in the AI Profit Boardroom. It’s a community where we share AI automation strategies, workflows, and help each other push the boundaries of what’s possible with tools like Clawdbot.
The future of work isn’t just about having smarter AI — it’s about having AI that can act. Clawdbot makes that future available today.
🦞 “EXFOLIATE! EXFOLIATE!” — Clawd, probably
