About NemoClaw

Ecosystem

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NemoClaw provides onboarding, lifecycle management, and OpenClaw operations in OpenShell containers.

This page explains how these projects fit together, where NemoClaw sits relative to OpenShell and OpenClaw, and when to choose NemoClaw or OpenShell directly.

How the Stack Fits Together

A NemoClaw deployment for OpenClaw combines three pieces with distinct scopes: OpenClaw, OpenShell, and NemoClaw. The following diagram shows how they fit together.

NemoClaw sits above OpenShell in the operator workflow. It calls OpenShell APIs and CLI commands to create and configure the sandbox that runs OpenClaw. Models and endpoints sit behind OpenShell’s inference routing. NemoClaw onboarding connects your provider choice to that route.

The following table shows the scope of each component in the stack.

ProjectScope
OpenClawThe assistant: runtime, tools, memory, and behavior inside the container. It does not define the sandbox or the host gateway.
OpenShellThe execution environment: sandbox lifecycle, network, filesystem, and process policy, inference routing, and the operator-facing openshell CLI for those primitives.
NemoClawThe NVIDIA reference stack on the host: nemoclaw CLI, OpenClaw plugin, versioned blueprint, managed inference and Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers, messaging-channel setup, host readiness reporting, and lifecycle operations.

NemoClaw Path versus OpenShell Path

Both paths assume OpenShell can sandbox a workload. The difference is who owns the integration work.

PathWhat it means
NemoClaw pathYou adopt the reference stack. NemoClaw’s blueprint encodes a hardened image, default policies, and orchestration so nemoclaw onboard can create a tested OpenClaw-on-OpenShell setup with less custom integration work.
OpenShell pathYou use OpenShell as the platform and supply your own container, OpenClaw install steps, policy YAML, provider setup, and host bridges. OpenShell stays the sandbox and policy engine; nothing requires NemoClaw’s blueprint or CLI.

What NemoClaw Adds Beyond the OpenShell Community Sandbox

OpenShell ships a community sandbox for OpenClaw. Running openshell sandbox create --from openclaw pulls that package, builds the image, applies the bundled policy, and starts a working sandbox. This path produces a running OpenClaw environment with OpenShell isolation.

NemoClaw builds on that foundation with additional security hardening, automation, and lifecycle tooling. The following table compares the two paths.

Capabilityopenshell sandbox create --from openclawnemoclaw onboard
Sandbox isolationYes. OpenShell applies seccomp filters, Landlock filesystem restrictions, privilege dropping, network namespace isolation, and no-new-privileges enforcement. The community sandbox bundles its own policy tailored for OpenClaw.Yes. NemoClaw applies these through the blueprint and layers a more restrictive policy on top (refer to rows below).
Credential handlingOpenShell’s provider system replaces real credentials with placeholder tokens in the sandbox environment. The L7 proxy resolves placeholders to real values at egress. You create providers manually with openshell provider create.NemoClaw creates OpenShell providers automatically during onboarding. It also filters sensitive host environment variables (provider API keys, DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN, SLACK_BOT_TOKEN, TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN) from the sandbox creation command to prevent accidental leakage through build args.
Image hardeningThe community image includes standard system tools for general-purpose use.NemoClaw removes build toolchains (gcc, g++, make) and network probes (netcat) from the runtime image to reduce attack surface.
Filesystem policyThe community sandbox bundles a policy for OpenClaw.NemoClaw defines a targeted read-only and read-write layout. System paths (/usr, /lib, /etc) are read-only. The agent’s home directory (/sandbox) and config directory (/sandbox/.openclaw) are writable by default so the agent can manage config, install skills, and write to standard paths.
Inference setupThe community sandbox includes an openclaw-start script that runs OpenClaw’s onboarding wizard inside the sandbox. You can also create providers and configure OpenShell inference routing manually from the host.NemoClaw validates the selected provider and model from the host, configures the OpenShell inference route, and writes the managed OpenClaw model reference. Provider credentials stay outside the sandbox.
Managed MCPYou register providers, network policy, and OpenClaw MCP configuration yourself.NemoClaw manages authenticated HTTPS Streamable HTTP MCP server lifecycle, ownership records, policy, and credential placeholders through host-side commands.
Channel messagingOpenShell provides the credential provider system and L7 proxy for channel traffic. You create providers and configure OpenClaw channel settings manually.NemoClaw configures supported channels during onboarding or through lifecycle commands. Some experimental webhook channels also require a route-restricted host-side public endpoint.
Blueprint versioningNo blueprint. The community sandbox uses the published image version.NemoClaw downloads the blueprint artifact, checks version compatibility, and verifies its digest before applying. Repeated onboarding uses the selected blueprint and recorded configuration; host and platform differences can still affect the result.
Lifecycle stateNot included.NemoClaw records lifecycle progress, preserves manifest-declared state across rebuilds, and supports snapshot and restore with credential stripping and integrity checks.
Host readiness and operationsYou inspect host prerequisites and operate OpenShell resources directly.NemoClaw provides read-only host readiness reporting, sandbox status and logs, recovery guidance, rebuild, snapshot, restore, and uninstall workflows.
Process count limitsOpenShell applies seccomp and privilege dropping. You set process count limits manually with --ulimit or orchestrator configuration.NemoClaw applies a best-effort ulimit -u 512 in the container entrypoint. Refer to the platform and hardening guidance for hosts that cannot enforce the complete control set.

When to Use Which

Use the following table to choose NemoClaw or OpenShell.

SituationPrefer
You want OpenClaw with minimal assembly, NVIDIA defaults, and the documented install and onboard flow.NemoClaw
You need maximum flexibility for custom images, a layout that does not match the NemoClaw blueprint, or a workload outside this reference stack.OpenShell with your own integration
You are standardizing on the NVIDIA reference for always-on assistants with policy and inference routing.NemoClaw
You are building internal platform abstractions where the NemoClaw CLI or blueprint is not the right fit.OpenShell (and your orchestration)
  • Overview defines NemoClaw’s capabilities, benefits, and use cases.
  • How It Works describes how NemoClaw runs, including the plugin, blueprint, sandbox creation, routing, and protection layers.
  • Architecture shows the repository structure and technical diagrams.
  • Platform Support lists current support status and limitations.
  • About Managed MCP Servers explains the managed MCP security and lifecycle boundary.
  • Community Solutions explains how to contribute community-driven examples, showcases, and complete blueprint patterns.