---
title: "OpenClaw"
icon: 'lobster'
description: "Add AI-native memory to OpenClaw"
sidebarTitle: 'OpenClaw'
---

[OpenClaw](https://openclaw.ai) is a general AI agent that can perform actions on behalf of a user. The Honcho plugin gives OpenClaw memory across every channel — WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack, and more.

<Note>
Honcho can run entirely locally with OpenClaw — no external API required. Keep your data on your machine while getting full memory capabilities across all channels. See the [self-hosting guide](/v3/contributing/self-hosting) to get started.
</Note>


## Get Your API Key

Create a Honcho API key from [app.honcho.dev](https://app.honcho.dev), then add it to your OpenClaw env file:

```bash
echo "HONCHO_API_KEY=hc_..." >> ~/.openclaw/.env
```

## Install the Plugin

```bash
openclaw plugins install @honcho-ai/openclaw-honcho
```

The install script automatically syncs workspace docs, migrates existing memory to Honcho, and archives legacy files. Restart the gateway after installing:

```bash
openclaw gateway restart
```

## How It Works

Once installed, the plugin runs automatically:

* **Context Injection** — Before every AI turn, Honcho injects the user's profile, representation, and conversation summary.
* **Message Observation** — After every AI turn, the exchange is persisted to Honcho for extraction and long-term storage.
* **Dual Peer Model** — Honcho maintains separate representations for the user and the agent.

## AI Tools

### Data Retrieval (fast, no LLM)

| Tool | Description |
| ---- | ----------- |
| `honcho_session` | Conversation history and summaries from the current session. |
| `honcho_profile` | User's peer card — key facts (name, preferences, role). |
| `honcho_search` | Semantic search over stored observations. |
| `honcho_context` | Full user representation across all sessions. |

### Q&A (LLM-powered)

| Tool | Description |
| ---- | ----------- |
| `honcho_recall` | Simple factual question — minimal reasoning. |
| `honcho_analyze` | Complex question requiring synthesis — medium reasoning. |

## CLI Commands

```bash
openclaw honcho status                          # Connection status
openclaw honcho ask <question>                  # Query Honcho about the user
openclaw honcho search <query> [-k N] [-d D]    # Semantic search (topK, maxDistance)
```

## Configuration

Optional — the plugin works out of the box with `HONCHO_API_KEY` set.

| Key | Default | Description |
| --- | ------- | ----------- |
| `workspaceId` | `"openclaw"` | Honcho workspace ID for memory isolation. |
| `baseUrl` | `"https://api.honcho.dev"` | API endpoint (for self-hosted instances). |

### Self-Hosted Honcho

Point the plugin to your local instance:

```bash
echo "HONCHO_BASE_URL=http://localhost:8000" >> ~/.openclaw/.env
```

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="GitHub Repository" icon="github" href="https://github.com/plastic-labs/openclaw-honcho">
    Source code, issues, and README.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Honcho Architecture" icon="sitemap" href="/v3/documentation/core-concepts/architecture">
    Learn about peers, sessions, and dialectic reasoning.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>