clear-skills

This skill should be used when the user wants to clear, remove, or clean up AI agent rules, skills, or instruction files from their coding environment. It supports one-click cleanup of rule/instruction files for all major AI coding platforms on Windows, macOS, and Linux, including Cursor, Windsurf, Claude Code, Codex CLI, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Cline, Trae IDE, Amazon Q, Continue.dev, Aider, OpenCode, Amp, Goose, Kilo Code, Kiro, Neovate, OpenHands, PI, Qoder, Roo Code, Zencoder, Droid, OpenClaw, QClaw, CoPaw, EasyClaw, ArkClaw, LobsterAI, HiClaw, AutoClaw, AntiClaw, Manus, HappyCapy, QoderWork, and WorkBuddy/CodeBuddy. Triggers on phrases like "清除agent技能", "删除规则文件", "清空所有AI规则", "clear agent rules", "remove AI skills", "一键清除技能".

andy-xiran@subingshe

Install

openclaw skills install @subingshe/clear-skills

Clear Skills Skill

Overview

Scans and removes AI agent rules/skills files from all major AI coding platforms on your machine. Supports 50+ platforms, covering both project-level and user-global scopes, running on Windows · macOS · Linux.

Core Features:

✅ Smart Scanning: Only removes files/directories that actually exist. Platforms not installed or without rules won't be shown or removed
✅ Self-Protection: By default, this skill (clear-skills) is protected and won't be cleared, allowing safe cleanup of other platforms
✅ Auto Backup: Automatically backs up to desktop before deletion, allowing recovery anytime
✅ Preview Mode: Use --dry-run to confirm which files will be deleted before actually removing them
✅ Flexible Control: Supports filtering by platform, scope, project directory, and more
✅ Pure Python: Uses only Python 3 standard library, no external dependencies required

All Supported Platforms:

Mainstream AI IDE

Cursor · Windsurf(Codeium) · Cline · Trae IDE · Amazon Q · Continue.dev

Agent Framework / CLI

Claude Code · Codex CLI · GitHub Copilot · Gemini CLI · Aider · OpenCode

Emerging AI Tools

Amp · Goose · Kilo Code · Kiro (AWS) · Neovate · OpenHands · PI · Qoder · Roo Code · Zencoder

OpenClaw Ecosystem

OpenClaw · QClaw · CoPaw · EasyClaw · ArkClaw · LobsterAI · HiClaw · AutoClaw · AntiClaw

Other AI Agents

Manus · HappyCapy · QoderWork · Droid (Factory)

WorkBuddy

WorkBuddy / CodeBuddy

Usage

Step 1: Confirm User Intent

After receiving a cleanup request, confirm the following with the user (skip if already specified):

Cleanup Scope: Current project only (project), global only (global), or both (all, default)?
Platform Scope: All platforms, or specific platforms only?
Backup: Back up to desktop by default. Users can disable with --no-backup (not recommended).

Step 2: Execute Script

Call scripts/clear_agent_rules.py. This script uses pure Python 3 standard library only, no additional dependencies needed.

Quick Start Examples

bash

# Preview mode (recommended to see what will be deleted first)
python scripts/clear_agent_rules.py --dry-run

# Clear current project + global, all platforms, auto backup (default behavior)
# Note: This skill is protected by default and won't be cleared
python scripts/clear_agent_rules.py

Clear only specified platforms

python scripts/clear_agent_rules.py --platforms cursor,claude,copilot

Clear only OpenClaw ecosystem (including QClaw, CoPaw, etc.)

python scripts/clear_agent_rules.py --platforms openclaw,qclaw,copaw

Clear only QoderWork skills

python scripts/clear_agent_rules.py --platforms qoderwork

Clear only current project rules

python scripts/clear_agent_rules.py --mode project

Clear only global rules

python scripts/clear_agent_rules.py --mode global

Specify project directory

python scripts/clear_agent_rules.py --project /path/to/myproject

No backup (dangerous, use with caution)

python scripts/clear_agent_rules.py --no-backup

Non-interactive execution (skip YES confirmation, suitable for scripts/CI)

python scripts/clear_agent_rules.py --yes

Clear all WorkBuddy skills including this one (dangerous)

