Six hours is enough to separate “demo” from “work.” OpenClaw felt closer to work: a gateway on my machine, channels I already use, and Skills that ship outputs with guardrails. Here’s the candid take.
Setup: from install to dashboard
Install & onboarding
Installer + onboarding set up models and a gateway. The Control UI made status legible; health checks gave confidence.
openclaw --version
openclaw onboard
openclaw status
openclaw gateway statusModel strategy
Cloud keys were fast; local models kept costs predictable. Routing by outcome (coding/research/writing) mattered more than brand.
Channels
WhatsApp/Telegram as control surfaces was the surprise win. Node runtime helped with provider SDK stability.
What delivered in six hours
Repeatable Skills
Packaging a briefing workflow with inputs/outputs turned “a good chat” into “a weekly deliverable.” Logs enabled iteration.
Computer access
Executing scripts and editing files on a dedicated host felt like a teammate at the keyboard—consistent and tireless.
Message‑native control
Steering from chats reduced context switching. Quick approvals and status posts made operations feel natural.
Where it struggled (and fixes)
- Provider quirks: WhatsApp/Telegram needed Node runtime and careful token setup. Fix: use official SDK paths and re‑login flows.
- Governance drift: disabling approvals invited risk. Fix: keep approvals on for privileged actions; review logs daily.
- Skill source trust: random skills varied in quality. Fix: audit third‑party skills, pin versions, and prefer vetted sources.
Builder’s checklist for reliable outcomes
Pick one weekly workflow
Define inputs/outputs and acceptable formats. Treat prompts as implementation details, not the product.
Constrain tools
Enable only what the workflow needs. Expand capability deliberately with review checkpoints.
Log and iterate
Inspect actions like CI jobs. Tighten guardrails as the workflow stabilizes.
Safety practices that actually help
Least privilege
Approvals on for privileged actions; prefer containerized execution to host commands.
Secrets discipline
Store tokens outside code/images; scope narrowly; rotate on upgrades or suspicion.
Safe surfaces
Bind the dashboard to loopback for local use; avoid browsing unknown pages while authenticated.
Verdict
OpenClaw felt practical when scoped to one weekly deliverable and treated like production software. Autonomy compounded; cleverness mattered less than reliability. That’s the right trade if you want results, not demos.