skill-installer

name	skill-installer
description	Install bundled skills into local skills directory from curated lists or GitHub repos. Use when a user asks to list installable skills, install a curated skill, or install a skill from another repo (including private repos).
metadata	{"short-description":"Install skills from openai/skills, VoltAgent/awesome-openclaw-skills, or other repos"}

Skill Installer

Helps install skills. By default these are from:

• https://github.com/openai/skills/tree/main/skills/.curated (primary curated list)
• https://github.com/VoltAgent/awesome-openclaw-skills (additional skill collection)

Users can also provide other GitHub repo locations. Experimental skills from openai/skills live in https://github.com/openai/skills/tree/main/skills/.experimental and can be installed the same way.

Allowed Skill Sources

The following GitHub repos are valid sources for installing skills:

1. openai/skills - Primary skill repository (curated and experimental)
2. VoltAgent/awesome-openclaw-skills - Additional OpenClaw skills collection
3. Other repos - Users can specify any public or private GitHub repo

Communication

When listing skills, output approximately as follows, depending on the context of the user's request: """ Skills from {repo}:

1. skill-1
2. skill-2 (already installed)
3. ... Which ones would you like installed? """

After installing a skill, tell the user: "The skill has been installed to the local skills directory."

Local Skills Directory

Skills must be installed to:

{{paths.skills}}/bundled/<skill-name>/

Use the path tokens above in an OS-appropriate way based on {{os}}:

• Windows → native PowerShell path handling
• macOS → native bash/zsh path handling
• Linux → native bash path handling

This is the bundled skills directory read by the agent system. Each skill lives in its own subdirectory containing a SKILL.md file.

The openai/skills repo is already cloned to the sandbox at:

{{paths.sandbox}}/openai-skills

Use this as the source when installing from openai/skills — no re-clone needed.

Installation Methods

Option 1: Copy from sandbox (openai/skills — preferred)

Since openai/skills is already cloned to the sandbox, copy directly using the host shell appropriate for {{os}}:

Windows (PowerShell)

# Curated skills source
{{paths.sandbox}}\openai-skills\skills\.curated\<skill-name>

# Copy to local bundled skills
Copy-Item -Recurse "{{paths.sandbox}}\openai-skills\skills\.curated\<skill-name>" "{{paths.skills}}\bundled\<skill-name>"

macOS / Linux (bash)

# Curated skills source
{{paths.sandbox}}/openai-skills/skills/.curated/<skill-name>

# Copy to local bundled skills
cp -R "{{paths.sandbox}}/openai-skills/skills/.curated/<skill-name>" "{{paths.skills}}/bundled/<skill-name>"

Option 2: Clone via Docker container (other repos or fresh clone)

All git operations should use a Docker container with git available. Use a descriptive existing container name, or create/run an appropriate container for the task.

Use the host shell appropriate for {{os}}:

• Windows → native PowerShell
• macOS → native bash/zsh
• Linux → native bash

Windows (PowerShell)

# Clone to sandbox first
docker exec <git-container-name> git clone https://github.com/VoltAgent/awesome-openclaw-skills.git /workspace/awesome-openclaw-skills

# Then copy specific skill to local bundled directory via Filesystem MCP

macOS / Linux (bash)

# Clone to sandbox first
docker exec <git-container-name> git clone https://github.com/VoltAgent/awesome-openclaw-skills.git /workspace/awesome-openclaw-skills

# Then copy specific skill to local bundled directory via Filesystem MCP

Option 3: Sparse checkout (single skill from large repo)

Windows (PowerShell)

docker exec <git-container-name> bash -c "
  git clone --depth 1 --filter=blob:none --sparse https://github.com/VoltAgent/awesome-openclaw-skills.git /workspace/temp-skill &&
  cd /workspace/temp-skill &&
  git sparse-checkout set skills/<skill-name>
"
# Then copy to {{paths.skills}}\bundled\<skill-name>

macOS / Linux (bash)

docker exec <git-container-name> bash -c '
  git clone --depth 1 --filter=blob:none --sparse https://github.com/VoltAgent/awesome-openclaw-skills.git /workspace/temp-skill &&
  cd /workspace/temp-skill &&
  git sparse-checkout set skills/<skill-name>
'
# Then copy to {{paths.skills}}/bundled/<skill-name>

Behavior and Options

• Defaults to copying from NAS clone for openai/skills (already available)
• Falls back to git sparse checkout if source not available locally
• Aborts if destination skill directory already exists (unless overwrite is requested)
• Multiple skills can be installed in one run
• Options: --ref <ref> (default main), --overwrite

Notes

• Curated listing: https://api.github.com/repos/openai/skills/contents/skills/.curated
• VoltAgent listing: https://api.github.com/repos/VoltAgent/awesome-openclaw-skills/contents/skills
• Private repos: use existing git credentials or GITHUB_TOKEN/GH_TOKEN env var
• Git fallback tries HTTPS first, then SSH
• Already installed skills are those present in {{paths.skills}}/bundled/