| name | skill-creator |
| description | Create new OpenClaw skills. Use when: asked to build a new skill, extend existing capabilities, or package knowledge into a reusable skill. Not for installing skills (use xiage-skills for that). |
Skill Creator
Create new OpenClaw skills following this workflow.
When to Create a Skill
- Asked to build a new skill
- Extending existing capabilities with packaged knowledge
- Repetitive workflows that should be reusable
- Domain expertise that should be preserved
Anatomy of a Skill
Every skill lives in ~/.openclaw/skills/ as a directory:
skill-name/
├── SKILL.md (required) — YAML frontmatter + Markdown instructions
├── scripts/ (optional) — Executable code (Python/Bash/etc.)
├── references/ (optional) — Documentation to load into context as needed
└── assets/ (optional) — Templates, icons, fonts
SKILL.md Structure
---
name: skill-name
description: One sentence. When this skill gets triggered and what it does.
---
[Markdown instructions]
YAML Frontmatter (required)
name: Skill identifier
description: Critical — Only text Claude reads to decide when to trigger this skill. Be specific about trigger conditions.
Body (Markdown)
Only loaded AFTER the skill triggers. Keep lean — token cost comes from context too.
Freedom Levels
| Level | When to use | Example |
|---|
| High | Multiple valid approaches | "Improve the UI" |
| Medium | Some variation acceptable | Pseudocode or parameterized scripts |
| Low | Fragile, consistency critical | Specific sequence to follow |
Workflow
- Identify trigger — What situation activates this skill?
- Write description — One sentence, be specific
- Outline steps — High-level first, then refine
- Add scripts — If same code gets rewritten repeatedly
- Add references — Only if needed and >10k words; include grep patterns in SKILL.md
- Test — Run the skill and verify it works
Skill Installation
After creating SKILL.md:
- Add to workspace skills directory
- Add mapping to SKILLS-INDEX.md (short name → folder name → author)
- If xiage-skills is configured, run
node xiage-skills.js install <author> <name> <url> <risk> <description>