The knowledge base for building skills and extensions with OpenClaw.
| Guide | For who | What you'll learn |
|---|---|---|
| Getting Started | New builders | Create your first skill in 10 minutes |
| Architecture | Anyone curious | How OpenClaw works: Gateway, Agent, Channels, Skills & Extensions |
| Skill Development | Skill builders | Build language-agnostic skills with SKILL.md |
| Extension Development | TypeScript developers | Build full-featured plugins with TypeScript |
| SKILL.md Format Reference | Everyone | Complete reference for SKILL.md files |
| Plugin Manifest Reference | Extension builders | Complete reference for openclaw.plugin.json |
Skills: Language-agnostic, markdown-based automation. Live in ~/.openclaw/workspace/skills/. Published to ClawHub.
Extensions/Plugins: Full-featured TypeScript packages. Implement channels, configuration, and complex logic. Distributed via npm.
ClawHub: The skill registry. Search, publish, and install community skills.
Gateway: WebSocket control plane (ws://127.0.0.1:18789) managing sessions, presence, config, webhooks.
Agent Runtime: Processes inbound messages, executes tools via RPC.
- Check the Architecture guide to understand how everything fits together
- Browse the Skill Development guide for building skills
- See Extension Development for TypeScript plugins
- Refer to SKILL.md Format Reference for all skill frontmatter fields
Found an error? Have a better explanation? PRs are welcome.
For doc-specific conventions: write in plain language, use code examples liberally, keep paragraphs short.
OpenClawHQ · Every claw extends the reach.