Master the core concepts of OpenClaw and unlock powerful AI automation.
Core Concepts
The Gateway
The heart of OpenClaw — a single process on your machine that bridges messaging apps to AI agents. Like a switchboard operator for AI.
Agents
AI model instances with their own personality, tools, and memory. OpenClaw supports multiple agents simultaneously.
Sessions
Every conversation is a session. Per-sender sessions mean each person gets their own conversation thread with maintained context.
Channels
WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, iMessage, and more — served simultaneously from one Gateway.
Skills
Plugins that extend agent capabilities: web search, file management, coding tools, browser automation, and more.
Configuration
Config lives at `~/.openclaw/openclaw.json`:
{
"channels": {
"whatsapp": {
"allowFrom": ["+15555550123"],
"groups": { "*": { "requireMention": true } }
}
},
"messages": {
"groupChat": { "mentionPatterns": ["@openclaw"] }
}
}