---

name: skill-installer description: Install OpenClaw skills from clawhub.ai ZIP files with automatic detection, validation, and Gateway updates. Supports file search, duplicate checking, and interactive selection when multiple files are found. metadata: { "openclaw": { "requires": { "bins": ["python3"] }, "install": [ { "id": "python3", "kind": "system", "bins": ["python3"], "label": "Python 3.6+ (required)", }, ], }, }

Skill Installer

Install OpenClaw skills from clawhub.ai ZIP files with automatic detection, validation, and Gateway updates.

Features

• Automatic Detection: Finds OpenClaw installation location automatically
• File Search: Search for ZIP files in current directory when filename is not specified
• Duplicate Check: Verifies if a skill is already installed before proceeding
• Interactive Selection: Prompts user to choose when multiple matching files are found
• Validation: Validates skill structure (SKILL.md, _meta.json)
• Gateway Update: Automatically restarts Gateway to make new skills available
• Progress Feedback: Detailed status messages throughout the installation process

Usage

Basic Installation

# Install from a specific ZIP file
python3 scripts/skill_install.py my-skill.zip

# Search for ZIP files in current directory
python3 scripts/skill_install.py

# List all installed skills
python3 scripts/skill_install.py --list

# Show help
python3 scripts/skill_install.py --help

Workflow

1. File Detection:

   • If filename is provided: Use that file directly
   • If no filename: Search for *.zip files in current directory
   • If multiple files found: Display list and ask user to choose

2. Validation:

   • Check if OpenClaw is installed
   • Validate ZIP file structure
   • Verify SKILL.md and _meta.json exist

3. Duplicate Check:

   • Extract skill name from SKILL.md
   • Check if skill already exists in skills directory
   • Prompt for confirmation if duplicate found

4. Installation:

   • Extract ZIP file to skills directory
   • Verify extracted files
   • Restart OpenClaw Gateway

5. Completion:

   • Display success message
   • Show skill path
   • Confirm Gateway restart

File Structure

The script expects skills to have the following structure:

skill-name.zip
├── SKILL.md          # Required: Skill metadata and documentation
├── _meta.json        # Required: Additional metadata
├── scripts/          # Optional: Python/Node scripts
│   └── *.py/*.mjs
├── references/       # Optional: Reference documentation
└── README.md         # Optional: Extended documentation

Examples

Install from Current Directory

# List all ZIP files in current directory
python3 scripts/skill_install.py

# Output:
# Found 3 ZIP files:
# 1. github-skill.zip
# 2. weather-skill.zip
# 3. notion-skill.zip
#
# Select a file (1-3) or 'q' to quit: 1
#
# Installing: github-skill.zip
# ...

Install Specific File

python3 scripts/skill_install.py github-skill.zip

# Output:
# ============================================================
# 📦 OpenClaw Skill Installer
# ============================================================
#
# 🔍 正在搜索 OpenClaw 安装位置...
# ✅ 找到 OpenClaw: /home/user/.nvm/versions/node/v22.22.0/lib/node_modules/openclaw
#
# 📂 正在解析 ZIP 文件...
# ✅ 找到 SKILL.md
# ✅ Skill 名称: github
# ✅ Skill 描述: GitHub operations via gh CLI
#
# 🔍 检查是否已安装...
# ℹ️  Skill 'github' 未安装
#
# 📦 正在安装 skill...
# ✅ 安装成功！
#
# 🔄 正在重启 Gateway...
# ✅ Gateway 已重启
#
# 🎉 安装完成！
# Skill 路径: /home/user/.nvm/versions/node/v22.22.0/lib/node_modules/openclaw/skills/github
#
# 现在可以在 OpenClaw 中使用 'github' skill 了！

List Installed Skills

python3 scripts/skill_install.py --list

# Output:
# ============================================================
# 📋 已安装的 Skills
# ============================================================
#
# 1. github
#    📁 文件夹: github
#    📝 描述: GitHub operations via gh CLI
#    📍 路径: /home/user/.nvm/versions/node/v22.22.0/lib/node_modules/openclaw/skills/github
#
# 2. weather
#    📁 文件夹: weather
#    📝 描述: Get current weather and forecasts
#    📍 路径: /home/user/.nvm/versions/node/v22.22.0/lib/node_modules/openclaw/skills/weather
#
# ...

Requirements

• Python 3.6 or higher
• OpenClaw installed (via npm or nvm)
• Sufficient permissions to write to OpenClaw skills directory

Error Handling

Common Errors

Error: ❌ 未找到 OpenClaw 安装位置

• Solution: Install OpenClaw first using npm install -g openclaw

Error: ❌ ZIP 文件不存在

• Solution: Check the filename and path

Error: ❌ ZIP 文件不包含 SKILL.md

• Solution: Ensure the ZIP file is a valid skill from clawhub.ai

Error: ⚠️ Skill 已存在

• Solution: Confirm if you want to overwrite or use a different skill

Error: ❌ Gateway 重启失败

• Solution: Manually restart Gateway using openclaw daemon restart

Advanced Usage

Custom OpenClaw Path

If the script cannot find OpenClaw automatically, you can modify the OPENCLAW_PATH variable in the script:

OPENCLAW_PATH = "/custom/path/to/openclaw"

Skip Gateway Restart

To restart Gateway manually, comment out the restart call:

# restart_gateway(openclaw_root)

Troubleshooting

Permission Denied

If you encounter permission errors:

# Fix permissions
chmod 755 ~/.nvm/versions/node/*/lib/node_modules/openclaw/skills

Skill Not Appearing in OpenClaw

After installation, if the skill doesn't appear:

1. Restart Gateway manually:

   openclaw daemon restart
   

2. Check OpenClaw logs:

   openclaw logs --follow
   

3. Verify skill structure:

   ls -la ~/.nvm/versions/node/*/lib/node_modules/openclaw/skills/your-skill/
   

Changelog

Version 1.0.0 (2025-02-26)

Initial Release

Features:

• Automatic OpenClaw detection
• ZIP file installation from clawhub.ai
• File search and interactive selection
• Duplicate checking
• Gateway auto-restart
• Progress feedback
• List installed skills command

Enhancements:

• Support for multiple ZIP file selection
• Detailed error messages
• Skill validation (SKILL.md, _meta.json)
• Cross-platform compatibility (Linux, macOS, Windows)

Bug Fixes:

• Fixed path resolution on different Node.js installations
• Improved ZIP extraction handling
• Better error recovery

Known Issues:

• May require manual Gateway restart on some systems
• Limited to single skill installation per run

Notes

• The script searches for OpenClaw in common locations:

  • ~/.nvm/versions/node/*/lib/node_modules/openclaw
  • /usr/local/lib/node_modules/openclaw
  • /opt/node_modules/openclaw

• Skills are installed to:

  • <OpenClaw Root>/skills/<skill-name>/

• Gateway restart requires systemd support (Linux) or manual restart (other platforms)

• For development or testing, use --list to verify skills before installation