Skip to Content
Behind the Craft

Extremely practical OpenClaw
and Claude Code for busy people

Step-by-step setup guides for OpenClaw and Claude Code — written for non-developers who just want things to work.

Behind the Craft
Search documentation...⌘ K

OpenClaw > Overview

OpenClaw

OpenClaw is the #1 open-source AI agent on GitHub with 145K+ stars. This guide walks you through setting it up and getting real value from it — written for non-developers.

Who this is for

  • Product managers who want an AI assistant across Slack, email, and internal tools
  • Marketers who need content generation, scheduling, and research automation
  • Founders who want to automate repetitive workflows without hiring a developer

What you'll learn

SectionWhat it covers
InstallationFrom zero to a running agent in under 15 minutes
MemorySimple memory and advanced 3-layer memory
CapabilitiesVoice replies, daily briefings, and weekly insights
IntegrationsGoogle Workspace, Slack, Linear, and Mercury

Why this guide exists

The official OpenClaw docs are comprehensive but developer-focused. This guide strips away the jargon and gives you a clear path from zero to a working setup — with opinionated defaults that just work.

Why should I try OpenClaw?

This is my personal, no-BS guide — opinionated defaults, tested workflows, none of the jargon from the official docs.

What I love

  • Claude in your pocket — text it on Telegram, even from bed
  • Fastest way to learn what AI agents can actually do
  • Real value from cron jobs, weekly summaries, and connected tools

Where it's weak

  • Memory is broken until you set it up (this guide fixes that)
  • Setup takes real time — installing is the easy part
  • Can be confidently wrong — verify anything important

OpenClaw, without the jargon

The official docs are developer-focused. These guides give you a clear path from zero to a working setup — with opinionated defaults that just work.

🚀

Installation

Go from nothing to a running OpenClaw agent in under 15 minutes with tested defaults.

🧠

Memory

Simple memory for lightweight use, 3-layer memory for serious workflows.

⚡

Capabilities

Voice replies, daily briefings, and weekly insights that are actually useful.

🔗

Integrations

Connect Google Workspace, Slack, Linear, and Mercury to your agent.

🔒

Security

DM policies, sandboxing, and hardening your setup before connecting real accounts.

💬

Channels

Set up Telegram, Slack DMs, and other channels to talk to your bot anywhere.

Coming soon

Claude Code skills I actually use

Ready-made SKILL.md workflows that turn Claude Code into a specialist — landing pages, slide decks, and more, generated in one pass instead of prompting from scratch every time.

Is this free?

The wiki preview is free. Full access to every guide, prompt, and workflow requires a paid Behind the Craft subscription on Substack.

Do I need to be a developer?

No. These guides are written for non-developers — product managers, marketers, and founders who want to use AI tools without writing code.

What topics are covered?

Right now: OpenClaw setup, memory architecture, capabilities, and integrations. Claude Code skills are coming soon. New guides ship regularly.

How often is it updated?

Guides are updated as the tools evolve. You'll always get the latest tested defaults and workflows.

Get full access to every guide and workflow