Getting started with OpenClaw: Complex tasks from a simple chat

OpenClaw is an open source autonomous agent framework that executes real tasks through chat interfaces like Telegram or WhatsApp. Unlike traditional AI chatbots, it can interact with file systems, run shell commands, modify code, call external APIs, and automate workflows. It wraps an LLM with task orchestration and tool invocation, requiring no local GPU when using remote AI providers. A step-by-step setup guide covers installing OpenClaw on Ubuntu with Telegram integration, including daemon setup, user pairing, and dashboard access via SSH tunnel. Safety recommendations include running as a non-root user and applying least-privilege principles.