Deploying Moltbot on Proxmox

I’ve been watching the AI assistant space for a while now, and most solutions are either cloud-only, expensive, or just don’t do enough. When I discovered Moltbot (formerly Clawdbot), I was intrigued—here’s an open-source AI assistant that actually performs actions, not just answers questions. It clears your inbox, manages your calendar, sends emails, and integrates with WhatsApp, Telegram, and Slack. Best of all? You can self-host it.

After deploying it on my Proxmox homelab, I wanted to share what makes Moltbot worth the setup effort and how to get it running efficiently.

Here’s what I’ll cover:

• What Moltbot is and why it’s different
• Key features that make it worth self-hosting
• Deploying on Proxmox using the official installer
• Basic Proxmox setup considerations
• Real-world use cases and limitations

What Makes Moltbot Different?

Most AI assistants are glorified chatbots. They answer questions, maybe help with writing, but they don’t actually do things. Moltbot is different—it’s designed to be an AI agent that performs actions across your digital life.

Core Capabilities

• Email Management: Clears inboxes, sends emails, organizes messages
• Calendar Automation: Manages your schedule, books meetings, sends reminders
• Task Management: Creates and tracks tasks across platforms
• Multi-Platform Integration: Works through WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, or any chat app
• Workflow Engine: Features “Lobster,” a workflow system for composable automations
• Persistent Memory: Remembers context and preferences across conversations

Why Deploy on Proxmox?

Proxmox is perfect for this because:

• Isolation: Run Moltbot in a dedicated VM or LXC container
• Resource Management: Easy to allocate CPU, RAM, and storage
• Backup Integration: Leverage Proxmox Backup Server for automated backups
• Network Control: Configure firewall rules and network isolation
• Snapshots: Test configurations without breaking production

I’m running Moltbot in an Ubuntu 22.04 LXC container with 4GB RAM and 2 CPU cores, which handles my personal use case perfectly. For heavier workloads or multiple users, you might want to allocate more resources.

Prerequisites

Before we start, make sure you have:

• Proxmox installed and accessible
• Basic networking configured (static IP recommended)
• An AI model provider (OpenAI API, Anthropic Claude, or self-hosted Ollama)
• Node.js/Bun runtime (Moltbot runs on Bun or Node.js)

Setting Up the Container

Create an Ubuntu 22.04 LXC container in Proxmox with:

• Disk: 20GB
• CPU: 2 cores
• Memory: 4096 MB
• Network: Static IP or DHCP

Start the container and SSH into it.

Step 2: Install Bun Runtime

Moltbot runs on Bun (a fast JavaScript runtime). Install it in your container:

# Update system
apt update && apt upgrade -y

# Install required dependencies
apt install -y curl unzip

# Install Bun
curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash

# Add Bun to PATH (add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc)
export BUN_INSTALL="$HOME/.bun"
export PATH="$BUN_INSTALL/bin:$PATH"

# Verify installation
bun --version

Installing Moltbot

Option 1: Using the Official Installer

The official installer is the recommended method. Run the installer script:

curl -fsSL https://molt.bot/install.sh | bash

This installer will:

• Install Clawdbot globally via npm (requires root/sudo)
• Set up the necessary configuration directories
• Make the clawdbot command available system-wide

For non-root installations, use the CLI-only installer:

curl -fsSL https://molt.bot/install-cli.sh | bash

After installation, the onboarding wizard starts automatically. If it doesn’t, run:

clawdbot onboard

Configuration

After installation, the onboarding wizard starts automatically. If it doesn’t, run:

clawdbot onboard

Onboarding Process

The wizard guides you through:

1. Security Warning: Read and acknowledge the security notice
2. Onboarding Mode: Choose QuickStart (recommended)
3. Model Provider:
   • OpenAI: Uses OAuth (browser opens automatically)
   • Anthropic: API key
   • Ollama: Self-hosted URL (e.g., http://your-ollama-server:11434)
4. Channel Setup: Choose your messaging platform:
   • Telegram: Get bot token from @BotFather (/newbot)
   • WhatsApp: QR code pairing
   • Discord: Bot token
   • Slack: Socket Mode token
5. Skills: Configure optional skills (skip for now)
6. Hooks: Enable automation hooks (optional)
7. Agent Setup: Configure your first agent in the TUI

