Last week, I decided I no longer wanted to communicate with my AI assistant exclusively through WhatsApp or Telegram. Not because they’re bad platforms – but my data and conversations are frankly none of their business.
My Solution:
I set up OpenClaw locally, combined with Tailscale for secure remote access and built my own web interface.
The Best Part?
I didn’t have to code anything myself.
I simply told the agent: “Build me a web interface on port xxxx that works on both desktop and mobile.”
What Happened:
30 minutes later, I had a fully functional web app:
- Built with Flask
- Bootstrap design (classic, but clean)
- Responsive on MacBook & smartphone
- File upload functionality (after some quick fine-tuning)
Key Learnings:
1. Context is King
Explaining WHY you want something to the agent produces significantly better output.
2. Specify Your Framework
Simply saying “Use Bootstrap” immediately gave me a clean, professional UI without having to explain design details.
3. Think Mobile-First
The send button was initially positioned so poorly on mobile that I accidentally hit other buttons. Quick fix, but an important lesson learned.
4. Natural Language is the New Programming Language
This project drove home just how simple it can be. No technical knowledge required – the assistant handles everything.
The Setup:
- Tailscale: My own zero-trust network with no public internet exposure
- Local Server: Running on macOS where my Clawdbot lives
- Data Privacy: All data stays on my machine
- Backup: Automated sync to local Gitea instance
Yes, the API calls still go to the LLM provider – but at least my metadata and conversation history remain local. I’m still waiting for a truly capable local model.
What Surprised Me:
How stable it runs. One week in: zero crashes, zero issues. It simply… works.