MoltBot

MoltBot was the interim name for the open-source AI agent framework originally launched as ClawdBot, before settling on its current name OpenClaw. The 'molt' name referenced shedding its old identity (like a molting animal), chosen after Anthropic's trademark complaint forced a rebrand.

While the MoltBot name was short-lived (roughly December 2025 – January 2026), it became widely recognized because several derivative projects and the MoltBook social network adopted the 'Molt' branding during this period.

Timeline:

• November 2025: Launched as ClawdBot by Peter Steinberger
• December 2025: Renamed to MoltBot after Anthropic trademark complaint
• January 2026: Renamed again to OpenClaw for a more neutral, community-friendly identity

The MoltBot name is still commonly used in discussions and some integrations retain the branding. The core technology - an autonomous AI agent with persistent memory, tool-calling capabilities, and multi-model support - remained unchanged through all rebrands.

See OpenClaw (ClawdBot) for full technical details on the framework's architecture and capabilities.