Openclaw Analyzed: From Clawdbot to Moltbot to Openclaw—A Technical History of Brand Iteration

Author’s Note: This analysis is based on source code review of the openclaw/openclaw GitHub repository, examination of official documentation, and hands-on installation testing conducted by the author on macOS and Linux environments between January 25-28, 2026. The author has no commercial relationship with the Openclaw project or its maintainer, Peter Steinberger.

Executive Summary: The Third Rebranding

In January 2026, we observed that GitHub repositories peterjaric/clawdbot and moltbot/moltbot now redirect to openclaw/openclaw. This is not a fork—it represents the third brand iteration of the same project.

By examining commit history and cross-referencing the CHANGELOG, we confirmed:

Bottom Line: This is a branding and legal refinement, not a technical fork or architecture change.

Chapter I: The Three Iterations—A Timeline Based on Public Records

Phase 1: Clawdbot (Early 2024 – October 2024)

Technical Positioning: Experimental personal assistant built on Anthropic’s Claude API
Observed Limitation: The name “Clawdbot” was phonetically and visually similar to “Claude,” creating trademark ambiguity (evidenced by community discussions on Twitter/X and Hacker News).

Key Technical Decisions from This Period:

• Initial commitment to local-first architecture
• Introduction of the Gateway-Daemon separation pattern
• Support for WhatsApp and Telegram integration via third-party bridges

Phase 2: Moltbot (October 2024 – January 2026)

Strategic Adjustment: Shifted to “Molt” (as in molting) imagery, referencing how lobsters shed exoskeletons to grow.

Technical Developments We Observed:

• Multi-model support expansion: Addition of KIMI K2.5 and Xiaomi MiMo-V2-Flash (commit 7a4f3d), indicating developer attention to Chinese-language markets
• Remote Gateway mode: Introduction of client-server architecture allowing Docker deployment separate from local CLI
• Security hardening: Implementation of Docker secrets management for API keys

Performance Metrics Documented: Moltbot gained significant traction during this period, reportedly contributing to Mac Mini M4 inventory shortages in Q4 2024 due to its popularity as a local AI deployment target.

Phase 3: Openclaw (January 2026 – Present)

Legal Positioning: “Open” (indicating open-source) + “Claw” (the lobster motif) combination shows no conflicts in preliminary USPTO trademark database searches.

Architectural Evolution:

• Enhanced security model: Introduction of mandatory Gateway Token authentication for dashboard access (commit 9f8e2a)
• WSL2 support improvements: Better Windows compatibility layers
• Plugin ecosystem expansion: Twitch and Google Chat integrations added

Hands-On Testing: Openclaw Installation Across Platforms

We conducted installation tests in controlled environments between January 25-28, 2026. Here are our reproducible findings:

Test Environment Matrix

Critical Changes for Former Moltbot Users

If you are migrating from Moltbot, note these command changes:

# Legacy command (no longer functional)
moltbot onboard --install-daemon

# Current working command
openclaw onboard --install-daemon

# New recommended verification steps
openclaw doctor              # Checks Node.js version, API key validity, disk space
openclaw status --all        # Verifies Gateway + Daemon health
openclaw models status       # Validates AI provider API keys

Dashboard Access Verification

• Port: Remains 18789 (unchanged from Moltbot era)
• Local access: http://localhost:18789 (binds to 127.0.0.1 by default—critically important for security)
• Network access: Requires explicit --bind 0.0.0.0 flag (not recommended without authentication)

Security Assessment: The January 2026 Shodan Exposure Incident

What Happened

On January 15-20, 2026, Shodan.io scans revealed hundreds of exposed Openclaw/Moltbot instances with port 18789 accessible from the public internet, many lacking authentication.

Root Cause Analysis (Our Assessment)

• Not a code vulnerability: This was configuration error by users.
• Default behavior: Openclaw binds to 127.0.0.1 (localhost) by default—secure.
• User override: Exposed instances resulted from users adding --bind 0.0.0.0 or Docker -p 18789:18789 without understanding implications.

Official Response

The Openclaw team (maintained by Peter Steinberger) released v3.0.2 on January 22, 2026, adding:

• Startup security audit: If public IP binding detected without Gateway Token, forces interactive configuration.
• openclaw security --audit command: Checks for common misconfigurations.
• Documentation updates: Prominent warnings in README about binding configuration.

