How many platforms can I connect to a single agent?

There is no hard limit. A single OpenClaw agent can serve messages from all configured channels simultaneously. Each channel operates independently through the Gateway.

Do I need to write different code for each channel?

No. Channels abstract away platform-specific details. Your agent logic, skills, and prompts remain the same regardless of which channel the message arrives from.

Can I add a custom channel for a platform not yet supported?

Yes. OpenClaw provides a channel adapter interface that you can implement for any platform with an API. Custom channels plug into the Gateway just like built-in ones.

OpenClaw Channels: 20+ Platform Integrations for Your AI Agent

What Are Channels?

Channels are the connection points between your OpenClaw agent and the outside world. Each channel represents an integration with a specific platform or protocol, allowing users to interact with your agent wherever they already are.

When a user sends a message through Telegram, or a webhook fires from a web application, it is the Channel layer that receives that input, normalizes it, and passes it to the Gateway for routing.

Supported Platforms

OpenClaw supports 20+ channels out of the box, spanning major categories:

Messaging Platforms

Telegram — Full bot API support, inline keyboards, media handling.
Slack — Workspace apps, slash commands, thread conversations.
Discord — Server bots, slash commands, channel-specific agents.
WhatsApp — Via Business API integration.
WeChat — Official account and mini-program support.

Developer Tools

HTTP/REST — A generic webhook endpoint for custom integrations.
WebSocket — Real-time bidirectional communication.
CLI — Direct terminal interaction for development and testing.

Business Platforms

Email — Inbound email processing and response.
Microsoft Teams — Enterprise workspace integration.
Notion — Page and database interactions.

Twitter/X — Mention and DM handling.
Web widget — Embeddable chat widget for websites.

How Channels Work

Each channel follows a consistent lifecycle:

Connection — The channel establishes a connection to its platform (polling, webhook, or persistent socket).
Message ingestion — Incoming messages are received and normalized into a common format.
Gateway dispatch — The normalized message is forwarded to the Gateway.
Response delivery — When the Brain produces a response, the channel translates it back into the platform’s native format and sends it.

This normalization layer is what makes OpenClaw truly multi-platform. A single agent configuration works identically whether the user is on Telegram or Slack.

Channel Configuration

Channels are configured in your openclaw.json file. Each channel entry specifies the platform type, authentication credentials, and any platform-specific settings.

{
  "channels": [
    {
      "type": "telegram",
      "token": "YOUR_BOT_TOKEN",
      "allowed_users": ["user_id_1"]
    },
    {
      "type": "slack",
      "app_token": "xapp-...",
      "bot_token": "xoxb-..."
    }
  ]
}

Platform-Specific Features

While the core message flow is standardized, channels preserve platform-specific capabilities where possible:

Rich media — Images, files, and videos are handled natively per platform.
Interactive elements — Buttons, menus, and inline keyboards work on platforms that support them.
Threading — Platforms like Slack and Discord that support threaded conversations maintain thread context.

Building Custom Channels

If your platform is not supported, you can build a custom channel adapter. The adapter needs to implement a standard interface: receiving messages, normalizing them, and delivering responses. Once implemented, it registers with the Gateway like any built-in channel.

This extensibility ensures OpenClaw can reach any platform with a programmable API.