python scripts/clear_agent_rules.py --mode global --include-self

text


### Advanced Usage

```bash
# Clear only AI IDE platforms (Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, etc.)
python scripts/clear_agent_rules.py --platforms cursor,windsurf,cline,trae,amazonq,continue

# Clear only CLI tools (Claude Code, Copilot, Aider, etc.)
python scripts/clear_agent_rules.py --platforms claude,copilot,aider,gemini,codex

# Clear only project-level rules for specific platforms
python scripts/clear_agent_rules.py --mode project --platforms cursor,copilot

# Scan specific project directory
python scripts/clear_agent_rules.py --project /path/to/specific/project

# Export scan results without deleting (for manual review)
python scripts/clear_agent_rules.py --dry-run > scan_results.txt

Note: On Windows, python command might be python3 or py, depending on your environment.

Parameter Reference

Parameter	Description	Default
`--mode`	`project` / `global` / `all`	`all`
`--project`	Project root directory path	Current working directory
`--platforms`	Specify platforms (comma-separated)	`all`
`--no-backup`	Disable backup	Disabled (backup by default)
`--dry-run`	Preview mode, don't actually delete	Disabled
`--yes`	Skip YES confirmation prompt	Disabled
`--include-self`	Don't protect this skill, will also clear clear-skills itself	Disabled (protected by default)

Available Platform Identifiers:

text

cursor, windsurf, cline, trae, amazonq, continue,
claude, codex, copilot, gemini, aider, opencode,
amp, goose, kilocode, kiro, neovate, openhands, pi, qoder,
roocode, zencoder, droid,
openclaw, qclaw, copaw, easyclaw, arkclaw, lobsterai,
hiclaw, autoclaw, anticlaw, manus, happycapy,
qoderwork,
workbuddy

Platform Rule File Reference

For detailed paths, see references/platforms.md.

Project-Level Rules (relative to project root)

Category	Platform	Main Files/Directories
AI IDE	Cursor	`.cursorrules`, `.cursor/rules/`
	Windsurf	`.windsurfrules`, `.windsurf/rules/`
	Cline	`.clinerules`, `.clinerules/`
	Trae IDE	`.trae/project_rules.md`
	Amazon Q	`.amazonq/rules/`
	Continue.dev	`.continuerc.json`, `.continue/rules/`
CLI	Claude Code	`CLAUDE.md`
	Codex CLI	`AGENTS.md`
	GitHub Copilot	`.github/copilot-instructions.md`
	Gemini CLI	`GEMINI.md`
	Aider	`.aider.conf.yml`
	OpenCode	`AGENTS.md`, `CLAUDE.md`
Emerging Tools	Amp	`AGENTS.md`
	Goose	`.goosehints`, `.goose/`
	Kilo Code	`.kilocode/rules/`
	Kiro (AWS)	`.kiro/steering/`, `.kiro/`
	Neovate	`AGENTS.md`
	OpenHands	`config.toml`, `.openhands/`
	PI	`.pi/settings.json`, `.pi/`
	Qoder	`.qoder/rules/`
	Roo Code	`.roo/rules/`, `.roorules`
	Zencoder	`.zencoder/rules/`
	Droid (Factory)	`.droid/`, `AGENTS.md`
Others	Antigravity	`.antigravity/rules.md`
	OpenClaw	`.openclaw/`
	QoderWork	`.qoderwork/skills/`
	WorkBuddy	`.workbuddy/skills/`

Global-Level Rules (user home directory)

Category	Platform	Path
AI IDE	Cursor	`~/.cursor/rules/`
	Cline	`~/Documents/Cline/Rules/`
	Trae IDE	`~/.trae/user_rules.md`
	Continue.dev	`~/.continue/`
CLI	Claude Code	`~/.claude/`
	Gemini CLI	`~/.gemini/GEMINI.md`
	Aider	`~/.aider.conf.yml`
	OpenCode	`~/.config/opencode/`
Emerging Tools	Amp	`~/.factory/AGENTS.md`
	Goose	`~/.config/goose/`
	Kilo Code	`~/.kilocode/rules/`
	Kiro (AWS)	`~/.kiro/`
	Neovate	`~/.neovate/AGENTS.md`
	OpenHands	`~/.openhands/`
	PI	`~/.pi/agent/settings.json`
	Roo Code	`~/.roo/rules/`
	Droid (Factory)	`~/.factory/`
OpenClaw Ecosystem	OpenClaw/QClaw etc.	`~/.openclaw/`
	CoPaw	`~/.copaw/`
Others	Manus	`~/.manus/`
	HappyCapy	`~/.happycapy/`
	QoderWork	`~/.qoderwork/skills/`
	WorkBuddy	`~/.workbuddy/skills/`
Note	Qoder/Zencoder	Project-level only, no global config

Safety Mechanisms

Default Backup: Backs up all files to desktop before deletion (~/Desktop/agent-rules-backup-timestamp/), allowing recovery anytime.
Preview Mode: Use --dry-run to confirm which files will be deleted before actually executing.
Confirmation Prompt: Requires manual YES confirmation by default to prevent accidental operations.
Self-Protection (Enabled by Default):
- When running --mode global or --mode all, this skill (clear-skills) is protected by default and won't be cleared.
- This allows safe cleanup of other platforms' rules without worrying about deleting the tool itself.
- If you truly need to delete this skill, use --include-self to disable self-protection.
Smart Scanning: The script only scans and deletes files/directories that actually exist. If certain platforms are not installed on your system or their rule files don't exist, those empty targets won't be shown or deleted.

FAQ

Q: Will this delete my project code? A: No. This tool only removes AI agent rule/skill files (e.g., .cursorrules, CLAUDE.md, .workbuddy/skills/). Your source code and other files are completely safe.

Q: Can I recover deleted files? A: Yes. All files are automatically backed up to your desktop before deletion. You can manually copy them back if needed.

Q: What if I only want to clear one platform? A: Use the --platforms parameter to specify which platforms to clean. Example: python scripts/clear_agent_rules.py --platforms cursor,copilot

Q: Why doesn't this skill get deleted when I clear global rules? A: This is an intentional self-protection feature. The skill needs to exist to be able to clear itself. Use --include-self if you really want to delete it too.

Q: Does this work on Windows/macOS/Linux? A: Yes. The script uses pure Python and handles all three operating systems automatically.

Q: Can I run this in a CI/CD pipeline? A: Yes. Use --yes --no-backup flags for non-interactive execution. Use with caution in automated environments.

Troubleshooting

Permission Denied Errors

If you encounter permission errors, try running the script with appropriate permissions (e.g., administrator/root)
On Windows, some directories may require elevated privileges

Large Backup Size

If the backup is too large, use --no-backup (not recommended) or manually manage backup location
Consider cleaning up old backup folders from your desktop

Platform Not Found

If a platform isn't detected, it means the platform isn't installed or has no rule files
This is normal behavior—the script only targets existing files