skill_install

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.

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

bash

# 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:

text

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

bash

# 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

bash

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

bash

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:

python

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

Skip Gateway Restart

To restart Gateway manually, comment out the restart call:

python

# restart_gateway(openclaw_root)

Troubleshooting

Permission Denied

If you encounter permission errors:

bash

# 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:

   bash

   openclaw daemon restart
   

2. Check OpenClaw logs:

   bash

   openclaw logs --follow
   

3. Verify skill structure:

   bash

   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