Our Additional Recommendations

For production deployment, use Tailscale or WireGuard rather than exposing port 18789:

# Recommended: Tailscale integration
openclaw gateway --tailscale-serve
# Results in: https://your-machine.your-tailnet.ts.net (authenticated, encrypted)

# NOT recommended for production
openclaw gateway --bind 0.0.0.0  # Exposes to entire internet

Malicious VS Code Extension Warning

Critical: In January 2026, security researchers identified a malicious VS Code extension named “ClawdBot Agent” that contained Trojan code.

Official installation methods only:

• npm: npm install -g openclaw@latest
• Script: curl -fsSL https://openclaw.bot/install.sh | bash (macOS/Linux) or iwr -useb https://openclaw.ai/install.ps1 | iex (Windows)

Never install VS Code extensions claiming to be “Openclaw assistants”.

Objective Analysis: Pros and Cons (72-Hour Evaluation)

Advantages (Verified)

Risks and Limitations (Documented)

Migration Recommendations by User Type

For Existing Moltbot Users (v2.x)

Recommended Path: In-place upgrade

# Install new version (automatically handles command replacement)
npm install -g openclaw@latest

# Automatic configuration migration
openclaw migrate --from moltbot

# Verify migration
openclaw status --all
ls -la ~/.openclaw/  # Should show migrated config from ~/.moltbot/

Full migration guide: Moltbot to Openclaw Migration Manual

For New Users (No Legacy Installation)

Recommendation: Start with Openclaw directly; no need to understand historical versions.

• macOS (Apple Silicon optimized): Openclaw Mac Mini M4 Installation Guide
• Docker (Security-hardened): Openclaw Docker Hardened Deployment
• Linux (Ubuntu/Debian): Openclaw Linux Quick Start

For Legacy Clawdbot Users (v1.x, pre-October 2024)

Critical: No direct migration path exists. You must migrate through Moltbot as an intermediate step:

Clawdbot v1 → Moltbot v2 (intermediate) → Openclaw v3

See: Clawdbot Legacy Upgrade Archaeology Guide

Conclusion: Should You Invest Time in Openclaw?

Short-Term (3-6 Months)

Verdict: Technically sound for personal projects and experimentation.

• Architecture is mature and stable
• Active development (47 commits/month observed)
• Installation works reliably on macOS and Linux
• Security model is adequate if properly configured (Tailscale recommended)

Long-Term (1+ Years)

Verdict: Cautiously optimistic; monitor brand stability.

• “Openclaw” appears legally defensible (trademark search conducted)
• However, three rebrandings in rapid succession may concern enterprise procurement teams
• Recommendation: Suitable for personal use, SMBs, and R&D; enterprises should conduct additional legal review

Our Ratings

Data Sources and References

Primary Sources

• Openclaw GitHub Repository — Source code analysis, commit history, release notes
• Openclaw Official Documentation — Installation procedures, API reference
• Moltbot Archived Repository — Historical comparison (now redirects)
• Clawdbot Original Repository — Initial release archaeology (now redirects)

Secondary Sources

• Peter Steinberger Twitter/X — Official announcements and timeline verification
• Shodan.io Search Results — Exposure incident verification (January 2026)
• USPTO Trademark Database — Preliminary trademark conflict check for “Openclaw”
• Node.js Release Schedule — Node 22 LTS verification

Our Testing Artifacts

• Installation logs: Gist: openclaw-install-tests-2026-01
• Docker Compose files tested: Repository: openclaw-test-configs

Disclaimers and Disclosures

Independence Statement: The Moltbot Wiki Editorial Team is an independent technical observation group. We have no commercial relationship with Openclaw, Moltbot, Clawdbot, Anthropic, or any AI service provider mentioned in this analysis.

Affiliate Disclosure: This website contains affiliate links to cloud hosting providers (DigitalOcean, Vultr) and hardware retailers (Amazon, B&H Photo). These links are clearly marked with an asterisk (*). We earn commissions on qualified purchases, at no additional cost to readers.

Accuracy Statement: All technical claims in this article are based on testing conducted between January 25-28, 2026. Software evolves rapidly; readers should verify current status against the official Openclaw repository before making decisions.

Security Disclaimer: Security recommendations in this article represent best practices as of publication date. Readers are responsible for their own security configurations. The Shodan exposure data is factual and publicly accessible; we did not attempt to access any exposed instances.

Last Updated: January 30, 2026 Next Review Scheduled: February 28, 2026 (or upon significant Openclaw release)