4.5 KiB
4.5 KiB
Molt on TrueNAS SCALE Setup Guide
Molt is an open-source personal AI assistant that runs on your own infrastructure with messaging integrations (Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord), browser automation, and system access.
- Website: https://www.molt.bot/
- GitHub: https://github.com/moltbot/moltbot
- Docs: https://docs.molt.bot/
Prerequisites
- TrueNAS SCALE (has native Docker support)
- API key from a supported AI provider
- Telegram bot token (from @BotFather)
AI Provider Options
Price Comparison (per 1M tokens)
| Provider | Model | Input | Output | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Z.AI | GLM-4.7-FlashX | $0.07 | $0.40 | Cheapest capable model |
| Z.AI | GLM-4.7 | $0.60 | $2.20 | Full flagship model |
| Z.AI | GLM-4.5-Air | $0.20 | $1.10 | Good balance |
| NanoGPT | Various | varies | varies | 200+ models, pay-as-you-go |
| Anthropic | Claude Sonnet 4 | $3.00 | $15.00 | Best quality, most expensive |
Recommended: Z.AI
Z.AI (formerly Zhipu) is directly supported by Molt and 10-40x cheaper than Anthropic.
- Get API key at: https://open.bigmodel.cn/ or https://z.ai
- GLM-4.7 has 200K context window
- Designed for coding/agent workflows
Alternative: Anthropic
If you need highest quality:
- Get API key at: https://console.anthropic.com
- Note: Claude Code subscription does NOT provide API access - you need separate API billing
Alternative: NanoGPT
Pay-as-you-go aggregator with 200+ models:
- Website: https://nano-gpt.com
- Requires custom OpenAI-compatible endpoint configuration
Step 1: Create Telegram Bot
- Open Telegram and search for @BotFather
- Send
/newbot - Choose a display name (e.g., "My Molt Assistant")
- Choose a username (must end in
bot, e.g.,my_molt_bot) - Save the token BotFather provides
Step 2: Deploy on TrueNAS SCALE
SSH into TrueNAS
ssh admin@your-truenas-ip
Create Dataset and Clone Repository
# Create a dataset via TrueNAS UI first, then:
mkdir -p /mnt/your-pool/apps/moltbot
cd /mnt/your-pool/apps/moltbot
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/moltbot/moltbot.git .
Configure Environment
# Create .env file with your credentials
cat > .env << 'EOF'
# Choose ONE of these AI providers:
Z_AI_API_KEY=your-z-ai-key-here
# ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your-anthropic-key-here
# Telegram
TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN=your-telegram-bot-token-here
EOF
Run Setup
# Optional: Mount additional directories
export CLAWDBOT_HOME_VOLUME="moltbot_home"
export CLAWDBOT_EXTRA_MOUNTS="/mnt/your-pool/documents:/home/node/documents:rw"
# Run the setup script
./docker-setup.sh
Configure Molt
Create or edit ~/.clawdbot/moltbot.json:
{
"agent": {
"model": "z-ai/glm-4.7-flashx"
},
"channels": {
"telegram": {
"enabled": true,
"dmPolicy": "pairing"
}
}
}
For Anthropic instead:
{
"agent": {
"model": "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-20250514"
}
}
Start the Gateway
docker compose up -d moltbot-gateway
Step 3: Pair Telegram
- Open Telegram and message your bot
- You'll receive a pairing code
- Approve it via CLI:
docker compose run --rm moltbot-cli pairing approve telegram <CODE>
Step 4: Verify
Access the Control UI at: http://your-truenas-ip:18789/
Check gateway health:
docker compose exec moltbot-gateway node dist/index.js health --token "$CLAWDBOT_GATEWAY_TOKEN"
Management Commands
# View logs
docker compose logs -f moltbot-gateway
# Restart
docker compose restart moltbot-gateway
# Stop
docker compose down
# Update
git pull
docker compose build
docker compose up -d
Features
Once running, Molt can:
- Respond via Telegram DMs and group chats
- Execute shell commands on your TrueNAS
- Browse the web and fill forms
- Manage files on mounted volumes
- Set reminders and run scheduled tasks
- Learn your preferences over time
Troubleshooting
Bot not responding
- Check logs:
docker compose logs moltbot-gateway - Verify Telegram token is correct
- Ensure pairing was approved
API errors
- Verify API key is set in
.env - Check provider account has credits/billing enabled
Permission issues
- Ensure Docker has access to mounted paths
- Check file ownership in mounted volumes