OpenClaw Experts

Clawdbot → Moltbot → OpenClaw

The open-source AI agent platform now known as OpenClaw (also written “Open Claw”) has had three names. Here is the complete history of each rename and what changed along the way.

The Three Names

Clawdbot

The beginning

The project launched as Clawdbot — a single-file AI agent that ran locally and connected to messaging platforms. Configuration lived in a flat JSON file, and "plugins" were loose scripts loaded from a local folder. The community was small but enthusiastic, sharing configs in Discord threads.

  • •Single-file architecture
  • •JSON configuration
  • •Local plugin scripts
  • •Discord-based community

Moltbot

First rename

The first major rewrite brought a proper plugin system and renamed the project to Moltbot. Configuration migrated from JSON to TOML, the gateway was introduced as a standalone HTTP server, and the community moved to GitHub Discussions. This was also when the project crossed 10K GitHub stars.

  • •Plugin system architecture
  • •TOML configuration format
  • •Gateway HTTP server
  • •10K+ GitHub stars milestone

OpenClaw

Current name

The second rename brought the most significant changes: TOML configs became YAML, "modules" were renamed to "skills" with the skill.md standard, and ClawHub launched as a community marketplace. The soul.md personality system was introduced, and the project exploded to 133K+ GitHub stars.

  • •YAML configuration (skill.md, soul.md)
  • •ClawHub marketplace (700+ skills)
  • •soul.md personality system
  • •133K+ GitHub stars

What Changed at Each Rename

Clawdbot → Moltbot

Plugin system overhaul

Loose scripts in a local folder were replaced by a formal plugin system with manifest files, dependency declarations, and lifecycle hooks.

JSON → TOML configuration

The flat JSON config file was replaced by structured TOML files with sections for gateway, plugins, and model settings.

Gateway architecture

A standalone HTTP gateway server was introduced to handle routing, authentication, and rate limiting — replacing the ad-hoc request handling in the original Clawdbot.

Community migration

The community moved from informal Discord threads to GitHub Discussions, improving discoverability and documentation of common issues.

Moltbot → OpenClaw

TOML → YAML configuration

Configuration migrated from TOML to YAML, unifying the format used by skill.md, soul.md, and the gateway config under a single standard.

Module → Skill rename

Moltbot "modules" became OpenClaw "skills" with the introduction of the skill.md standard — a declarative format for defining inputs, outputs, and execution logic.

ClawHub marketplace launch

ClawHub launched as a community marketplace for skills, growing to 700+ community-submitted skills. This replaced the informal plugin-sharing channels from the Moltbot era.

Community growth explosion

The rename to OpenClaw coincided with rapid growth — from roughly 10K GitHub stars under Moltbot to 133K+ stars today, with active GitHub Discussions and a global contributor base.

Migration Guides

Still running Clawdbot or Moltbot? These step-by-step guides walk you through migrating your configuration, skills, and data to OpenClaw.

Migrate from Clawdbot to OpenClaw

Export your Clawdbot JSON config, map it to OpenClaw YAML format, convert plugins to skills, and transfer conversation data.

Read guide →

Migrate from Moltbot to OpenClaw

Convert TOML configuration to YAML, rename modules to skills, and run the production cutover with zero downtime.

Read guide →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Clawdbot the same as OpenClaw?

Yes. Clawdbot was the original name of the open-source AI agent platform now called OpenClaw. The project was first renamed to Moltbot, then to OpenClaw. All three names — Clawdbot, Moltbot, and OpenClaw — refer to the same project and codebase.

Is Moltbot the same as OpenClaw?

Yes. Moltbot was the intermediate name between Clawdbot and OpenClaw. The project was renamed from Moltbot to OpenClaw during the second major rewrite, which introduced YAML configuration, the skill.md standard, and the ClawHub marketplace.

Why did Clawdbot change its name?

Clawdbot was renamed to Moltbot during the first major architecture rewrite. The rename reflected the shift from a single-file script to a modular platform with a proper plugin system, TOML configuration, and the new gateway server.

Why did Moltbot rebrand to OpenClaw?

Moltbot was renamed to OpenClaw during the second major rewrite. The new name reflected the project's open-source identity and growing ecosystem. This rename coincided with the launch of ClawHub, the skill.md standard, the soul.md personality system, and a shift from TOML to YAML configuration.

Is Open Claw the same as OpenClaw?

Yes. "Open Claw" (two words) and "OpenClaw" (one word) refer to the same project. The official spelling is OpenClaw (one word), but many people search for it as "Open Claw" with a space. Both are correct and refer to the same open-source AI agent platform.

Do Clawdbot skills still work with OpenClaw?

Clawdbot plugins are not directly compatible with OpenClaw. Clawdbot used loose scripts with JSON configuration, while OpenClaw uses the skill.md standard with YAML configuration. However, the core logic of most Clawdbot plugins can be migrated to OpenClaw skills with moderate effort. See our migration guide for step-by-step instructions.

Still running Clawdbot or Moltbot?

OpenClaw Experts can migrate your setup to the latest version of OpenClaw — including config conversion, skill migration, and security hardening.

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