How to Install OpenClaw Skills From ClawHub: Complete Guide

What Is ClawHub?

ClawHub is OpenClaw's official public skills registry. Think of it as an app store for your AI agent. As of March 2026, it hosts over 13,000 community-built skills covering everything from messaging integrations to business automation to content creation.

Before OpenClaw 3.22, installing skills was a manual process. You had to find SKILL.md files on GitHub or community forums, download them, and place them in the correct directory on your server. It worked, but it was friction-heavy and made it hard to discover new skills.

Starting with OpenClaw 3.22, ClawHub is built directly into the platform. You can search, install, update, and remove skills using CLI commands — no manual file management required. Skills on ClawHub also include metadata like version requirements, dependencies, and compatibility information, making it safer to install community skills on production systems.

What Are OpenClaw Skills?

Skills are SKILL.md files that define new capabilities for your OpenClaw agent. Each skill is a markdown file that contains:

• Metadata header: Name, author, version, description, and compatibility requirements
• Instructions: Natural language instructions that tell the AI model how to use the skill
• Tool definitions: API endpoints, parameters, and response formats the agent can call
• Examples: Sample conversations showing how the skill should be used

When OpenClaw loads a skill, the instructions and tool definitions are added to the model's system prompt. The AI model then knows about the new capability and can use it when appropriate.

Skills are declarative — they describe what the agent can do, not how to do it. The AI model handles the reasoning about when and how to apply the skill based on the user's request.

Here's a simplified example of what a SKILL.md file looks like:

# Skill: Google Calendar
Author: openclaw-community
Version: 2.1.0
Requires: openclaw >= 3.20

## Instructions
You can manage Google Calendar events. When the user asks about
their schedule, upcoming events, or wants to create/modify events,
use the calendar tools below.

## Tools
### list_events
- Endpoint: /api/calendar/events
- Method: GET
- Parameters: start_date, end_date
- Returns: Array of calendar events

### create_event
- Endpoint: /api/calendar/events
- Method: POST
- Parameters: title, start, end, description, attendees

How Do You Search for Skills on ClawHub?

Use the openclaw skills search command to find skills by keyword:

# Search for email-related skills
openclaw skills search "email"

# Search for CRM integrations
openclaw skills search "crm"

# Search for a specific author's skills
openclaw skills search "steipete"

# For Docker deployments, prefix the command:
docker compose exec openclaw openclaw skills search "calendar"

The search results show the skill name, author, description, star count, and compatibility status:

Results for "email":

  openclaw-community/email-draft    ★ 2,340   Compatible
  Draft and send emails via SMTP or Gmail API

  steipete/email-classifier         ★ 1,890   Compatible
  Classify incoming emails by priority and category

  remoteopenclaw/inbox-manager      ★ 956     Compatible
  Full inbox management — read, reply, archive, label

  ai-tools/email-sequence           ★ 743     Compatible
  Create and manage drip email sequences

  ... 47 more results

You can also browse ClawHub on the web at clawhub.openclaw.dev, which provides a visual interface with categories, trending skills, and detailed skill pages with documentation and reviews.

How Do You Install a Skill?

Install a skill with the openclaw skills install command:

# Install a skill by author/name
openclaw skills install steipete/slack

# Install a specific version
openclaw skills install openclaw-community/google-calendar@2.1.0

# Install multiple skills at once
openclaw skills install steipete/slack openclaw-community/notion remoteopenclaw/lead-qualifier

# For Docker deployments:
docker compose exec openclaw openclaw skills install steipete/slack

When you install a skill, OpenClaw:

1. Checks version compatibility (does this skill work with your OpenClaw version?)
2. Downloads the SKILL.md file from ClawHub
3. Places it in the skills directory (~/.openclaw/skills/ or ./data/skills/ in Docker)
4. Validates the skill format
5. Reloads the agent's system prompt to include the new skill

The skill is available immediately — no restart required. The agent's next response will have access to the new capability.

Important: Installing a skill does not necessarily mean it will work out of the box. Many skills require additional configuration — API keys, OAuth tokens, or service endpoints. The skill's description will tell you what's needed. Check with:

openclaw skills info steipete/slack

How Do You Manage Installed Skills?

