🦞 Cortex — AI Assistant Command Center

Cortex is a security-hardened fork of OpenClaw that provides a streamlined AI assistant command center for personal and professional use. Built on proven OpenClaw architecture with enhanced security, simplified node pairing, and the powerful Cortex UI.

Getting Started · Features · Architecture · Migration from OpenClaw · Fork Documentation

What is Cortex?

Cortex builds on OpenClaw's foundation as a personal AI assistant that runs on your own infrastructure. It maintains full compatibility with OpenClaw's multi-channel approach (WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, Signal, etc.) while adding:

• Enhanced Security: Hardened defaults and improved access controls
• Cortex UI: A modern, unified interface for management and interaction
• Simplified Architecture: Streamlined node pairing and reduced configuration complexity
• Focused Feature Set: Curated capabilities optimized for reliability over feature breadth

Why Fork?

While OpenClaw provides excellent functionality, Cortex addresses specific needs:

1. Security First: Stricter defaults, improved authentication, and security-focused features
2. Enterprise Ready: Better suited for professional environments with compliance requirements
3. Simplified Management: Reduced operational complexity with the Cortex UI
4. Focused Vision: Prioritizes stability and security over rapid feature expansion
5. Upstream Compatibility: Maintains ability to sync with OpenClaw developments

Quick Start

Prerequisites: Node ≥22

# Install Cortex globally
npm install -g openclaw-cortex

# Run the onboarding wizard
cortex onboard

# Start your gateway
cortex gateway start

The onboarding wizard guides you through:

• Gateway setup and configuration
• Model provider authentication (Anthropic, OpenAI)
• Channel integrations
• Security hardening options
• Cortex UI deployment

Recommended Models:

• Anthropic Claude Pro/Max (Sonnet 4/Opus 4.6) for best performance
• OpenAI GPT-4 models as fallback

Features

Core Capabilities

• Multi-Channel AI: WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack, Signal, Teams, and more
• Voice Support: Natural speech interaction on macOS/iOS/Android
• Canvas Rendering: Interactive visual outputs and live updates
• File Processing: Documents, images, audio, and code analysis
• Tool Integration: Extensible plugin system for custom capabilities

Cortex Enhancements

• Cortex UI: Unified web interface for management and interaction
• Security Hardening: Enhanced authentication, access controls, and audit logging
• Simplified Pairing: Streamlined node discovery and configuration
• Resource Management: Improved monitoring and resource allocation
• Compliance Ready: Features designed for enterprise environments

Architecture

Cortex follows OpenClaw's proven Gateway + Nodes architecture:

Gateway (Control Plane)

• Central coordination and routing
• Model provider management
• Channel integrations
• Security enforcement
• Cortex UI hosting

Nodes (Execution Plane)

• Distributed processing capabilities
• Platform-specific integrations (camera, screen, location)
• Resource isolation
• Simplified pairing with gateway

One UI Philosophy

Unlike distributed UIs, Cortex centralizes management through the Cortex UI, providing:

• Unified configuration interface
• Real-time monitoring and logging
• Security policy management
• Node status and health monitoring

Migration from OpenClaw

Cortex is a drop-in replacement — same data directory, same config format, same protocols.

openclaw gateway stop                # Stop OpenClaw
npm uninstall -g openclaw            # Remove upstream package
npm install -g openclaw-cortex       # Install Cortex
cortex gateway start                 # Done. Everything carries over.

Your ~/.openclaw/ data, paired nodes, channels, memory, cron jobs, and agent files all work unchanged. The openclaw command still works as an alias.

Note: You must uninstall openclaw first to avoid binary conflicts. See the full guide for details.

Full Migration Guide → — detailed steps, node migration, systemd, rollback, FAQ

Upstream Sync

Cortex maintains compatibility with upstream OpenClaw developments:

# Add upstream OpenClaw as a remote
git remote add upstream https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw.git

# Sync with latest OpenClaw changes
git fetch upstream
git merge upstream/main

See FORK.md for detailed sync procedures and architectural differences.

Installation Options

Global Install (Recommended)

npm install -g cortex@latest
cortex onboard

Docker

git clone https://github.com/ivanuser/cortex.git
cd cortex
docker-compose up -d

From Source

git clone https://github.com/ivanuser/cortex.git
cd cortex
npm install
npm run build
npm link
cortex onboard

Support & Community

• Issues: GitHub Issues
• Discussions: GitHub Discussions
• Documentation: Cortex Docs and OpenClaw Docs (compatible)

Contributing

Contributions welcome! Please read CONTRIBUTING.md and FORK.md for guidelines.

License

MIT License - see LICENSE for details.

Cortex - Secure, simplified, and powerful AI assistant infrastructure.