Agent Architecture

OpenClaw

OpenClaw is a personal AI assistant host positioned as cross-OS and cross-platform, with a large TypeScript-centered repository, Swift/Kotlin client presence, and NemoClaw integration for secure OpenShell execution.

Source reviewed #33Checked 2026-07-06

Setup guide Source

Run type

CLI

Adapter

ts-plugin

Source

OSS · openclaw/openclaw

Stars

★ 389k

Archive Context

This page is one host entry inside the full architecture archive and keeps multi-surface products visible instead of collapsing them into a single run type.

42 host archive

Host page

openclaw

Run cohort

CLI: 30

Archive route

/agents

Host Surface Perspectives

The host is the primary architecture boundary. Each runnable surface below separates what the host owns from what agent-connector can safely install for OpenClaw.

1 surface entry

CLI

cli

Host entry: A terminal command owns the process, current working directory, stdin/stdout, shell environment, and project file discovery.
Host owns: The CLI host owns agent loop timing, approval prompts, tool execution, session files, and how hook or MCP subprocesses are launched.
Connector role: agent-connector can only write the host's documented CLI config, prompt, memory, hook, MCP, or package files and point them at the home binary. Current wired connector surfaces: MCP server, Hooks, Skills, Memory, Action affordances.
Implementation consequence: A CLI surface is byte-addressable and smoke-testable from a temporary HOME, but terminal UI behavior still belongs to the host process. Visible host-native gaps for this surface: Subagents.

Verified Architecture

Source-checked on 2026-07-06. These notes are intentionally separate from the generated surface matrix below.

Sequence #33

Source pass

Current source review findings are kept as the first architecture section so readers can separate external evidence from the generated local coverage model.

OpenClaw is a personal AI assistant that runs on a user's own devices and exposes many messaging and collaboration channels.
The repository distinguishes a Gateway control plane from the assistant product, so the page should describe control-plane architecture explicitly.
Voice, live canvas, and multi-channel delivery are host-only affordances that should not be reduced to command or hook support.

Runtime boundary

The adapter target is OpenClaw as a personal assistant host, while NemoClaw can provide a sandboxed NVIDIA OpenShell environment around it. The page should show both standalone and managed execution possibilities.

The repository positions OpenClaw as a personal assistant for any OS and platform.
Language mix suggests desktop/mobile/client surfaces beyond a terminal-only tool.

MCP registration

OpenClaw MCP behavior should be documented through direct OpenClaw source or through NemoClaw's managed MCP setup when running under that host. Those are two different layers.

NemoClaw can set up MCP servers around OpenClaw agents.
Standalone OpenClaw tool registration needs OpenClaw-specific source evidence.

Hook bridge

agent-connector tracks OpenClaw as a TypeScript-plugin style host. Hook claims should be tied to OpenClaw's plugin/event source, while NemoClaw runtime policy should remain a separate managed-host layer.

OpenClaw plugin behavior should not be replaced by NemoClaw sandbox controls.
Cross-platform UI clients may not expose the same hook surface.

Content surfaces

OpenClaw content surfaces likely span assistant state, plugins, prompts, platform clients, user data, and managed execution files. The archive should preserve the own-your-data angle without inventing exact paths.

The repository topics include own-your-data and personal assistant positioning.
NemoClaw docs add workspace files, plugins, and prompts/skills when managed.

Marketplace and host-only affordances

The host-only affordance is personal cross-platform assistant architecture plus optional secure managed execution through NemoClaw. This makes OpenClaw useful for studying assistant hosts beyond coding-only CLIs.

Swift and Kotlin source share hints at native app surfaces.
Managed execution should be shown as an optional surrounding host.

Host-specific shape

OpenClaw is a ts-plugin host with MCP, plugin hooks, skills, memory, and actions; subagents exist as runtime/config concepts rather than an authored folder.

Form factor: CLI.
Native surfaces: MCP server, Hooks, Skills, Subagents, Memory, Action affordances.
Wired surfaces: MCP server, Hooks, Skills, Memory, Action affordances.
Visible gaps: Subagents.

Hooks

Hooks enter through a generated plugin module that the host loads in its own runtime.

MCP

The adapter writes this host's native MCP registration dialect, including its root key, scope, transport fields, and environment syntax.

Memory

Managed memory text is written into the rules or memory file this host actually reads, with ownership markers for reversible uninstall.

Marketplace and affordances

The plugin bridge is generated directly, but there is no separate drivable marketplace path in the current driver registry.

Runtime handlers: Action affordances.
User-visible affordances: Users see managed skills + actions + memory surfaces after install; runtime-only surfaces stay behind the host boundary..

Known Limits

Separate standalone OpenClaw from NemoClaw-managed OpenClaw.
Cross-platform claims should not imply one shared config path.
Plugin and hook details need OpenClaw-specific source review before expansion.

Evidence checked

OpenClaw repository OpenClaw website NemoClaw docs for OpenClaw

Architecture Diagram

Host-specific flow for the CLI surface.

ts-plugin

1
Entry point: CLI
Terminal agent process reads user/project config and invokes the connector home binary for runtime callbacks.
2
Connector package
defineConnector package declares server, hooks, content, memory, and actions.
3
Adapter module: openclaw
ts-plugin renderer at src/adapters/openclaw/index.ts.
4
Native host artifacts
Adapter writes MCP config + plugin module + content files + memory/rules + actions through this host's native file, package, or marketplace surface.
5
Runtime boundary
host loads generated TypeScript plugin bridge
6
User-visible surface
Users see managed skills + actions + memory surfaces after install; runtime-only surfaces stay behind the host boundary.
7
Coverage ceiling
5/6 native surfaces wired. Subagents are host-native but not wired yet.

