Comparison
How Moltis compares to other open-source AI agent frameworks.
Disclaimer: This comparison reflects publicly available information at the time of writing. Projects evolve quickly — check each project’s repository for the latest details. Contributions to keep this page accurate are welcome.
At a Glance
| OpenClaw | PicoClaw | NanoClaw | ZeroClaw | Moltis | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Language | TypeScript | Go | TypeScript | Rust | Rust |
| Agent loop | ~430K LoC | Small | ~500 LoC | ~3.4K LoC | ~5K LoC |
| Full codebase | — | — | — | 1,000+ tests | ~124K LoC (2,300+ tests) |
| Runtime | Node.js + npm | Single binary | Node.js | Single binary (3.4 MB) | Single binary (44 MB) |
| Sandbox | App-level | — | Docker | Docker | Docker + Apple Container |
| Memory safety | GC | GC | GC | Ownership | Ownership, zero unsafe* |
| Auth | Basic | API keys | None | Token + OAuth | Password + Passkey + API keys |
| Voice I/O | Plugin | — | — | — | Built-in (15+ providers) |
| MCP | Yes | — | — | — | Yes (stdio + HTTP/SSE) |
| Hooks | Yes (limited) | — | — | — | 15 event types |
| Skills | Yes (store) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (+ OpenClaw Store) |
| Memory/RAG | Plugin | — | Per-group | SQLite + FTS | SQLite + FTS + vector |
* unsafe is denied workspace-wide in Moltis. The only exceptions are opt-in
FFI wrappers behind the local-embeddings feature flag, not part of the core.
Architecture Approach
OpenClaw — Full-featured monolith
OpenClaw is the original and most popular project (~211K stars). It ships as a Node.js application with 52+ modules, 45+ npm dependencies, and a large surface area. It has the richest ecosystem of third-party skills and integrations, but the codebase is difficult to audit end-to-end.
PicoClaw — Minimal Go binary
PicoClaw targets extreme resource constraints — $10 SBCs, RISC-V boards, and devices with as little as 10 MB of RAM. It boots in under 1 second on 0.6 GHz hardware. The trade-off is a narrower feature set: no sandbox isolation, no built-in memory/RAG, and limited extensibility.
NanoClaw — Container-first TypeScript
NanoClaw strips away OpenClaw’s complexity to deliver a small, readable TypeScript codebase with first-class container isolation. Agents run in Linux containers with filesystem isolation. It uses Claude Agent SDK for sub-agent delegation and per-group CLAUDE.md memory files. The trade-off is Node.js as a runtime dependency and a smaller feature surface.
ZeroClaw — Lightweight Rust
ZeroClaw compiles to a tiny 3.4 MB binary with <5 MB RAM usage and sub-10ms startup. It uses trait-driven architecture with 22+ provider implementations and 9+ channel integrations. Memory is backed by SQLite with hybrid vector + FTS search. The focus is on minimal footprint and broad platform support.
Moltis — Auditable Rust gateway
Moltis prioritizes auditability and defense in depth. The core agent engine (runner + provider model) is ~5K lines; the core (excluding the optional web UI) is ~121K lines across modular crates, each independently auditable. Key differences from ZeroClaw:
- Larger binary (44 MB) in exchange for built-in voice I/O, browser automation, web UI, and MCP support
- Apple Container support in addition to Docker
- WebAuthn passkey authentication — not just tokens
- 15 lifecycle hook events with circuit breaker and dry-run mode
- Built-in web UI with real-time streaming, settings management, and session branching
Security Model
| Aspect | OpenClaw | PicoClaw | NanoClaw | ZeroClaw | Moltis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Code sandbox | App-level permissions | None | Docker containers | Docker containers | Docker + Apple Container |
| Secret handling | Environment variables | Environment variables | Environment variables | Encrypted profiles | secrecy::Secret, zeroed on drop |
| Auth method | Basic password | API keys only | None (WhatsApp auth) | Token + OAuth | Password + Passkey + API keys |
| SSRF protection | Plugin | — | — | DNS validation | DNS-resolved, blocks loopback/private/link-local/CGNAT |
| WebSocket origin | — | N/A | — | — | Cross-origin rejection |
unsafe code | N/A (JS) | N/A (Go) | N/A (JS) | Minimal | Denied workspace-wide* |
| Hook gating | — | — | — | Skills-based | BeforeToolCall inspect/modify/block |
| Rate limiting | — | — | — | — | Per-IP throttle, strict login limits |
Performance
| Metric | OpenClaw | PicoClaw | ZeroClaw | Moltis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Binary / dist size | ~28 MB (node_modules) | <10 MB | 3.4 MB | 44 MB |
| Cold start | >30s | <1s | <10ms | ~1s |
| RAM (idle) | >100 MB | <10 MB | <5 MB | ~30 MB |
| Min hardware | Modern desktop | $10 SBC (RISC-V) | $10 SBC | Raspberry Pi 4+ |
Moltis is larger because it bundles a web UI, voice engine, browser automation,
and MCP runtime. Use --no-default-features --features lightweight for
constrained devices.
When to Choose What
Choose OpenClaw if you want the largest ecosystem, maximum third-party skills, and don’t mind Node.js as a dependency.
Choose PicoClaw if you need to run on extremely constrained hardware ($10 boards, RISC-V) and can accept a minimal feature set.
Choose NanoClaw if you want a small, readable TypeScript codebase with container isolation and don’t need voice, MCP, or a web UI.
Choose ZeroClaw if you want the smallest possible Rust binary, sub-10ms startup, and broad channel support without a web UI.
Choose Moltis if you want:
- A single auditable Rust binary with built-in web UI
- Voice I/O with 15+ providers (8 TTS + 7 STT)
- MCP server support (stdio + HTTP/SSE)
- WebAuthn passkey authentication
- Apple Container sandbox support (macOS native)
- 15 lifecycle hook events with circuit breaker
- Embeddings-powered long-term memory with hybrid search
- Cron scheduling, browser automation, and Tailscale integration