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OpenClaw + AppHighway: Use MCP Tools with the Open-Source AI Assistant

OpenClaw is getting MCP client support. Here's how to connect it with AppHighway's 70+ MCP tools today via REST API and tomorrow via native MCP.

Andre Vitorio

February 14, 2026

10 min read

TL;DR

OpenClaw is an open-source AI assistant by Peter Steinberger with multi-platform support (WhatsApp, Discord, Slack)
MCP client support is actively being developed (GitHub Issues #4834 and #8188)
You can use AppHighway tools with OpenClaw right now via REST API calls
Native MCP integration will enable one-click tool installation in the future
AppHighway provides 70+ production-ready MCP tools across 5 categories
Points-based billing keeps costs transparent and predictable

What is OpenClaw?

OpenClaw is an open-source AI assistant created by Peter Steinberger. Unlike proprietary assistants locked to a single platform, OpenClaw works across WhatsApp, Discord, Slack, and other messaging platforms. It's designed to be self-hostable, extensible, and privacy-respecting.

Fully open-source and self-hostable

Works on WhatsApp, Discord, Slack, and more

Plugin architecture for custom integrations

Your data stays on your infrastructure

MCP Support Status: In Active Development

The MCP (Model Context Protocol) client integration for OpenClaw is currently being developed. Two key GitHub issues track this progress:

Issue #4834: MCP Client Support

Core implementation of MCP client protocol in OpenClaw, enabling the assistant to discover and call MCP-compatible tool servers.

Issue #8188: MCP Server Registry

Integration with MCP server registries for automatic tool discovery, including marketplace-hosted tools like those on AppHighway.

MCP support is in active development and not yet available in stable releases. Use the REST API approach below to connect OpenClaw with AppHighway tools today.

Use AppHighway Tools with OpenClaw Today (REST API)

While native MCP support is being built, you can integrate AppHighway tools with OpenClaw using REST API calls. Here's how:

Step 1: Get Your API Token

Step 2: Configure OpenClaw

Add your AppHighway tool token to OpenClaw's environment configuration:

APPHIGHWAY_API_KEY=your_api_token_here

Step 3: Call AppHighway Tools

Use HTTP requests to call any AppHighway tool. Here's an example with the Structify tool:

curl -X POST https://apphighway.com/api/v1/structify \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $APPHIGHWAY_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d {"text": "John Doe, CEO at Acme Corp, john@acme.com"}

Step 4: Use in OpenClaw Plugins

Create an OpenClaw plugin that wraps AppHighway tool calls, making tools available as assistant commands.

Future: Native MCP Integration

Once OpenClaw ships MCP client support, connecting to AppHighway will be as simple as adding a configuration block:

blogOpenclawMcp.futureMcp.configExample

What Native MCP Enables

Automatic tool discovery - OpenClaw sees all 70+ tools

Type-safe inputs and outputs with schema validation

One-click installation from the AppHighway Marketplace

Transparent points-based billing per tool call

Recommended AppHighway Tools for OpenClaw

These tools work great with AI assistants like OpenClaw:

Structify

Convert unstructured text into structured JSON. Perfect for extracting contacts, parsing emails, or processing documents.

3 points per call

Sentiment Analysis

Analyze the sentiment of messages, reviews, or feedback. Get positive, negative, or neutral classification with confidence scores.

2 points per call

Translation

Translate text between 100+ languages. Ideal for multi-language chat support across WhatsApp, Discord, and Slack.

3 points per call

Text Summarizer

Condense long messages, documents, or threads into concise summaries. Great for catching up on conversations.

4 points per call

Next Steps

Get started with AppHighway and OpenClaw

Explore the Marketplace

Browse 70+ MCP tools ready to use with any AI assistant.

Open Marketplace

MCP Setup Guides

Learn how to configure MCP tools with Claude, Cursor, and other clients.

View Setup Guides

OpenClaw + AppHighway: Better Together

OpenClaw's open-source approach and AppHighway's curated MCP tool marketplace are a natural fit. Start using AppHighway tools with OpenClaw today via REST API, and switch to native MCP once the integration ships.