Tools: WTH is Clawdbot? Building Your Own Cross-Platform AI Assistant with Clawdbot in 2026

What Problem Does Clawdbot Solve? ## How Clawdbot Actually Works ## What Makes Clawdbot Different? ## 1. True Cross-Platform Continuity ## 2. Local-First Memory ## 3. Proactive Capabilities ## 4. Extensible Skills System ## Getting Started: Installation Walkthrough ## Practical Example: Discord Integration ## API Configuration Strategies ## Building Custom Skills ## Cost Considerations ## Advanced Use Cases ## Privacy and Security ## When Clawdbot Makes Sense ## Getting Help ## Final Thoughts Ever wished you could have an AI assistant that works across all your messaging apps, remembers your conversations, and can even send you proactive reminders? I recently discovered Clawdbot, an open-source project that does exactly that, and I'm excited to share what I learned. Most of us interact with AI through dedicated websites or apps. You open ChatGPT in your browser, ask a question, get an answer, and that's it. But what if your AI assistant lived where you already spend most of your time...in Discord, Telegram, WhatsApp, or iMessage? That's the core idea behind Clawdbot. It's not an AI model itself, but rather an intelligent gateway that connects your favorite chat platforms to large language models like Claude or GPT. The architecture is surprisingly elegant. Think of it as three interconnected layers: The Gateway Layer runs locally on your machine (default port 18789). This is the brain, it manages your conversations, routes messages between platforms, executes custom functions, and maintains your conversation history. The Channel Layer handles connections to various platforms. Whether you're messaging from Discord, Telegram, Signal, Slack, or even iMessage, each channel plugin knows how to translate between that platform's API and Clawdbot's internal format. The LLM Layer is where the actual intelligence comes from. You can connect to Anthropic's Claude, OpenAI's GPT, or compatible API providers. Start a conversation on your phone via WhatsApp, then continue it on your computer through Discord. Clawdbot maintains context across all platforms. Your AI assistant actually remembers who you are and what you've discussed, no matter where you message from. Instead of storing everything in someone else's cloud, Clawdbot saves conversation histories as Markdown files on your machine. It's similar to how Obsidian works, your data stays yours. The memory system supports semantic search, so the assistant can reference things you mentioned weeks ago. Your file structure looks clean: This is where things get interesting. Unlike passive chatbots that only respond when prompted, Clawdbot can push messages to you: Skills are like plugins, defined through Markdown or TypeScript. The community has already built 100+ skills for things like web browsing, file operations, calendar integration, code execution, and even smart home control. Step 1: Install Globally Step 2: Run the Setup Wizard The interactive wizard walks you through: Step 3: Verify Everything Works You should see output confirming your gateway is running, channels are connected, and your LLM is configured. Let me walk through setting up Discord, one of the most popular channels: Enter your bot token when prompted, and you're done. Message your bot in Discord, and it'll respond using Claude. The AI model you choose significantly impacts cost and capability. Here are your options: Direct Anthropic API: This gives you the lowest latency and access to the latest models, but requires an international credit card. OpenAI-Compatible Proxy: Using a proxy like APIYI can be more cost-effective and doesn't require international payment methods. OAuth with Existing Subscription: If you already have Claude Pro or Max, this uses your existing subscription quota. Creating a skill is straightforward. Just add a Markdown file to ~/clawd/skills/: The built-in skills are impressive too. You can ask Clawdbot to search the web, take screenshots of websites, read and modify files, or integrate with your calendar, all through natural language. Cost optimization tips: Once you're comfortable with the basics, Clawdbot opens up some powerful possibilities: Multi-Agent Workflows: Create separate sessions that collaborate, one researches, another writes, a third reviews. Automated Routines: Use cron jobs to trigger scheduled tasks like morning email summaries or weekly reports. Smart Home Control: Integrate with Home Assistant to control devices through natural language. Development Assistant: Have Clawdbot read code, execute commands, and generate files directly in your projects. Clawdbot takes a "local-first" approach: This tool is ideal if you: It's probably overkill if you just want occasional AI assistance. The official Claude or ChatGPT apps work great for that. The Clawdbot community is active and helpful: Clawdbot represents a different paradigm for AI assistants, one where the AI meets you where you already are, remembers your context across platforms, and can take initiative to help you proactively. The setup requires some technical comfort, but once configured, it feels surprisingly natural. Your AI assistant becomes a persistent presence across all your communication channels, not just another tab to switch to. If you're interested in experimenting with personal AI infrastructure and want something more flexible than consumer apps, Clawdbot is worth exploring. Have you built your own AI integrations? What features would make an AI assistant truly useful in your workflow? Let me know in the comments. -- Feel free to connect