Week 5: hands on
Four weeks of theory. Now it’s time to practise. This week you’ll build your first working AI agent with OpenClaw — from zero to having a Telegram bot that talks to you.
What is OpenClaw?
OpenClaw is an open-source framework for creating personal AI agents. It’s designed so that anyone with basic computing knowledge can set up an agent without programming.
OpenClaw’s philosophy comes down to three principles: Simple (JSON file configuration), Configurable (model, provider, skills, personality), Extensible (community or custom skills).
Why OpenClaw and not another?
No programming required. LangChain needs Python. OpenClaw is configured with a JSON file and terminal commands.
Native Telegram. Telegram integration comes built in.
Ready-made skills. Clawhub.ai offers skills ready to install.
Minimum requirements
Node.js (version 18+). A computer (Mac, Linux, or Windows with WSL). An API key (can be free). Internet connection.
Optionally: a VPS for 24/7 availability, and Telegram for the bot interface.
What can you do with OpenClaw?
Hold intelligent conversations via Telegram, search the internet for information, read and process documents, send automatic summaries and alerts, monitor websites, generate content, and connect to external services via MCP. All configured without writing a single line of code.
Where will your agent live?
On your personal computer: Easy to test. Works while the computer is on.
On a cloud VPS: Works 24/7. Oracle Cloud Free Tier offers a free server that’s sufficient.
On a Mac Mini or similar: Local privacy with 24/7 availability.
Key concepts today
- OpenClaw: Open-source framework for creating personal AI agents without programming
- JSON configuration: No coding needed
- Requirements: Node.js + API key + internet connection
- Clawhub.ai: Skill directory for OpenClaw
Next lesson: Installing OpenClaw step by step.