OpenClaw Skill Reviewer

Performs a three-level audit of OpenClaw skills for format, content quality, functional correctness, and adherence to best practices.

YuKaiXu@ykaixu

Install

openclaw skills install @ykaixu/openclaw-skill-reviewer

Skill Reviewer

Comprehensive skill review and validation for OpenClaw skills.

Overview

This skill provides a systematic three-level review process to ensure skills are:

Valid - Proper structure and format
Complete - All required components present
Correct - Generated outputs match OpenClaw specifications
High-quality - Follows best practices

Review Workflow

Level 1: Format Validation

Run automatic validation using package_skill.py:

bash

python3 /home/yupeng/.npm-global/lib/node_modules/openclaw/skills/skill-creator/scripts/package_skill.py <skill-path>

Checks:

YAML frontmatter format and required fields
Skill naming conventions and directory structure
Description completeness and quality
File organization and resource references

Outcome: ✅ Valid or ❌ Validation errors

Level 2: Content Quality Assessment

Manually review SKILL.md for:

Frontmatter:

name is concise and follows naming conventions
description is comprehensive and includes "when to use" information
No extraneous fields in YAML

Body Structure:

Clear organization (workflow-based, task-based, or reference-based)
Progressive disclosure pattern (metadata → SKILL.md → references)
Concise and focused content
Imperative/infinitive form for instructions

Writing Quality:

No filler or redundant explanations
Concrete examples and realistic scenarios
Clear guidance on when to read reference files
Avoids duplication between SKILL.md and references

Level 3: Functional Verification

Critical Step - Verify that generated outputs match actual OpenClaw specifications.

For skills that generate templates:

Compare generated templates with actual OpenClaw specification files
Example: If skill generates AGENTS.md templates, compare with /home/yupeng/.openclaw/workspace/AGENTS.md
Check for missing required sections (session startup, memory workflow, safety rules, group chat etiquette, heartbeat mechanism)
Verify all critical requirements are present

For skills with scripts:

Test scripts to ensure they work correctly
Verify output matches expected format
Check error handling

For skills with references:

Verify reference files are accurate and up-to-date
Check that references are properly linked from SKILL.md

Level 4: Best Practices Check

Verify the skill follows OpenClaw skill best practices:

Progressive Disclosure:

SKILL.md body is concise (<500 lines preferred)
Detailed information moved to references/
References are properly linked and described

Resource Organization:

Only necessary resource directories created
No extraneous files (README.md, INSTALLATION_GUIDE.md, etc.)
Scripts/ references/ assets/ used appropriately

Context Efficiency:

Information lives in either SKILL.md OR references, not both
Essential procedural instructions in SKILL.md
Detailed reference material in references/

Triggering Accuracy:

description clearly states when the skill should be used
All "when to use" information is in description, not body

Common Issues Found

Missing Functional Verification:

Skill generates templates but they don't match actual specifications
Example: AGENTS.md template missing session startup requirements

Incomplete Descriptions:

Description doesn't include "when to use" information
Body contains "When to Use This Skill" sections (should be in description)

Duplication:

Same information in both SKILL.md and references
Wastes context window tokens

Extraneous Files:

README.md, CHANGELOG.md, etc. in skill directory
Should only contain SKILL.md and necessary resources

Poor Progressive Disclosure:

SKILL.md too verbose
References not properly linked or described

Review Checklist

For each skill, verify:

Level 1: Format validation passes
Level 2: SKILL.md structure and quality are good
Level 3: Generated templates match OpenClaw specifications
Level 4: Best practices are followed
No extraneous files
Description includes "when to use" information
References are properly linked from SKILL.md
Scripts work correctly (if present)