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ClawHub

ClawHub is OpenClaw's community skill marketplace — an open-source registry (8.9k GitHub stars) where developers publish, version, and share agent skills. With over 10,700 skills as of mid-2026, it's the largest source of pre-built agent capabilities.

Security first

ClawHub has been targeted by malicious actors — the ClawHavoc campaign found hundreds of malicious skills in early 2026. Always verify skills before installing. See the Security section and Skill Verification for the full checklist.

How Skills Work​

A skill is a directory containing a SKILL.md file — YAML frontmatter for metadata plus Markdown instructions that tell the agent what to do when the skill activates.

skills/git-summary/SKILL.md
---
name: git-summary
description: Summarize recent git activity
trigger: "git summary|what changed|recent commits"
tools:
  - shell
---

## Git Summary

When triggered, analyze the recent git history:
1. Run `git log --oneline -20` to get recent commits
2. Run `git diff --stat HEAD~5` to see what changed
3. Summarize the activity: who committed, what changed, any patterns
4. Present a clear, concise summary

Frontmatter Fields​

FieldRequiredDescription
nameYesUnique slug (^[a-z0-9][a-z0-9-]*$)
descriptionYesBrief description of what the skill does
versionNoSemver (auto-incremented on publish)
triggerNoActivation pattern — keywords, regex, or "*" for always-on
toolsNoRequired tools: shell, filesystem, browser, http, memory, chat
authorNoSkill author name
configNoUser-configurable settings
dependsNoOther skills this skill requires

Triggers​

# Keyword trigger — activates on matching phrases
trigger: "deploy|ship it|push to prod"

# Regex trigger
trigger: "/^remind me .+/i"

# Always-on — loaded into every message (expensive)
trigger: "*"

# Attachment trigger — fires on media type
trigger: "attachment:image"
trigger: "attachment:audio"

Tools​

ToolCapability
shellExecute shell commands
filesystemRead/write files
browserNavigate web pages, take screenshots
httpMake HTTP requests to APIs
memoryRead/write persistent memory
chatSend messages to channels

Conditional Activation​

Skills can declare runtime requirements so they only activate when dependencies are available:

---
name: docker-manager
description: Manage Docker containers
tools:
  - shell
metadata:
  openclaw:
    requires:
      bins:
        - docker
        - docker-compose
      env:
        - DOCKER_HOST
      platform:
        - linux
        - darwin
---

If docker isn't on PATH or the OS doesn't match, the skill is silently skipped.

Multi-File Skills​

Skills can include support files alongside SKILL.md:

skills/code-reviewer/
├── SKILL.md           # Main skill definition
├── templates/
│   └── review.md      # Review template
├── scripts/
│   └── lint.sh        # Helper script
└── examples/
    └── sample.md      # Usage example

Bundle size is capped at 50 MB of text-only files.

Browsing & Discovery​

# Search by keyword
openclaw clawhub search "email"
openclaw clawhub search "github automation"
openclaw clawhub search "home assistant"

# Browse by category
openclaw clawhub browse --category productivity
openclaw clawhub browse --category development
openclaw clawhub browse --category home-automation
openclaw clawhub browse --category research
openclaw clawhub browse --category creative

# View full details
openclaw clawhub info email-triage

Web Interface​

Browse visually at openclaw.ai/clawhub — search, filter by category, read source code, and check security reports.

Skill Categories​

CategoryExamples
DevelopmentCode review, git automation, PR management, testing, CI/CD
ProductivityEmail triage, calendar management, note-taking, task tracking
ResearchWeb search, news monitoring, data analysis, summarization
Home AutomationHome Assistant, IoT control, smart home routines
CreativeImage generation, writing assistance, content creation
CommunicationMessage drafting, translation, social media
DevOps & CloudDocker, Kubernetes, AWS, monitoring, deployment
SecurityVulnerability scanning, audit logging, threat detection
FinanceBudget tracking, crypto monitoring, invoice processing
MediaImage/video generation, audio transcription, editing

Curated Lists​

Beyond ClawHub's built-in discovery:

For new users, these are well-established and widely used:

SkillWhat It DoesCategory
git-summarySummarize recent git activityDevelopment
email-triagePrioritize and summarize inboxProductivity
daily-standupGenerate daily status reportsProductivity
web-searchSearch the web and summarize resultsResearch
code-reviewerReview code changes with feedbackDevelopment
meeting-notesExtract decisions and action itemsProductivity
clawsecSecurity scanning and SOUL.md monitoringSecurity
clawdexPre-installation malicious skill scanningSecurity

Installing Skills​

From ClawHub​

# Install latest version
openclaw clawhub install email-triage

# Install a specific version
openclaw clawhub install email-triage@2.1.0

# Install with sandbox restrictions
openclaw clawhub install email-triage --sandbox --no-shell

From a URL​

# Install from any Git repository
openclaw clawhub install https://github.com/user/skill-repo/skill.md

Verify Before Installing​

Always check security before installing:

# Check security scan results
openclaw clawhub security-report email-triage

# Scan with Clawdex (malicious skills database)
openclaw clawhub scan email-triage

# Review the source code
openclaw clawhub view email-triage

# Check author and community signals
openclaw clawhub info email-triage

See Skill Verification for the complete security checklist.

