Automatic Updates: Always Current, Never Interrupted
New features, bug fixes, and security patches applied automatically to your OpenClaw instance. You benefit from every improvement without managing the update process.
The Update Problem with Self-Hosted Software
Self-hosted software requires manual updates. Each update involves checking for new releases, reading changelogs, backing up your current installation, pulling new images, applying the update, testing that everything still works, and rolling back if something broke.
Most people start with good intentions about keeping software updated. Over time, the updates fall behind. Weeks become months. Security patches are missed. New features go unnoticed. Eventually, the gap between your version and the current release is so large that updating becomes a risky, multi-hour project.
Managed hosting solves this by making updates automatic. When OpenClaw (the project previously called MoltBot and ClawdBot) releases a new version, your instance updates seamlessly on RunTheAgent' secure infrastructure. You get new features, performance improvements, and security patches without any action on your part.
How Automatic Updates Work
Tested Before Deployment
Updates are tested on staging environments before being rolled out to managed instances. This catches compatibility issues before they affect your assistant.
Graceful Rollout
Updates are applied during optimal windows to minimize disruption. Active conversations are completed before the update takes effect. The transition is designed to be seamless.
Automatic Rollback
If an update causes unexpected issues, the platform can roll back to the previous stable version automatically. Your instance is protected even in the rare case of a problematic release.
Changelog Visibility
Your dashboard shows which version your instance is running and highlights recent changes. You can see what is new without having to track release notes yourself.
What You Would Need to Do Without Automatic Updates
The manual process RunTheAgent eliminates
Monitor for New Releases
Check the OpenClaw repository regularly for new versions. Read changelogs, evaluate whether the update is relevant, and plan the upgrade window.
Back Up Your Instance
Before any update, create a backup of your database, configuration, and any persistent data. This is your safety net if the update fails.
Apply the Update
Pull the new Docker images, stop the current instance, apply any database migrations, start the new version, and verify all services are running correctly.
Test and Verify
Send test messages through each connected channel, verify browser automation works, check that all configurations are intact, and confirm the update did not introduce regressions.
The Update Advantage
The Compounding Cost of Skipping Updates
With self-hosted software, each skipped update makes the next update harder. Dependencies diverge. Database schemas change. Configuration formats evolve. After six months of skipped updates, you face either a multi-hour upgrade marathon or the decision to stay permanently behind.
This is not a hypothetical problem. It is the most common failure mode for self-hosted software. The initial setup goes well. The first few updates happen on schedule. Then life gets busy, an update gets postponed, and the gap begins to grow.
Automatic updates eliminate this failure mode entirely. Your OpenClaw instance always runs the latest stable version. Security patches apply immediately. New features arrive automatically. The version gap never opens because updates are not a task on your to-do list; they are a background process that happens without your involvement.
The Self-Hosted Update Experience vs Managed
Self-Hosted: The Quarterly Update Session
You realize you are three versions behind. You spend 30 minutes reading changelogs, 15 minutes backing up, 20 minutes applying updates, and 45 minutes troubleshooting a breaking change in a dependency. Total: 2 hours every quarter, plus the risk of something going wrong.
Managed: The Update You Never Notice
A new version of OpenClaw is released. RunTheAgent tests it on staging, rolls it out to your instance during a low-activity window, and verifies everything works. You log in the next day and notice a new feature in the changelog. Total effort on your part: zero.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Pages
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