Use Telegram to add items to a home to-do list

A developer let OpenClaw turn Telegram messages into additions on a task list that lived on their home computer.

Done with OpenClaw· Intermediate· Apr 2026

What they did
They built a small API that could append tasks to a list stored only on a PC at home, with no sync to a phone. At work, they messaged OpenClaw in Telegram, and the agent used that API to create the new entry.
How it went
It worked well enough that they still miss the setup. They later abandoned OpenClaw after QEMU broke, and now want a simpler way to get the same result.
Tips
This approach can be easier than making a separate tool for each job, but it may not be worth chasing a perfect setup if reliability is poor. For any action that changes data, require a confirmation step before the agent proceeds.

Try it yourself with OpenClaw

Link my Telegram account to [home to-do list / local task app / custom API] so I can add items by chat. When I send a message such as “[task or errand],” create that item in [location or system] and then reply with the updated list. First, do one test addition and show me the result. If I ask you to delete, clear, or edit items, pause and ask for confirmation before doing anything.

Fill in the [brackets]. Agents can make mistakes, so review anything before it is sent, paid or deleted.

Read the original on news.ycombinator.com ↗

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