OpenClaw .NET: NativeAOT Port with JSON-RPC Bridge for Existing Plugins

OpenClaw .NET is a C# port of the OpenClaw AI coding agent that addresses performance and resource issues common in Node.js-based implementations.

Key Details

The project compiles to a ~23MB NativeAOT binary, which means:

• No JIT warmup time
• No Node.js runtime required
• No npm ecosystem idling at 800MB RAM

Existing TypeScript/JavaScript plugins continue to work through a built-in JSON-RPC bridge, eliminating the need to rewrite existing setups. The source states: "No rewriting anything. Same agent, native performance."

The implementation runs on any VPS, Linux box, or system with a spare few hundred MB of RAM. Native integrations include:

• WhatsApp
• Telegram
• Twilio SMS

These are built natively on ASP.NET Core. Dangerous features are automatically locked in non-local environments for security.

The project addresses common pain points mentioned in the OpenClaw community:

• High token costs
• VPS vs Mac Mini debates
• Setup breakage issues
• Node.js being heavy on RAM, startup time, and unnecessary API calls

Unlike other lightweight alternatives that require abandoning existing setups, plugins, and configurations, OpenClaw .NET maintains compatibility while providing native performance. The source notes that users who are "already burning $50–$100/month on tokens" don't need additional runtime overhead on every heartbeat call.

The project is MIT licensed and available on GitHub at https://github.com/clawdotnet/openclaw.net