nanobot: Ultra-Lightweight AI Assistant

By HKUDS @ University of Hong Kong

Core agent functionality in ~4,000 lines — 99% smaller than Clawdbot

~4,000
Lines of Code
17,800+
GitHub Stars
99%
Smaller than Clawdbot
~100MB
RAM Usage

About nanobot AI Assistant

nanobot is an ultra-lightweight personal AI assistant developed by HKUDS (Data Intelligence Lab at the University of Hong Kong). Released on February 2, 2026, nanobot delivers core agent functionality in just ~4,000 lines of Python code — 99% smaller than Clawdbot's 430,000+ lines.

Research-Friendly Design

The nano bot architecture is clean, readable, and easy to understand. With only ~4,000 lines of core code compared to OpenClaw's massive codebase, nanobot ai is perfect for researchers and developers who want to study AI agent systems without drowning in complexity.

One-Click Deployment

Installing nanobot is incredibly simple. Use pip install nanobot-ai or uv tool install nanobot-ai for stable releases, or clone from GitHub for the latest development version. The nanobot setup takes seconds, not hours.

Multi-Platform Support

The nanobot ai assistant integrates with 8+ messaging platforms including Telegram, Discord, WhatsApp, Feishu, Mochat, DingTalk, Slack, Email, and QQ. Run your nano bot agent across all your communication channels from a single lightweight installation.

11+ LLM Providers

nanobot supports OpenRouter, Anthropic (Claude), OpenAI (GPT), DeepSeek, Google Gemini, Zhipu, DashScope, Moonshot, Groq, AiHubMix, and vLLM for local models. Adding new providers requires just 2 steps thanks to the Provider Registry system.

Current Version: v0.1.3.post7 (Released February 13, 2026)

Language: Python 3.10+

License: Open Source

GitHub Stats: 17,800+ stars, 2,600+ forks

nanobot Core Features

Despite its minimal code footprint, the nanobot framework delivers powerful AI agent capabilities that rival much larger systems.

💬

Chat Sessions

Interactive conversations through multiple platforms with multi-LLM provider support. The nanobot ai handles context, memory, and tool use seamlessly across all supported chat platforms.

🌐

Multi-Platform Gateway

Connect nanobot to Telegram, Discord, WhatsApp, Feishu, Mochat, DingTalk, Slack, Email, and QQ. One nano bot instance manages all your messaging platforms with consistent behavior.

🛠️

Tool System

File operations, shell command execution, web access, and meta-capabilities. The nanobot tool system enables your AI assistant to interact with the real world through powerful, extensible tools.

🧠

Memory Management

Long-term memory stored in MEMORY.md plus short-term daily notes (memory/YYYY-MM-DD.md). The nanobot ai memory system was redesigned on February 12, 2026 for improved reliability with less code.

⏰

Cron System

Time-based automation using apscheduler for job scheduling. Set up recurring tasks and scheduled messages that the nano bot processes automatically, enabling 24/7 autonomous operation.

🤖

Multi-LLM Support

Support for 11+ LLM providers including OpenRouter, Anthropic, OpenAI, DeepSeek, Google Gemini, and more. The nanobot Provider Registry makes adding new LLM providers a simple 2-step process.

Get Started with nanobot

Installing the nanobot ai assistant is quick and straightforward. Choose your preferred installation method below.

Install via PyPI (Stable)

pip install nanobot-ai

The recommended method for most users. Get the latest stable release of nanobot from PyPI.

Install via uv (Fast)

uv tool install nanobot-ai

Use the ultra-fast uv package manager for quick installation of the nano bot. Same stable release, faster installation.

Install from Source (Latest)

git clone https://github.com/HKUDS/nanobot
cd nanobot
pip install -e .

Get the cutting-edge development version of nanobot directly from the GitHub repository.

Next Steps: After installation, configure your LLM provider, set up messaging platforms, and customize your nanobot ai settings. See our detailed installation guide for complete setup instructions.

nanobot FAQs

What is nanobot?

nanobot is an ultra-lightweight personal AI assistant developed by HKUDS (Data Intelligence Lab at the University of Hong Kong). It delivers core agent functionality in just ~4,000 lines of Python code — 99% smaller than Clawdbot. The nano bot supports multiple messaging platforms, LLM providers, tools, memory management, and scheduled tasks.

Who developed nanobot?

The nanobot ai project was developed by HKUDS (Data Intelligence Lab @ HKU), a research group at the University of Hong Kong. It was released on February 2, 2026, and has rapidly gained popularity with 17,800+ GitHub stars and active community development.

How much code does nanobot have?

nanobot contains approximately 4,000 lines of core agent code. This represents a 99% reduction compared to Clawdbot's 430,000+ lines. Despite the minimal codebase, the nano bot retains essential AI assistant functionality including tools, memory, multi-platform support, and LLM integration.

What platforms does nanobot support?

The nanobot ai assistant supports 8+ messaging platforms: Telegram (recommended), Discord, WhatsApp, Feishu, Mochat, DingTalk, Slack, Email, and QQ. You can run a single nano bot instance across multiple platforms simultaneously with consistent behavior.

How do I install nanobot?

Installing nanobot is simple with three options: (1) pip install nanobot-ai for stable releases from PyPI, (2) uv tool install nanobot-ai for fast installation with uv, or (3) clone from GitHub with git clone https://github.com/HKUDS/nanobot for the latest development version. All methods support Python 3.10+.

How does nanobot compare to OpenClaw?

nanobot was inspired by OpenClaw but focuses on extreme simplicity and research-friendliness. While OpenClaw has 430,000+ lines of code and ~1GB RAM usage, the nano bot achieves core functionality with ~4,000 lines and ~100MB RAM. nanobot ai is ideal for researchers, minimalists, and those who want to understand AI agent architecture without excessive complexity.

Is nanobot free and open source?

Yes, nanobot is completely free and open source. The project is hosted on GitHub under an open source license. The nanobot ai community welcomes contributions through issues, pull requests, and discussions.

What are the system requirements?

The nano bot requires Python 3.10 or higher, approximately 100MB of RAM (estimated), and any operating system that supports Python (Linux, macOS, Windows). You'll also need API access to at least one LLM provider and internet connectivity for cloud-based LLM services.

Start Using nanobot Today

Join the growing community of developers and researchers using the nanobot ai assistant. With its minimal codebase, powerful features, and one-click deployment, getting started with nano bot has never been easier.