NanoClaw accesses Claude API at low cost via Defapi.

•AI Tech Scout

NanoClaw is a personal AI assistant running in an isolated container that interacts with users via WhatsApp. It can execute tasks and access files within a secure Linux container environment. By connecting NanoClaw to Defapi, users can enjoy powerful AI capabilities at a lower cost.

Introduction

NanoClaw primarily manages API authentication information through the .env file in the project's root directory.

The advantage of the Defapi platform is that it provides API interfaces fully compatible with official ones, with usage costs at only 50% of the official price, making it ideal for long-running personal AI assistants.

Almost all models on Defapi are compatible with the following protocols:

  • v1/chat/completions interface
  • v1/messages interface
  • v1beta/models/ interface

Specific Procedures

  1. Obtain API Credentials
    Register an account on the Defapi platform and get your exclusive API Key.

  2. Configure Environment Variables
    Open the .env file in the root directory of the NanoClaw project. Modify or add the following configuration to point the API request address to Defapi and fill in your API Key:

    ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your-defapi-api-key
ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL=https://api.defapi.com/v1

  3. Restart Application Service
    After saving the configuration file, restart the NanoClaw service to apply the new environment variables.

    • If using a daemon (such as macOS launchctl), please reload the service: 
      launchctl unload ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.nanoclaw.plist
launchctl load ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.nanoclaw.plist
    • If in development mode, you can re-run npm run dev.

Verify if NanoClaw is Working Properly

Method 1: Direct Message Test

Ensure the service has started successfully. Open WhatsApp and send a test message in a registered group or a private chat with the assistant, for example:

@Andy Hello, please reply to this message to confirm the connection is normal.

If the configuration is correct, the assistant will respond within a few seconds.

Method 2: Check Running Logs

Confirm that API requests are successful and there are no authentication errors by checking the system's real-time logs:

tail -f logs/nanoclaw.log
tail -f logs/nanoclaw.error.log

If no errors such as 401 Unauthorized appear, it indicates the interface is connected normally.

5 Common Use Cases

  1. 24/7 Cross-Platform Communication Assistant
    Ask the assistant questions anytime via the WhatsApp interface to get answers regarding general knowledge, programming challenges, or copywriting without opening specific applications.

  2. Automated Daily Task Planning
    Set periodic instructions to have NanoClaw send weather forecasts and schedules every morning, or automatically organize work summaries at the end of each week.

  3. Intelligent Collaborator for Local Projects
    Allow the AI assistant within the container to safely read specified working directories, letting it help you review code, find errors in projects, or summarize the core content of long documents.

  4. Real-time Web Information Retriever
    Send a web link and ask the assistant to extract page content and generate key summaries; or have it search the web for specific news events and market trends.

  5. Browser Interaction Executor
    Combined with browser automation tools, command the assistant to independently visit websites to perform complex operations, such as comparing product prices on e-commerce platforms or assisting in flight information queries.