Python Env Setup

Host-specific Python execution guidance for OpenClaw on this machine. Prefer $PYTHON over python/python3 in PATH, because OpenClaw exec runs in a non-interactive shell and may not inherit interactive shell initialization.

Python Environment Setup

Use this skill whenever OpenClaw needs to run Python on this host.

Why this exists

On this machine, OpenClaw exec runs in a non-interactive shell. Interactive shell initialization may be skipped, so python, python3, or conda may be unavailable from PATH even though they work in a normal terminal.

Therefore, prefer the explicit Python entrypoint provided by environment variable PYTHON.

Rules

1. Prefer "$PYTHON" over python or python3.
2. Do not rely on source ~/.bashrc or conda activate for routine automation.
3. Before using Python, verify it exists and is executable.
4. Use "$PYTHON" -m pip ... for package installation.
5. Use "$PYTHON" script.py, "$PYTHON" -m module, or "$PYTHON" -c '...' for execution.
6. Apply this rule to all Python-related commands, not just pip.
7. If PYTHON is unset or invalid, report the problem clearly.

Validation

bash

test -x "$PYTHON"
"$PYTHON" --version

Common patterns

Install packages

bash

"$PYTHON" -m pip install -U package_name
"$PYTHON" -m pip install -U openai-whisper torch ffmpeg-python

Run a script

bash

"$PYTHON" script.py

Run a module

bash

"$PYTHON" -m module_name

Run inline Python

bash

"$PYTHON" - <<'PY'
print('hello')
PY

Quick guard pattern

bash

test -x "$PYTHON" || { echo "PYTHON not executable: $PYTHON" >&2; exit 1; }
"$PYTHON" --version

Fallback policy

Only if the task explicitly allows fallback, try in this order:

1. $PYTHON
2. python3
3. python

Default policy: do not silently fallback. Prefer failing loudly if $PYTHON is missing, so environment issues are obvious.

Notes

• This skill is host-specific.
• It is meant to guide OpenClaw runtime behavior, not teach Python itself.
• The PYTHON value is read from the environment. This skill does not require a specific env-file location.