How OpenClaw Works

OpenClaw has four layers. First, dedicated hardware — a machine that stays on and connected to the internet. Second, communication channels — Telegram, WhatsApp, Slack, or any messaging platform where you can reach your agent. Third, AI models — the language models (Anthropic, Google, OpenAI, XAI) that power the agent's reasoning. Fourth, skills — the automations and workflows you build on top of everything else.

The agent loop is simple. OpenClaw listens on your communication channels for messages. When you send a command, it routes the message to the appropriate skill or the default conversational handler. The skill executes — calling APIs, reading files, querying databases — and sends a response back through the same channel. Scheduled tasks (cron jobs) work the same way, except the trigger is a timer instead of a message.

1. 1. Listen OpenClaw monitors all connected channels — Telegram topics, WhatsApp, Slack — waiting for an incoming message or a scheduled trigger.
2. 2. Route The message is matched against registered skills. If a skill matches, it handles the request. If not, the default conversational handler responds using the configured AI model.
3. 3. Execute The skill runs its logic: API calls, database queries, file operations, AI model invocations. Each skill is self-contained with its own dependencies.
4. 4. Respond Results are sent back through the originating channel. The conversation context is stored for future reference.