Moltbot
What is Moltbot?
Moltbot (formerly Claudebot) is an open-source personal AI assistant created by Peter Steinberger that runs locally on your computer. Unlike cloud-only AI assistants, Moltbot has full access to your system—files, email, calendar, browser, and messaging apps—enabling it to take autonomous actions on your behalf.
Key Features
- Multi-platform messaging: Accessible through WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack, Signal, iMessage
- Persistent memory: Learns your preferences and maintains context across conversations
- System access: Can read/write files, execute shell commands, and control applications
- Browser automation: Navigates websites, fills forms, and extracts data
- Proactive behavior: Can monitor trends, build features, and complete tasks while you sleep
- Local-first privacy: Data remains on your device by default
Why "Moltbot"?
The project was originally called "Claudebot" because it leverages Anthropic's Claude AI models. The rebranding to "Moltbot" came after the project gained viral attention—likely to avoid trademark concerns with Anthropic's "Claude" branding.
The Solopreneur Use Case
Moltbot's power comes from treating it like an employee rather than a chatbot. Users report:
"I get a morning brief every day. Every night while I'm sleeping, Henry does many things for me."
Practical workflows include:
- Morning briefs with weather, competitor analysis, and overnight work summaries
- Autonomous coding: Building features based on trends (e.g., article functionality when X article contests trend)
- Competitor monitoring: Tracking when rival channels post outlier content
- Self-built tooling: Creating Kanban boards and project management systems autonomously
Getting Started
The recommended setup path for beginners:
- Mac Mini or spare computer (preferred for visibility and control)
- VPS/cloud (cheaper but less intuitive for learning)
- Mac Studio with local models (advanced, for multi-model orchestration)
Security Considerations
Moltbot has "the nuclear codes"—full system access means significant risk if misconfigured. Best practices:
- Don't give access to accounts where mistakes are catastrophic (e.g., Twitter)
- Create separate email accounts for the bot
- Start sandboxed and gradually extend trust
- Watch for prompt injection risks in emails
Related Concepts
- AI Agents - The broader category Moltbot represents
- Closing the Loop - Steinberger's core principle for effective AI coding
- Agentic Coding - The development methodology Moltbot enables
External Resources
Mentioned In
"Claudebot has officially been renamed as Moltbot. I'm guessing they got a lot of heat from the Anthropic team."
"Peter Steinberger, who created Claudebot, and the open-source community will figure out ways to make it safer."
"Peter Steinberger discusses the agentic coding methodology that led to Moltbot's development."