nanoclaw
A lightweight alternative to OpenClaw that runs in containers for security. Connects to WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, Gmail and other messaging apps,, has memory, scheduled jobs, and runs directly on Anthropic's Agents SDK
NanoClaw is a lightweight AI agent framework that runs agents securely in isolated Docker containers using Anthropic's Claude Agent SDK. It connects to multiple messaging platforms including WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, Gmail, and iMessage, with built-in memory, scheduled tasks, and container-level security. Designed as a minimal alternative to OpenClaw with a small, understandable codebase, NanoClaw emphasizes OS-level isolation over application-level permissions and supports both cloud and local AI models through provider adapters.
Key Features
Use Cases
- 01Running a personal AI assistant across multiple messaging platforms with unified memory
- 02Automating daily briefings and scheduled reports from web sources and internal data
- 03Creating isolated agents for different contexts (work, family, projects) with separate workspaces
- 04Building secure AI assistants with container-level sandboxing and credential isolation
- 05Customizing agent behavior through code modifications with Claude Code assistance
- 06Deploying agents that integrate with productivity tools like Obsidian, GitHub, and Linear
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nanoclaw — FAQ
What is NanoClaw and how does it differ from OpenClaw?+
NanoClaw is a lightweight AI agent framework that runs Anthropic's Claude Agent SDK in isolated Docker containers. Unlike OpenClaw's nearly 500,000 lines of code, NanoClaw provides the same core functionality in a minimal codebase with OS-level container isolation instead of application-level permission checks.
How do I install and set up NanoClaw?+
Clone the repository and run 'bash nanoclaw.sh' from the directory. The installer handles Node, pnpm, and Docker installation if missing, registers your Anthropic API key with OneCLI, builds the agent container, and pairs your first messaging channel. If any step fails, Claude Code is automatically invoked to diagnose and resume.
Which messaging platforms and AI clients does NanoClaw support?+
NanoClaw connects to WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack, Microsoft Teams, iMessage, Matrix, Google Chat, Gmail, Linear, GitHub, and more. It natively uses Claude via Anthropic's Agent SDK and supports alternative providers like OpenAI Codex, OpenRouter, Google, DeepSeek, and local Ollama models through add-on skills.
What are the prerequisites and do I need API keys?+
You need macOS, Linux, or Windows with WSL2, Node.js 20+, pnpm 10+, Docker, and Claude Code. An Anthropic API key is required for the default Claude provider. Optional providers require their respective API keys (OpenAI, OpenRouter, etc.) or can run locally with Ollama.
Is NanoClaw free and open source?+
Yes, NanoClaw is released under the MIT license and is completely free and open source. The framework itself has no accounts or fees, though you'll need API access to your chosen AI provider (Anthropic, OpenAI, etc.) which may have usage costs.
How secure is NanoClaw and what data leaves my machine?+
Agents run in isolated Docker containers with explicit filesystem mounts and can only access resources you configure. Credentials are managed by OneCLI Agent Vault and never exposed to agents. No user accounts are required, and your agents, messages, and files never leave your machine except optional anonymous setup diagnostics.
How do I install nanoclaw?+
Open the source repository on GitHub and follow its README. nanoclaw is a agent — MCP Agents Market links you directly to the official repo.
Is nanoclaw free?+
nanoclaw is an open-source project hosted on GitHub. Check the repository for its license and any usage requirements.