NemoClaw
NemoClaw is OpenClaw running inside NVIDIA's OpenShell security sandbox. Every network call, file access, and AI request goes through a policy engine you control — your API keys never touch the inside of the container. You don't need NVIDIA GPU hardware to use it; most users run it on a $10/month VPS connected to Claude or OpenAI.
SHA-256 integrity shields — shields up now seals locked files with SHA-256 checksums; shields status detects tampering. Gateway token rotation — the auth token now rotates on every sandbox rebuild automatically (no config change required). Safe uninstall — nemoclaw uninstall now preserves rebuild-backups and sandboxes.json by default; add NEMOCLAW_UNINSTALL_DESTROY_USER_DATA=1 to purge everything. Hermes is now first-class — both OpenClaw and Hermes agents are fully supported (Hermes is no longer labeled experimental). WhatsApp diagnostics — new nemoclaw <sandbox> channels status command shows QR/session state and connection health.
Guides
NemoClaw uses the same skill architecture as OpenClaw — all official skills are compatible. We don't maintain a separate skills database for NemoClaw:
→ Skills Guide: Write Your Own
→ Skills Database: 53 Verified Official
Skill install commands are identical: openclaw skill install <name> works unchanged inside the NemoClaw sandbox.
NemoClaw vs OpenClaw — What's Different
| Feature | NemoClaw | OpenClaw |
|---|---|---|
| Execution environment | OpenShell security sandbox (containerised) | Direct on host OS |
| Network policy | Deny-by-default; you allowlist domains explicitly | Permissive by default |
| API key security | Keys stored outside sandbox via OpenShell provider system | In config files on host |
| GPU inference | Optional NVIDIA Nemotron models if GPU available | Ollama or cloud providers |
| Setup complexity | More steps (Docker, OpenShell, sandbox, Caddy) | Single CLI install |
| Skill compatibility | Full — all 53 official OpenClaw skills work | Full |
If you don't need the sandbox security model, OpenClaw is simpler to start with. If you're handling credentials, production infrastructure, or sensitive data, NemoClaw's defaults are worth the extra setup.
NemoClaw Use Cases
NemoClaw shines for self-hosted, containerised setups where you control the GPU and the policy.
- Daily journal — privacy-first, can run entirely on local Ollama
- Code review automation — pair with policy.yaml to bound tool access
- Dependency updater — runs in your container, no cloud egress
- All 12 use cases →
NemoClaw Troubleshooting
- Provider API key invalid — per-profile credential reset
- All troubleshooting entries →
NemoClaw Security
- Skill allowlisting — NemoClaw's policy YAML is the enforcement layer
- Sandboxing — containerisation and read-only volumes
- Secrets & credentials — local model = secrets never leave your network
- 15-minute hardening checklist
Related on This Site
- OpenClaw hub — the base framework NemoClaw runs on top of
- IronClaw — a different security-hardened approach: stricter defaults without Docker/OpenShell
- Decision guide — pick the right agent for your use case
- Weekly News Digest — NemoClaw updates and OpenShell security advisories