After installation, the skill is available immediately — no gateway restart needed.

Managing Skills​

# List all installed skills
openclaw skill list

# Check for updates
openclaw clawhub outdated

# Update all skills
openclaw clawhub update

# Update a specific skill
openclaw clawhub update email-triage

# Disable a skill (keep installed but inactive)
openclaw skill disable email-triage

# Re-enable
openclaw skill enable email-triage

# Remove completely
openclaw skill remove email-triage

# Test a skill without installing
openclaw skill test ./my-skill.md "test trigger message"

Configuring Skills​

Some skills expose configuration options:

# View current config
openclaw skill config email-triage

# Set a value
openclaw skill config email-triage --set priority_threshold=high
openclaw skill config email-triage --set summary_length=brief

Version Pinning​

For production stability, pin skill versions:

# Install a specific version
openclaw clawhub install email-triage@2.1.0

# Don't auto-update this skill
openclaw skill config email-triage --set auto_update=false

Publishing Skills​

Share your skills with the community. All ClawHub skills are licensed under MIT-0 (no attribution required, no paid skills, no per-skill license overrides).

Three Publishing Pathways​

PathwayBest ForHow
Local creationPersonal use, testingCreate in ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/
Skill WorkshopGoverned environmentsProposal system with approval workflow
ClawHub publishCommunity sharingPublic registry via CLI

Publishing to ClawHub​

# Login with GitHub account
openclaw clawhub login

# Validate your skill (checks format, required fields)
openclaw clawhub validate ./my-skill/SKILL.md

# Publish
openclaw clawhub publish ./my-skill/SKILL.md

# Publish an update (bumps version)
openclaw clawhub publish ./my-skill/SKILL.md --update

Publishing Requirements​

  • Valid YAML frontmatter with name and description
  • Name must be unique on ClawHub (slug format: ^[a-z0-9][a-z0-9-]*$)
  • Must pass automated security scanning (VirusTotal + code analysis)
  • Must include at least one usage example in the Markdown body
  • GitHub account must be at least one week old
  • Bundle under 50 MB, text-only files

What Happens After Publishing​

  1. Validation — Token, metadata, name, version, and files are checked
  2. Security scan — VirusTotal + code pattern analysis runs automatically
  3. Hold period — New releases may be held from install surfaces until review completes
  4. Available — Once cleared, the skill appears in search and can be installed

If validation fails, nothing is published and you get an error explaining why.

Skill Workshop (Governed Publishing)​

For teams or environments that need approval before skills go live:

# Propose a new skill (goes to pending review)
openclaw skill-workshop propose-create ./my-skill/SKILL.md

# List pending proposals
openclaw skill-workshop list

# Inspect a proposal
openclaw skill-workshop inspect proposal-id

# Apply (approve) a proposal
openclaw skill-workshop apply proposal-id

# Reject a proposal
openclaw skill-workshop reject proposal-id --reason "needs security review"

The Workshop supports hash binding, rollback, and scanner gating (OpenClaw static analysis + VirusTotal + NVIDIA SkillSpector). See the Skill Workshop guide for full details.

Security​

The ClawHavoc Incident​

In early February 2026, three independent security firms discovered widespread malicious skills on ClawHub:

FirmFindingMethod
Koi Security341 malicious skills out of 2,857 totalFull audit of every skill
SlowMist472 malicious skills sharing C2 infrastructureThreat intelligence tracking
Snyk76 confirmed malicious payloadsHuman-in-the-loop code review

The malicious skills deployed multiple attack types:

  • AMOS (Atomic macOS Stealer) — targeting 60+ cryptocurrency wallets
  • Windows infostealers with keylogging
  • Reverse shells connecting to command-and-control servers
  • Credential exfiltration — .env files sent to attacker-controlled webhooks
  • Two-stage delivery — Base64-encoded payloads, curl-then-bash loading
  • Fake system dialogs — password phishing via OS-native prompts

100% of confirmed malicious skills contained malicious code, while 91% also employed prompt injection techniques.

