Open ClawFrom ClawBot to Clawd to OpenClaw: The Evolution of AI Bot Deployment
Discover how OpenClaw evolved from its early days as ClawBot and Claude Bot to the streamlined AI deployment platform it is today. A look at the names, the milestones, and the vision behind the project.
Every great product has a story behind its name. OpenClaw is no exception. Before it became the one-click AI deployment platform thousands rely on today, it went through several iterations — each reflecting a new chapter in the project’s evolution.
The ClawBot Era: Where It All Began
The project started life as ClawBot — a simple wrapper that made it easy to run Anthropic’s Claude as a chatbot. The original ClawBot was designed for developers who wanted to experiment with Claude’s conversational AI capabilities without dealing with API boilerplate.
ClawBot gained traction in developer communities because it solved a real problem: the gap between having an API key and having a usable AI assistant. While the Anthropic API documentation was excellent, many users wanted a ready-to-use chatbot without writing code.
“I just wanted to talk to Claude without building an entire app. ClawBot made that possible in minutes.”
Claude Bot & ClaudeBot: The Community Names
As the project grew, the community started calling it by different names: Claude Bot, ClaudeBot, and sometimes just “the Claude wrapper.” These names reflected the tool’s core purpose — making Claude accessible to everyone.
The Claude Bot era saw several key improvements:
- Multi-model support — Beyond Claude, users could now connect OpenAI’s GPT models as well
- Telegram integration — Chat with your AI through Telegram’s Bot API
- Persistent conversations — Memory and context across sessions
- Docker containerization — Easy self-hosting with Docker
However, as more AI models entered the market, tying the name to “Claude” became limiting. The tool supported GPT, Gemini, and other models — it wasn’t just a Claude bot anymore.
The Clawd Chapter: A Fresh Identity
Clawd was the transitional name — a playful nod to Claude while being distinct enough to stand on its own. During the Clawd period, the project underwent its biggest architectural change: moving from self-hosted Docker deployments to a fully managed cloud platform.
Key milestones during the Clawd phase:
- Fly.io integration — Instances now run on Fly Machines with global edge deployment
- One-click deployment — No more Docker commands or server setup
- Subscription billing — Stripe and LemonSqueezy integration
- Encrypted key storage — AES-256 encryption for API keys at rest
- White-label support — The platform became configurable for any brand
You might still see references to Clawd around the platform — it’s part of our heritage.
OpenClaw Today: The Open Platform
The rename to OpenClaw happened to reflect the platform’s broader mission: an open, flexible, model-agnostic AI deployment platform. The “Open” in OpenClaw represents:
- Open to any AI model — Claude, GPT, Gemini, and more
- Open architecture — Transparent, white-label-friendly design
- Open to everyone — From solo developers to enterprise teams
Today, OpenClaw is the fastest way to deploy an AI assistant. The platform handles infrastructure, security, scaling, and updates — so you can focus on what your AI assistant does, not how it runs.
Quick Timeline
| Era | Name | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Early 2024 | ClawBot | First Claude wrapper for developers |
| Mid 2024 | Claude Bot / ClaudeBot | Multi-model support, Telegram bots |
| Late 2024 | Clawd | Managed cloud hosting on Fly.io |
| 2025–Present | OpenClaw | One-click deployment, white-label platform |
Still Searching by the Old Names?
If you found this article searching for ClawBot setup, Claude Bot deployment, ClaudeBot hosting, or Clawd bot — you’re in the right place. All these names refer to the same project, now called OpenClaw.
Here are some helpful pages:
- ClawBot information page
- Claude Bot information page
- Clawd information page
- How to set up OpenClaw (beginner’s guide)
What’s Ahead
The OpenClaw team continues to build toward a future where deploying AI is as easy as creating a social media account. Upcoming features include team workspaces, advanced analytics, custom model fine-tuning integration, and expanded API capabilities.
Want to be part of the next chapter? Create your OpenClaw account and deploy your first AI assistant today.