OpenClaw GitHub: Source Code, Repositories & How to Contribute

Last Updated: February 2026

Looking for OpenClaw on GitHub? Here's everything you need to know about the open-source repositories, how to contribute, and why OpenClaw became one of the fastest-growing projects in GitHub history.

Main Repository

github.com/openclaw/openclaw

This is the core OpenClaw repository containing:

• The main agent runtime
• Built-in tools and capabilities
• Channel integrations (Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord, etc.)
• Documentation

Stats (as of February 2026)

• 145,000+ GitHub stars
• 20,000+ forks
• 300+ contributors
• 18 repositories in the organization

Repository Structure

openclaw/
├── src/              # Core agent code
├── extensions/       # Channel plugins
├── skills/           # Built-in skills
├── docs/             # Documentation
└── packages/         # Shared packages

Other Official Repositories

The OpenClaw organization maintains several related projects:

openclaw/clawhub

The skill directory and marketplace. Browse, publish, and discover community-created skills.

openclaw/docs

Source for docs.openclaw.ai. Contributions to documentation are welcome.

openclaw/awesome-openclaw

Curated list of OpenClaw resources, tutorials, and community projects.

Community Forks & Extensions

The community has created numerous extensions:

• cloudflare/moltworker — Run OpenClaw on Cloudflare Workers
• rohanarun/phoneclaw — Android phone automation
• marshallrichards/ClawPhone — Run on cheap Android phones
• yuga-hashimoto/OpenClawAssistant — Android voice assistant app

How to Contribute

1. Find an Issue

Browse open issues labeled:

• good first issue — Great for newcomers
• help wanted — Maintainers need assistance
• bug — Fix something broken
• enhancement — Add new features

2. Set Up Development Environment

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw.git
cd openclaw

# Install dependencies (pnpm recommended)
pnpm install

# Run in development mode
pnpm dev

3. Make Your Changes

• Create a feature branch
• Write tests for new functionality
• Follow the existing code style
• Update documentation if needed

4. Submit a Pull Request

• Reference any related issues
• Describe what your PR does
• Include screenshots for UI changes
• Be responsive to review feedback

Development Channels

OpenClaw offers multiple release channels:

# Stable (recommended for production)
openclaw update --channel stable

# Beta (new features, mostly stable)
openclaw update --channel beta

# Dev (bleeding edge, may break)
openclaw update --channel dev

Building from Source

# Clone
git clone https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw.git
cd openclaw

# Install dependencies
pnpm install

# Build
pnpm build

# Link globally
pnpm link --global

History

OpenClaw's journey on GitHub:

1. December 2025 — First commit as "WhatsApp Relay"
2. January 2026 — Renamed to Clawdbot, gained traction
3. January 2026 — Renamed to Moltbot after trademark concerns
4. February 2026 — Renamed to OpenClaw, hit 100K stars
5. February 2026 — Reached 145K stars, became one of the fastest-growing repos ever

The project went from weekend hack to 2 million visitors in a single week, demonstrating the demand for self-hosted AI assistants.

License

OpenClaw is released under the MIT License, meaning you can:

• Use it commercially
• Modify the code
• Distribute your changes
• Use it privately

The only requirement is including the license notice in copies.

Getting Help

• GitHub Discussions — Ask questions, share ideas
• Discord Server — Real-time chat with the community
• Documentation — Official guides and references

Security

Found a vulnerability? Please report it responsibly:

• Email: security@openclaw.ai
• Do NOT open public issues for security vulnerabilities

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Star the repo if you find it useful — it helps the project grow and shows appreciation for the maintainers' work.