OpenAI · Claude · GitHub · AI Agent · Microsoft · Decrypt
OpenClaw 2.0 Is Here: What Changed, Why It Took Two Months, and How It Stacks Up Against Hermes
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★ Tier-1 Source
OpenClaw shipped its biggest update ever over the weekend.
Key facts
- Per the announcement post, 933 contributors, 569 of them first-timers, contributed to the project with more than 16,000 pull requests
- The team claims a simulated latency test cut initial JavaScript requests from 140 to 45 and startup time from 1.6 seconds to 575 milliseconds
- Before this release, OpenClaw had shipped 106 releases in 230 days—daily
- Austrian developer Peter Steinberger built it after stepping back from his company PSPDFKit
Summary
OpenClaw shipped version 2026.8.1, branded OpenClaw 2.0, built by 933 contributors including 569 first-timers. The update rebuilds the browser app, adds shared multiplayer cloud sessions, moves session storage and implements features clearly aimed at enterprise buyers. It lands as Nous Research's Hermes Agent keeps stealing users frustrated with OpenClaw's setup headaches. The release notes touch installation, messaging, memory, skills, models, automations, the browser, native apps, plugins, and security—everything a user should know.