and get in touch via: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/masad1/ My Portfolio Website: https://asad.blog/ Topmate Profile: https://topmate.io/globaltalent/ My Web Design and Development, AI Automation Services and Solutions Agency: https://richtechgroup.co.uk/ Templates let you quickly answer FAQs or store snippets for re-use. Bonus: Download skills via: clawdhub.com/ Are you sure you want to hide this comment? It will become hidden in your post, but will still be visible via the comment's permalink. Hide child comments as well For further actions, you may consider blocking this person and/or reporting abuse CODE_BLOCK: ~/clawd/ ├── memories/ │ ├── 2026-01-26.md │ └── topics/ ├── skills/ └── config.yaml Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode CODE_BLOCK: ~/clawd/ ├── memories/ │ ├── 2026-01-26.md │ └── topics/ ├── skills/ └── config.yaml CODE_BLOCK: ~/clawd/ ├── memories/ │ ├── 2026-01-26.md │ └── topics/ ├── skills/ └── config.yaml COMMAND_BLOCK: npm install -g clawdbot@latest Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode COMMAND_BLOCK: npm install -g clawdbot@latest COMMAND_BLOCK: npm install -g clawdbot@latest CODE_BLOCK: clawdbot onboard --install-daemon Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode CODE_BLOCK: clawdbot onboard --install-daemon CODE_BLOCK: clawdbot onboard --install-daemon CODE_BLOCK: clawdbot status clawdbot health clawdbot doctor Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode CODE_BLOCK: clawdbot status clawdbot health clawdbot doctor CODE_BLOCK: clawdbot status clawdbot health clawdbot doctor CODE_BLOCK: clawdbot configure --section channels.discord Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode CODE_BLOCK: clawdbot configure --section channels.discord CODE_BLOCK: clawdbot configure --section channels.discord CODE_BLOCK: llm: provider: anthropic model: claude-sonnet-4-20250514 apiKey: sk-ant-xxxxx Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode CODE_BLOCK: llm: provider: anthropic model: claude-sonnet-4-20250514 apiKey: sk-ant-xxxxx CODE_BLOCK: llm: provider: anthropic model: claude-sonnet-4-20250514 apiKey: sk-ant-xxxxx CODE_BLOCK: llm: provider: openai-compatible model: claude-sonnet-4-20250514 apiKey: sk-xxxxx baseUrl: https://api.apiyi.com/v1 Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode CODE_BLOCK: llm: provider: openai-compatible model: claude-sonnet-4-20250514 apiKey: sk-xxxxx baseUrl: https://api.apiyi.com/v1 CODE_BLOCK: llm: provider: openai-compatible model: claude-sonnet-4-20250514 apiKey: sk-xxxxx baseUrl: https://api.apiyi.com/v1 CODE_BLOCK: clawdbot configure --section llm.oauth Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode CODE_BLOCK: clawdbot configure --section llm.oauth CODE_BLOCK: clawdbot configure --section llm.oauth COMMAND_BLOCK: # skill: daily-report Daily Work Report Generator ## Description Generates a structured report from today's conversations. ## Trigger Keywords - Generate daily report - Today's summary ## Execution Logic 1. Read today's conversation history 2. Extract work-related content 3. Format as structured report Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode COMMAND_BLOCK: # skill: daily-report Daily Work Report Generator ## Description Generates a structured report from today's conversations. ## Trigger Keywords - Generate daily report - Today's summary ## Execution Logic 1. Read today's conversation history 2. Extract work-related content 3. Format as structured report COMMAND_BLOCK: # skill: daily-report Daily Work Report Generator ## Description Generates a structured report from today's conversations. ## Trigger Keywords - Generate daily report - Today's summary ## Execution Logic 1. Read today's conversation history 2. Extract work-related content 3. Format as structured report - Morning briefings with your schedule and weather - Deadline reminders based on tasks you've mentioned - Monitoring alerts (like if a website goes down) - Scheduled reports and automated tasks - Node.js 22 or higher - macOS, Linux, or Windows with WSL2 - At least 2GB of available memory - An API key for Claude or OpenAI - Configuring your AI model and API key - Setting up your working directory - Enabling the chat platforms you want - Installing the background daemon - Visit the Discord Developer Portal - Create a new application and add a bot - Copy your bot token - In OAuth2 settings, select the bot and applications.commands scopes - Grant permissions: Send Messages, Read Message History, Embed Links - Use the generated URL to invite the bot to your server - Configure Clawdbot: - VPS hosting: $5-10/month (optional if you run locally) - Claude API usage: $10-20/month for typical use - Claude Pro subscription: $20/month (saves on API costs with OAuth) - Run on your home computer to avoid VPS costs - Use Haiku for routine tasks, Sonnet for complex queries - Clean up old memories to reduce token consumption - Consider API proxies for better pricing - Conversations live on your device as Markdown files - The gateway runs on localhost, not exposed to the internet - Only API calls to the LLM provider go online - You can secure remote access via SSH tunnels or Tailscale - Have technical comfort with command-line tools - Want AI deeply integrated into your daily workflow - Value privacy and data ownership - Enjoy customizing and extending your tools - Join the Discord server to ask questions - Check the GitHub repo for issues and code - Read the official docs for comprehensive guides - Clawdbot Official Site - Documentation - GitHub Repository - Location London, UK - Pronouns he/him - Joined Oct 7, 2020