Component Diagram

Static parts of the OpenClaw integration and which side owns each one.

OpenClaw host
CLI surface owns the model loop, UI shell, config discovery, and native lifecycle for this integration.
agent-connector package
Normalizes connector declarations into MCP, hook, memory, content, and action payloads before delegating to a host adapter.
openclaw adapter
Implements the ts-plugin translation layer in src/adapters/openclaw/index.ts.
Native artifacts
Adapter writes MCP config + plugin module + content files + memory/rules + actions through this host's native file, package, or marketplace surface.
Runtime bridge
host loads generated TypeScript plugin bridge
User-visible surface
Users see managed skills + actions + memory surfaces after install; runtime-only surfaces stay behind the host boundary.

Runtime Sequence Flow

Message order from install to runtime for the CLI surface.

1 · User / project
Choose host adapter
Install or update starts against OpenClaw; the selected surface is CLI.
2 · agent-connector
Resolve connector declaration
The package reads connector metadata and routes it to the openclaw adapter instead of exposing a generic host contract.
3 · openclaw adapter
Render host-native shape
Adapter writes MCP config + plugin module + content files + memory/rules + actions through this host's native file, package, or marketplace surface.
4 · OpenClaw
Host loads artifacts
host loads generated TypeScript plugin bridge
5 · Agent runtime
Run through host boundary
Users see managed skills + actions + memory surfaces after install; runtime-only surfaces stay behind the host boundary.
6 · Coverage matrix
Expose remaining ceiling
5/6 native surfaces wired. Subagents are host-native but not wired yet.

Architecture Archive

The same five study axes are rendered for every host: runtime shape, hooks, MCP, memory, and host-only affordances.

Host-specific shape

OpenClaw is a ts-plugin host with MCP, plugin hooks, skills, memory, and actions; subagents exist as runtime/config concepts rather than an authored folder.

Form factor: CLI.
Native surfaces: MCP server, Hooks, Skills, Subagents, Memory, Action affordances.
Wired surfaces: MCP server, Hooks, Skills, Memory, Action affordances.
Visible gaps: Subagents.

Hooks

Hooks enter through a generated plugin module that the host loads in its own runtime.

MCP

The adapter writes this host's native MCP registration dialect, including its root key, scope, transport fields, and environment syntax.

Memory

Managed memory text is written into the rules or memory file this host actually reads, with ownership markers for reversible uninstall.

Marketplace and affordances

The plugin bridge is generated directly, but there is no separate drivable marketplace path in the current driver registry.

Runtime handlers: Action affordances.
User-visible affordances: Users see managed skills + actions + memory surfaces after install; runtime-only surfaces stay behind the host boundary..

Special Feature Inventory

Host-specific capabilities separated from the generic surface matrix: lifecycle hooks, MCP registration, memory/rules, marketplace delivery, and UI or content affordances owned by the host.

Lifecycle hooks

Wired

Hooks enter through a generated plugin module that the host loads in its own runtime.

MCP registration

Wired

The adapter writes this host's native MCP registration dialect, including its root key, scope, transport fields, and environment syntax.

Memory and rules

Wired

Managed memory text is written into the rules or memory file this host actually reads, with ownership markers for reversible uninstall.

Marketplace delivery

Direct plugin

The plugin bridge is generated directly, but there is no separate drivable marketplace path in the current driver registry.

Host-only affordances

2/3 wired

Wired host affordances: Skills, Action affordances. Host-native gaps: Subagents. Not confirmed: Commands, Statusline handler.

Source Review Notes

Latest source pass for host-specific architecture details. This is separate from generated adapter coverage and local drift guards.

Checked 2026-07-06Open review source

openclaw/openclaw repository

OpenClaw is a personal AI assistant that runs on a user's own devices and exposes many messaging and collaboration channels.
The repository distinguishes a Gateway control plane from the assistant product, so the page should describe control-plane architecture explicitly.
Voice, live canvas, and multi-channel delivery are host-only affordances that should not be reduced to command or hook support.

Evidence Map

Each host page ties public source evidence to the local adapter and drift guards that keep the rendered archive aligned with code.

Public source: openclaw/openclaw

Primary public repository or product source used for current host status and source links.

external

Open source

Local adapter implementation

Defines the install/uninstall behavior, native config rendering, capability flags, and any runtime parse/format bridge for this host.

local

src/adapters/openclaw/index.ts

Platform metadata and host-native matrix

Records the form factor, public source target, ranking source, native host surfaces, and current agent-connector coverage cells.

local

site/src/platform-data.ts

Architecture drift guard

Asserts that every registered host has a page, diagram, host-specific brief, source link, form-factor band, and adapter-aligned surface data.

local

tests/docs/platform-drift.test.ts

Runtime Shape

The host loads a generated TypeScript plugin module that bridges in-process host events to the connector runtime.

MCP registration: Wired through this adapter
Hook bridge: Wired

Connector Surfaces

Static content

MCP server, Hooks, Skills, Memory

Runtime handlers

Action affordances

Surface Matrix

Wired means agent-connector installs it now. Host native marks support we know about but have not wired yet.

SurfaceStatus

MCP server

Static content

agent-connector installs this surface today.

Wired

Hooks

Static content

agent-connector installs this surface today.

Wired

Commands

Static content

No confirmed host-native surface.

N/A

Skills

Static content

agent-connector installs this surface today.

Wired

Subagents

Static content

The host appears to offer this, but this adapter has not wired it yet.

Host native

Memory

Static content

agent-connector installs this surface today.

Wired

Statusline handler

Runtime handler

No confirmed host-native surface.

N/A

Action affordances

Runtime handler

agent-connector installs this surface today.

Wired