NanoClaw — Architecture & Features
Why NanoClaw Over OpenClaw?
| Feature | OpenClaw | NanoClaw |
|---|---|---|
| Codebase | 500K+ lines, 53 config files, 70+ deps | ~500 lines TypeScript |
| Security | Application-level permission checks | OS-level container isolation |
| Process model | One Node process, shared memory | One container per agent group |
| Customizability | Complex plugin system | Read & modify the entire codebase |
Core Features
Multi-Channel Messaging
Connect to WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack, or Gmail. Each channel is added with a simple /add-<channel> command inside Claude Code. Users message your NanoClaw instance from their favorite app, and Claude responds.
Container Isolation Every agent group runs in its own Linux container (Docker or Apple Container) with:
- Isolated filesystem — no cross-group data leakage
- Dedicated CLAUDE.md memory file per group
- Separate SQLite database for persistent context
Scheduled Tasks Set up automated tasks that run on a schedule — daily summaries, periodic checks, recurring workflows.
Web Access & Browser Automation Agents can browse the web, scrape data, and interact with web services.
Agent Swarms Launch multiple specialized agents that collaborate on complex tasks within isolated environments.
Agent Vault (Credential Management) Securely store and manage API keys and credentials via OneCLI's Agent Vault.
Tech Stack
- Runtime: Claude Agent SDK (Anthropic)
- Language: TypeScript (93.7%), Python, Swift
- Database: SQLite for persistent memory
- Containers: Docker or Apple Container
- Requirements: Node.js 20+, Claude Code
FAQ
Q: What is NanoClaw? A: A lightweight personal AI assistant that runs Claude agents in isolated containers, connecting to WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, and Gmail. Built on the Anthropic Claude Agent SDK with ~500 lines of TypeScript.
Q: Is NanoClaw free? A: Yes, NanoClaw is open-source under the MIT license. You need your own Anthropic API key for Claude usage.
Q: How does NanoClaw compare to OpenClaw? A: NanoClaw provides the same core features (messaging, memory, tasks) in ~500 lines vs OpenClaw's 500K+ lines, with true OS-level container isolation instead of application-level permission checks.