OpenClaw Name History & Evolution

The Short Version

OpenClaw is the current name for the project previously known as Clawdbot and briefly Moltbot. All three names refer to the same open-source AI agent framework. Here's the timeline:

| Period | Name | Reason | |--------|------|--------| | Nov 2025 - Jan 27, 2026 | Clawdbot (Clawd.bot) | Original name | | Jan 27-29, 2026 | Moltbot | Temporary name after trademark issue | | Jan 29, 2026 - Present | OpenClaw | Current and permanent name |

The Full Story

Clawdbot Era (Nov 2025 - Jan 2026)

The project launched in November 2025 as Clawdbot (also styled as Clawd.bot). It quickly gained popularity as a self-hosted AI chatbot framework, particularly for Discord and Telegram deployments.

The name was a play on "Claude" (the Anthropic AI model it primarily used) combined with "bot."

The Trademark Issue

In late January 2026, Anthropic (the company behind Claude AI) raised a trademark concern about the "Clawdbot" name, as it was too similar to their "Claude" trademark. The project maintainers respected this and decided to rename.

Moltbot: The Brief Transition (Jan 27-29, 2026)

The project was briefly renamed to Moltbot on January 27, 2026. This was always intended as a temporary placeholder while a permanent name was chosen. The Moltbot name lasted only two days.

OpenClaw: The Current Name (Jan 29, 2026 - Present)

On January 29, 2026, the project was renamed to OpenClaw - its current and permanent name. The name reflects:

Open - The project's open-source nature
Claw - A nod to the project's heritage while being distinct from any trademarks

What is OpenClaw Today?

OpenClaw has evolved significantly since its early days. It's now a full-featured AI agent framework with:

Autonomous Agent Capabilities

Persistent memory across sessions
Skills system for extensible functionality
Autonomous task execution
Multi-step reasoning and planning

Multi-Platform Support

Discord (servers and DMs)
Telegram (groups and private chats)
Slack workspaces
Matrix/Element
Web widgets
REST API

AI Provider Flexibility

Anthropic Claude (primary)
OpenAI GPT models
Local models (Ollama, LM Studio)
Any OpenAI-compatible API

Self-Hosted Privacy

Full data control
GDPR compliance ready
No third-party data collection

If You're Coming from Clawdbot or Moltbot

If you have an existing Clawdbot or Moltbot installation, upgrading to OpenClaw is straightforward:

Back up your configuration and data
Follow the OpenClaw installation guide
Migrate your .env settings to the new installation
Your conversation history and configurations should transfer directly

The core functionality remains the same - only the name and repository location have changed.

Getting Started

Need Help Migrating?

Our setup service can help you migrate from Clawdbot or Moltbot to OpenClaw with zero downtime. Contact us for assistance.