Nanoclaw

An AI assistant that runs agents securely in their own containers. Lightweight, built to be easily understood and completely customized for your needs.

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Why I Built NanoClaw

OpenClaw is an impressive project, but I wouldn't have been able to sleep if I had given complex software I didn't understand full access to my life. OpenClaw has nearly half a million lines of code, 53 config files, and 70+ dependencies. Its security is at the application level (allowlists, pairing codes) rather than true OS-level isolation. Everything runs in one Node process with shared memory.

NanoClaw provides that same core functionality, but in a codebase small enough to understand: one process and a handful of files. Claude agents run in their own Linux containers with filesystem isolation, not merely behind permission checks.

Quick Start

gh repo fork qwibitai/nanoclaw --clone
cd nanoclaw
claude

Without GitHub CLI

1. 1.Fork qwibitai/nanoclaw on GitHub (click the Fork button)
2. 2.git clone https://github.com//nanoclaw.git
3. 3.cd nanoclaw
4. 4.claude

Then run /setup. Claude Code handles everything: dependencies, authentication, container setup and service configuration.

Note: Commands prefixed with / (like /setup, /add-whatsapp) are Claude Code skills. Type them inside the claude CLI prompt, not in your regular terminal. If you don't have Claude Code installed, get it at claude.com/product/claude-code.

Philosophy

Small enough to understand. One process, a few source files and no microservices. If you want to understand the full NanoClaw codebase, just ask Claude Code to walk you through it.

Secure by isolation. Agents run in Linux containers (Apple Container on macOS, or Docker) and they can only see what's explicitly mounted. Bash access is safe because commands run inside the container, not on your host.

Built for the individual user. NanoClaw isn't a monolithic framework; it's software that fits each user's exact needs. Instead of becoming bloatware, NanoClaw is designed to be bespoke. You make your own fork and have Claude Code modify it to match your needs.

Customization = code changes. No configuration sprawl. Want different behavior? Modify the code. The codebase is small enough that it's safe to make changes.

AI-native.

• No installation wizard; Claude Code guides setup.
• No monitoring dashboard; ask Claude what's happening.
• No debugging tools; describe the problem and Claude fixes it.