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TL;DR: Clawdbot, Moltbot, and OpenClaw are not different tools—they’re the same autonomous AI agent framework under successive names. Rapid growth, rebranding, and forks created confusion that scammers later exploited. OpenClaw is the official, current name.
Clawdbot vs Moltbot vs OpenClaw: What’s the Difference?
If you’ve tried researching OpenClaw, you’ve probably noticed something strange.
Some guides mention Clawdbot. Others reference Moltbot. Newer posts talk about OpenClaw. GitHub threads argue about which repository is “official,” and search results feel fragmented.
At first glance, it looks like three different tools competing with each other.
They aren’t.
Before going deeper, it helps to understand what the project actually is at a high level. If you’re new, start with the core explainer: What Is OpenClaw? Autonomous AI Agent Framework.
Watch the quick explainer below:
The Short Answer
Clawdbot, Moltbot, and OpenClaw are the same project.
The names represent different phases of the same open-source autonomous AI agent framework. The technology remained largely consistent. The branding did not.
Most of the confusion comes from how quickly everything happened.
Where It Started: Clawdbot
The project originally launched as Clawdbot. At the time, it was a small experimental framework connecting large language models to real tools like browsers, file systems, and messaging platforms.
What made it unusual wasn’t better text generation. It was behavior.
Clawdbot could interpret goals, decide which tools to use, and continue operating without constant prompts. That autonomy attracted developers fast. The repository began collecting stars at a pace normally reserved for major frameworks.
But rapid growth brings side effects.
The First Rebrand: Moltbot
As attention increased, legal and naming conflicts appeared. The original name risked trademark issues, and maintainers wanted something more flexible and less product-specific.
The project rebranded to Moltbot—a metaphor for transformation or “molting” into something new.
The problem was timing.
Documentation still said Clawdbot. Tutorials referenced the old repo. Community forks multiplied. Within weeks, two names were floating around for the same system.
Search engines hate ambiguity. So do users.
The Final Name: OpenClaw
To stabilize things long-term, the maintainers chose OpenClaw.
This name emphasized:
- Open-source roots
- A framework identity, not a “bot”
- A permanent, brandable standard
From that point forward, OpenClaw became the canonical name and repository.
Today, OpenClaw is the only label you should treat as official.
Why the Confusion Spread So Far
Most open-source projects grow gradually. Names evolve slowly. Links update over months.
OpenClaw didn’t grow gradually—it exploded.
In a matter of weeks:
- Thousands of developers forked the repo
- Dozens of blog posts referenced outdated names
- Community guides conflicted with each other
When growth outpaces coordination, identity fractures. That’s exactly what happened here.
How Scammers Took Advantage
Whenever a project trends quickly and naming is unclear, impersonators appear.
Fake repositories, unofficial downloads, and look-alike domains began surfacing. Some bundled malware. Others simply harvested credentials.
To a new user, it was impossible to know which version was legitimate.
This isn’t unique to OpenClaw—it’s a predictable pattern for any fast-moving open-source ecosystem.
What Never Changed
Despite the branding chaos, the core concept stayed the same.
All three names referred to an AI agent framework that can interpret goals, use tools, and operate autonomously.
If you want a technical breakdown of how that framework actually works—memory, execution loops, and tool usage—read: OpenClaw AI Agent Framework Explained.
And if you’re planning to deploy agents in production, you should also understand the security implications, because autonomy changes the attack surface: AI Agent Security Risks.
The Bottom Line
Think of the names like versions of the same story:
- Clawdbot → early experiment
- Moltbot → transitional rebrand
- OpenClaw → official, stable identity
They’re not competitors. They’re timestamps.
If you remember one thing, remember this: OpenClaw is the real name going forward.
