OpenClaw released version 2.0 today, representing the largest update in the project’s history. According to the release announcement, the update was built by 933 contributors, including 569 first-time contributors, and comprises over 16,000 pull requests.
The update touches every part of OpenClaw’s platform, including installation, messaging, memory, skills, models, automations, the browser and native apps, plugins, and security. The team also addressed what they describe as “a very long tail of fixes.”
The development timeline was notably different from OpenClaw’s typical release cadence. Before this update, the project had shipped 106 releases in 230 days, often within a day or two of each other. The nearly seven-week gap before the 2.0 release was unusual for the team. According to the announcement, development velocity accelerated as the team grew, and the increased volume and pace of work “outgrew both the foundation of OpenClaw and the process we used to ship it,” prompting a simultaneous rework of both.
The release contains roughly 50% of all pull requests ever merged into OpenClaw. The extended timeline allowed the team to ensure the update worked both for new installations and for users upgrading existing instances, rather than shipping quickly with potential breaking changes.
A key focus of the update was simplifying installation. For first-time users, OpenClaw now starts with what is already on someone’s computer, including existing ChatGPT or Claude subscriptions, API keys, and local models. The team cut or simplified configuration steps and moved remaining setup out of the initial process, allowing users to reach their first conversation faster and complete setup by interacting with their Claw.
The browser app, described as where most people first encounter OpenClaw, was rebuilt as a first-class experience. Users can continue setup, return to ongoing work, or follow along with live activity.
The announcement also highlights a progression model for Claw functionality. Users can start with simple workflows—such as monitoring an inbox for specific emails and sending notifications—and expand tasks to reach across more places without increasing complexity. The team noted this same pattern emerged internally, where shared cloud sessions added multiplayer capabilities, allowing team members to collaborate on tasks while maintaining context.
OpenClaw is open source and described as belonging to the people who use and build it.
Key facts
- OpenClaw 2.0 contains over 16,000 pull requests from 933 contributors, including 569 first-time contributors
- The release took nearly seven weeks, compared to the typical cadence of shipping every one to two days
- The update touches installation, messaging, memory, skills, models, automations, browser and native apps, plugins, and security
- Installation now starts with existing subscriptions and API keys already on a user’s computer
- The browser app was rebuilt as a first-class experience for new and returning users
- Shared cloud sessions enable multiplayer collaboration while maintaining task context