For Telegram (Easiest)

1. Open Telegram and message @BotFather
2. Run /newbot and follow instructions
3. Copy the bot token (format: 123456:ABC...)
4. Paste it when prompted in the wizard

Starting Moltbot

After onboarding, the Gateway service starts automatically. Access:

• TUI: clawdbot tui (recommended)
• Web UI: clawdbot dashboard (opens browser)
• Check status: clawdbot status

Send a message to your Telegram bot (or other configured channel) to start chatting.

Proxmox Notes

• Ensure container has outbound internet access for API calls
• Set up automated backups via Proxmox Backup (backup ~/.clawdbot/ directory)
• Monitor resource usage through Proxmox web UI

What You Can Actually Do

Here are some real-world use cases I’ve been testing:

Email Management

• “Clear my inbox of newsletters”
• “Send an email to [person] about [topic]”
• “What emails need my attention today?”

Calendar Automation

• “Schedule a meeting with [person] next Tuesday at 2 PM”
• “What’s on my calendar this week?”
• “Move my 3 PM meeting to tomorrow”

Task Management

• “Create a task to review the quarterly report”
• “What tasks are due this week?”
• “Mark ‘buy groceries’ as complete”

Multi-Platform Access

The beauty of Moltbot is that you can interact with it through WhatsApp, Telegram, or Slack—whatever you already use. No need to learn a new interface.

Troubleshooting

Gateway won’t start:

# Check logs
cat ~/.clawdbot/logs/gateway.log

# Check status
clawdbot status

# Restart gateway
clawdbot gateway restart

Telegram bot not responding:

• Verify bot token is correct
• Ensure bot is started in Telegram (message /start to your bot)
• Check Gateway is running: clawdbot status

OAuth issues (OpenAI):

• Ensure browser can access localhost:1455 for callback
• If callback fails, paste the redirect URL manually when prompted

Container networking:

• Verify outbound internet: ping 8.8.8.8
• Check Proxmox firewall allows outbound connections
• For Ollama: curl http://your-ollama-server:11434/api/tags

Limitations and Considerations

Moltbot is powerful, but it’s not perfect:

• API Costs: If using OpenAI or Anthropic APIs, costs can add up with heavy usage
• Learning Curve: Setting up integrations requires some technical knowledge
• Privacy: Even self-hosted, you’re still calling external APIs unless using Ollama
• Reliability: Self-hosted means you’re responsible for uptime and troubleshooting
• Platform Support: Some integrations may require additional setup or have limitations
• Resource Usage: Ollama models require significant RAM (8GB+ for larger models)

Next Steps

Once you have Moltbot running:

1. Pair with Messaging Platforms: Connect WhatsApp, Telegram, or Slack
2. Configure Skills: Explore the ClawdHub skill directory for extensions
3. Set Up Workflows: Use Lobster to create custom automation pipelines
4. Monitor Usage: Track API costs and resource usage
5. Join the Community: Check out the Moltbot GitHub for updates and support

Final Thoughts

Moltbot isn’t just another AI chatbot—it’s a practical automation tool that actually does things. Deploying it on Proxmox gives you full control over your AI assistant while keeping costs predictable and data private.

The setup isn’t trivial, but it’s worth it if you want an AI assistant that integrates with your existing tools and workflows. For homelab enthusiasts, this is a perfect project to add to your infrastructure.

If you’re interested in seeing Moltbot in action or have questions about the deployment, feel free to reach out. The community is active and helpful, and there’s plenty of documentation to get you started.

Resources

• Moltbot GitHub Repository - Official source code and issues
• Moltbot Documentation - Complete documentation site
• Getting Started Guide - Step-by-step setup
• Installation Options - All available installation methods
• Setup Guide - Post-installation configuration
• Moltbot Website - Official website
• Proxmox Documentation - Proxmox VE documentation
• Bun Runtime Documentation - Bun runtime documentation