What is OpenClaw?
OpenClaw (formerly Clawdbot/Moltbot) is an open-source autonomous AI agent created by Peter Steinberger. Unlike IDE-based coding tools, OpenClaw is a messaging-first personal assistant that connects to 12+ channels (WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, Signal, iMessage, and more). It runs locally as a daemon and can execute shell commands, browse the web, manage files, and — with the right skill — track your issues. OpenClaw uses a Skills system for extensibility. Skills are markdown files (SKILL.md) that teach the agent how to use tools for specific tasks.
Skill Setup
Create a tk skill to give OpenClaw context about your issue tracker.Local Skill (Per-Project)
Createskills/ticket/SKILL.md in your project root:
Global Skill (All Projects)
Place the sameSKILL.md in ~/.openclaw/skills/ticket/ to make it available across all your projects.
Heartbeat Integration
OpenClaw’s heartbeat scheduler can runtk triage on a cron schedule to proactively surface recommendations. Add to your ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json:
MCP Integration
If your OpenClaw instance supports MCP servers, you can connect theticket-mcp server for structured tool access:
Requirements
Requirements
uv installed via:
curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | shPython version 3.10 or higher (installed automatically by uv)Workflow Tips
Morning Triage
Message OpenClaw: “Run tk triage and tell me what I should work on today” OpenClaw will executetk triage and send back AI-powered recommendations with reasoning.
Creating Issues
Message OpenClaw: “Create a high-priority bug for the payment timeout issue” OpenClaw will run:Closing Work
Message OpenClaw: “Resolve tk-abc123, the fix is deployed” OpenClaw will runtk resolve tk-abc123 and report any newly unblocked issues.
Project Health
Message OpenClaw: “How healthy is the project? Run tk insights” OpenClaw will analyze PageRank scores, dependency bottlenecks, and critical path.Multi-Channel Workflows
OpenClaw’s unique strength is messaging-first interaction across platforms:Slack Channel Updates
Slack Channel Updates
Configure OpenClaw in a team Slack channel to respond to
tk triage requests, letting your whole team get issue recommendations without leaving Slack.Mobile Issue Management
Mobile Issue Management
Message OpenClaw from WhatsApp or Telegram to create and manage issues on the go — no terminal or IDE required.
Scheduled Reports
Scheduled Reports
Use OpenClaw’s heartbeat scheduler to push daily
tk standup summaries to your preferred channel every morning.Voice Commands
Voice Commands
On macOS/iOS/Android with voice mode enabled, speak commands like “Create a task for updating the API docs, priority two” and OpenClaw translates to the right tk command.
Security Considerations
OpenClaw requires broad system permissions. When using it with tk:- Workspace restriction: Ensure
$WORKSPACE_ROOTis set to limit file operations to your project directory - Tool policies: Only enable
shellandwritetools if needed for issue management - Approval workflows: Enable approval prompts for destructive commands like
tk delete
Review OpenClaw’s security documentation for sandbox configuration and tool policy details.
Troubleshooting
OpenClaw doesn't recognize tk commands
OpenClaw doesn't recognize tk commands
Verify
tk is in your PATH by running which tk in a terminal. Ensure the skill file is in the correct location (skills/ticket/SKILL.md or ~/.openclaw/skills/ticket/SKILL.md).Skill not loading
Skill not loading
Check that the
SKILL.md frontmatter is valid YAML. Run openclaw skills list to verify the skill is detected. Workspace skills take priority over global skills.MCP server not connecting
MCP server not connecting
Ensure
uvx is in your PATH. Check OpenClaw gateway logs with openclaw logs for connection errors. Restart the gateway with openclaw restart.Slow responses from tk
Slow responses from tk
Enable caching with
tk cache info to verify the analytics cache is active. Cached responses return in under 10ms.Next Steps
CLI Reference
Complete tk command documentation
MCP Server
Deep dive into MCP server capabilities
Graph Analytics
Learn about PageRank and dependency analysis
OpenClaw Docs
Official OpenClaw documentation