Which OpenClaw project should you start with?

Fast picks

Fast picks

• Start with OpenClaw if you want the main project, the broadest docs, and the clearest official reference point. View profile
• Start with PicoClaw if your first constraint is tiny hardware, low memory use, or lightweight deployment. View profile
• Start with NanoClaw if container boundaries, isolation, and safer self-hosting matter more than raw simplicity. View profile
• Start with Nanobot if you want the easiest codebase to read, learn from, and modify quickly. View profile
• Start with CoPaw if you want a more practical personal-agent workstation with easier setup and local-model support. View profile

Decision guide

Decision guide

A useful way to choose is to start from your constraint, not from the loudest project name.

• Choose OpenClaw if you want the official baseline before comparing variants.
• Choose PicoClaw if you care most about small devices, static binaries, and low operating cost.
• Choose NanoClaw if you care most about container-first isolation and cleaner self-hosted boundaries.
• Choose ZeroClaw or IronClaw if your team is more infrastructure-minded, Rust-friendly, and less concerned with easiest onboarding.
• Choose Nanobot if your real goal is to understand the architecture fast and fork it for experiments.
• Choose ClawHub or OpenProse only if you already understand they are ecosystem layers, not direct runtime replacements.

Good first routes

Good first routes

If you are still unsure, these are the three safest starting routes for most people.

• New to the ecosystem: start with OpenClaw, then compare PicoClaw and NanoClaw.
• Developer learning path: start with Nanobot, then read OpenClaw for the broader surface area.
• Practical self-hosting path: compare CoPaw, NanoClaw, and OpenClaw side by side.