Broader Quality Issues​

Snyk's ToxicSkills audit found problems beyond just intentionally malicious skills:

  • 36.8% of skills have at least one security flaw
  • 13.4% contain critical-level issues
  • 7.1% leak credentials (283 skills)

Current Security Measures​

Automated scanning:

  • VirusTotal integration (v2026.2.6+) — All skills scanned on upload, periodic re-scanning
  • Code pattern analysis — Checks declared frontmatter vs actual behavior, flags mismatches
  • Metadata validation — Detects undeclared environment variables and binary dependencies

Community tools:

  • Clawdex (7.1k downloads) — Pre-installation scanning against Koi's malicious skills database
  • SkillGuard — Skill file vulnerability scanner
  • SafeClaw Scanner — Third-party malicious pattern detection

Known Limitations​

Trail of Bits demonstrated in June 2026 that current scanners can be bypassed, concluding that no LLM-based scanning can reliably detect all malicious skills. This means:

  • Automated scanning is necessary but not sufficient
  • Always review skill source code before installing
  • Use sandboxing (--sandbox, --no-shell) for untrusted skills
  • Prefer well-known skills with high download counts and active maintenance
  • Install Clawdex for an additional layer of pre-install scanning

Security Checklist (Quick Reference)​

# Before installing ANY skill:

# 1. Check the security report
openclaw clawhub security-report <skill-name>

# 2. Scan with Clawdex
openclaw clawhub scan <skill-name>

# 3. Review the source code
openclaw clawhub view <skill-name>

# 4. Check author reputation and download count
openclaw clawhub info <skill-name>

# 5. Install with restrictions if unsure
openclaw clawhub install <skill-name> --sandbox --no-shell

Red Flags​

Avoid skills that contain:

  • curl | bash or wget | bash patterns
  • Base64-encoded strings (obfuscation)
  • Zero-width Unicode characters (hidden content)
  • Hardcoded URLs to unknown domains
  • Requests to access ~/.ssh, ~/.aws, or credential paths
  • chmod 777 or permission loosening
  • SOUL.md modification instructions

Disabling ClawHub​

For maximum security, disable ClawHub entirely:

~/.openclaw/openclaw.json
{
  "skills": {
    "allow_install": false,
    "allow_clawhub": false
  }
}

Reporting Malicious Skills​

openclaw clawhub report <skill-name> --reason malicious

Reports are reviewed by the ClawHub team and forwarded to VirusTotal.

Building Your Own Skills​

Minimal Example​

skills/weather/SKILL.md
---
name: weather-check
description: Check the weather for a location
trigger: "weather|forecast|temperature"
tools:
  - http
---

## Weather Check

When the user asks about weather:
1. Determine the location from their message
2. Call a weather API (e.g., wttr.in) to get current conditions
3. Present temperature, conditions, and forecast in a brief summary

With Configuration​

skills/daily-digest/SKILL.md
---
name: daily-digest
description: Generate a daily summary of news and tasks
trigger: "daily digest|morning brief|what's happening"
tools:
  - http
  - memory
config:
  news_sources:
    type: string
    default: "hackernews,techcrunch"
  include_calendar:
    type: boolean
    default: true
---

## Daily Digest

Generate a personalized morning briefing:
1. Fetch top stories from configured news sources
2. If calendar integration is enabled, check today's schedule
3. Review pending tasks from memory
4. Present a concise briefing organized by priority

With Dependencies​

---
name: full-code-review
description: Complete code review pipeline
depends:
  - git-summary
  - code-reviewer
tools:
  - shell
  - filesystem
---

Testing​

# Test locally without installing
openclaw skill test ./skills/weather/SKILL.md "What's the weather in London?"

# Test with a specific model
openclaw skill test ./skills/weather/SKILL.md "forecast for Tokyo" --model claude-haiku-4-5-20251001

See the Skill Development guide for advanced patterns including state management, dependency chaining, and multi-step workflows.

Customizing Installed Skills​

You can modify installed skills to fit your needs:

# Find where skills are stored
ls ~/.openclaw/skills/

# Edit an installed skill
nano ~/.openclaw/skills/email-triage/SKILL.md

Common customizations:

  • Adjust triggers — change activation phrases to match your vocabulary
  • Modify instructions — tailor the agent's behavior for your workflow
  • Change tools — remove shell access if not needed for security
  • Add config — expose settings you want to tweak

Changes take effect immediately — no restart needed. Note that openclaw clawhub update will overwrite your changes, so disable auto-update for customized skills.

CLI Reference​

# Discovery
openclaw clawhub search <query>
openclaw clawhub browse --category <category>
openclaw clawhub info <skill-name>
openclaw clawhub view <skill-name>            # View source code

# Installation
openclaw clawhub install <skill-name>[@version]
openclaw clawhub install <url>
openclaw clawhub install <skill-name> --sandbox --no-shell

# Management
openclaw skill list
openclaw skill disable <name>
openclaw skill enable <name>
openclaw skill remove <name>
openclaw skill config <name> [--set key=value]
openclaw skill test <path> "<trigger message>"

# Updates
openclaw clawhub outdated
openclaw clawhub update [skill-name]

# Security
openclaw clawhub security-report <skill-name>
openclaw clawhub scan <skill-name>
openclaw clawhub validate ./skill.md
openclaw security scan [--all]

# Publishing
openclaw clawhub login
openclaw clawhub publish ./skill.md [--update]
openclaw clawhub report <skill-name> --reason <reason>

See Also​