OpenClaw provides commands for managing your installed skills:

# List all installed skills
openclaw skills list

# Get detailed info about an installed skill
openclaw skills info steipete/slack

# Update a skill to the latest version
openclaw skills update steipete/slack

# Update all skills
openclaw skills update --all

# Remove a skill
openclaw skills remove steipete/slack

# Check for skills with available updates
openclaw skills outdated

The skills list command shows all installed skills with their status:

Installed skills:

  steipete/slack              v1.4.2   Active    ★ 3,200
  openclaw-community/notion   v2.0.1   Active    ★ 2,100
  remoteopenclaw/lead-qual    v1.1.0   Active    ★ 956
  ai-tools/web-scraper        v0.9.3   Disabled  ★ 1,400

4 skills installed (3 active, 1 disabled)

You can enable or disable skills without removing them:

# Disable a skill (stays installed but not loaded)
openclaw skills disable ai-tools/web-scraper

# Re-enable a skill
openclaw skills enable ai-tools/web-scraper

Disabling is useful when you want to temporarily remove a capability without losing the configuration, or when troubleshooting which skill is causing an issue.

What Are the Best Skills to Install First?

If you're setting up a new OpenClaw deployment, here are the skills that provide the most value out of the box:

1. Web Search (built-in since 3.22)

Web search is now bundled with OpenClaw — no installation needed. It uses Exa, Tavily, or Firecrawl depending on which API key you configure. This gives your agent the ability to look up current information.

2. Calendar Management

openclaw skills install openclaw-community/google-calendar

Lets your agent read, create, and modify Google Calendar events. Essential for scheduling and time management tasks.

3. Email Drafting

openclaw skills install openclaw-community/email-draft

Gives your agent the ability to draft and send emails through Gmail or SMTP. Pairs well with the inbox manager skill.

4. Slack or Discord Integration

openclaw skills install steipete/slack
# or
openclaw skills install openclaw-community/discord-bot

Extends your agent to team communication platforms. The Slack skill is particularly polished, with channel management and thread support.

5. CRM Connector

# For HubSpot
openclaw skills install openclaw-community/hubspot
# For Pipedrive
openclaw skills install ai-tools/pipedrive

Connects your agent to your CRM for lead management, contact lookup, and deal tracking.

6. Lead Qualifier

openclaw skills install remoteopenclaw/lead-qualifier

A skill built by Remote OpenClaw that scores and qualifies incoming leads based on criteria you define. Works with any messaging channel.

7. Notion Integration

openclaw skills install openclaw-community/notion

Read and write to Notion databases and pages. Useful for knowledge base access and project management.

For a curated list of vetted skills, check out our Best OpenClaw Skills 2026 guide.

How Do You Publish Your Own Skills?

If you've built a custom skill that could help others, you can publish it to ClawHub:

Step 1: Create the SKILL.md file

Follow the standard skill format with proper metadata, instructions, tool definitions, and examples. Test thoroughly on your local instance.

Step 2: Validate the skill

openclaw skills validate ./my-skill/SKILL.md

The validator checks format compliance, required fields, and tool definition syntax.

Step 3: Publish to ClawHub

openclaw skills publish ./my-skill/SKILL.md

You'll need a ClawHub account (free to create). Your skill will be reviewed for quality and safety before appearing in search results. The review process typically takes 24-48 hours.

Step 4: Maintain your skill

Update your skill when OpenClaw releases new versions. Users can report issues through ClawHub, and maintaining your skill builds your reputation in the community.

What If a Skill Installation Fails?

Common installation issues and their fixes:

"Incompatible version" error:

# Check your OpenClaw version
openclaw --version

# If your version is too old, update first
docker compose pull && docker compose up -d

"Skill not found" error:

Double-check the author/name format. Search for the skill first to get the exact name:

openclaw skills search "slack"

"Permission denied" error:

The skills directory may not be writable. For Docker deployments, make sure your data volume is properly mounted:

# Check the skills directory permissions
ls -la ./data/skills/

# Fix permissions if needed
chmod 755 ./data/skills/

Skill installs but doesn't work:

Check the skill's requirements. Many skills need API keys or service configuration:

# View skill requirements
openclaw skills info author/skill-name

# Check logs for skill-related errors
docker compose logs openclaw | grep "skill"

ClawHub compatibility checker bug (3.22):

If you're on OpenClaw 3.22, the compatibility checker has a known bug that was fixed in 3.23. Update to 3.23 for proper version checking.