Skills are how you package repeatable work for an OpenClaw agent — a folder with instructions, scripts, and references the agent can load on demand. The first one is the hardest; after that it clicks. Here is the full walkthrough.
What a skill is
A skill is a directory containing a SKILL.md (instructions for when and how to use it), plus optional scripts/ and references/ folders. The agent reads SKILL.md when the skill is relevant and follows it, running scripts and consulting references as needed.
Pick one repeatable task
Choose a workflow you do more than once that takes at least a few minutes and can be automated or partly automated. A clear, single-purpose task beats a vague catch-all.
Write SKILL.md
SKILL.md has a small YAML frontmatter block (name and description) followed by the instructions. The description matters most: it tells the agent when to use the skill.
Then write the body: the workflow steps, expected inputs and outputs, and any quality bar the agent must meet.
Add a script
Put a helper script in scripts/ — for example a Python or shell file that does the mechanical part. Keep it focused. Scripts make the skill do real work instead of just describing steps.
Add references
Put templates, examples, or longer guides in references/ that the agent can read when it needs detail.
Test it
Give the skill to your own agent and run it end to end. Fix anything that breaks, and adjust the description if the agent is not triggering it correctly.
Publish or keep local
You can keep a skill local for yourself, or publish it to ClawHub for community use. Either way, a polished skill saves effort every time you reuse it.
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