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#REF = https://docs.openclaw.ai/tools/creating-skills?utm_source=chatgpt.com#2-define-the-skill-md
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OpenClaw is designed to be easily extensible. “Skills” are the primary way to add new capabilities to your assistant.
A skill is a directory containing a SKILL.md file (which provides instructions and tool definitions to the LLM) and optionally some scripts or resources.
1. Create the Directory
Skills live in your workspace, usually ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/. Create a new folder for your skill:
mkdir -p ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/hello-world
2. Define the SKILL.md
Create a SKILL.md file in that directory. This file uses YAML frontmatter for metadata and Markdown for instructions.
---
name: hello_world
description: A simple skill that says hello.
---
# Hello World Skill
When the user asks for a greeting, use the `echo` tool to say "Hello from your custom skill!".
3. Add Tools (Optional)
You can define custom tools in the frontmatter or instruct the agent to use existing system tools (like bash or browser).
4. Refresh OpenClaw
Ask your agent to “refresh skills” or restart the gateway. OpenClaw will discover the new directory and index the SKILL.md.
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