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Skills Config

Most skills loader/install configuration lives under skills in ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json. Agent-specific skill visibility lives under agents.defaults.skills and agents.list[].skills. 
{
  skills: {
    allowBundled: ["gemini", "peekaboo"],
    load: {
      extraDirs: ["~/Projects/agent-scripts/skills", "~/Projects/oss/some-skill-pack/skills"],
      watch: true,
      watchDebounceMs: 250,
    },
    install: {
      preferBrew: true,
      nodeManager: "npm", // npm | pnpm | yarn | bun (Gateway runtime still Node; bun not recommended)
    },
    entries: {
      "image-lab": {
        enabled: true,
        apiKey: { source: "env", provider: "default", id: "GEMINI_API_KEY" }, // or plaintext string
        env: {
          GEMINI_API_KEY: "GEMINI_KEY_HERE",
        },
      },
      peekaboo: { enabled: true },
      sag: { enabled: false },
    },
  },
}
For built-in image generation/editing, prefer agents.defaults.imageGenerationModel plus the core image_generate tool. skills.entries.* is only for custom or third-party skill workflows. If you select a specific image provider/model, also configure that provider’s auth/API key. Typical examples: GEMINI_API_KEY or GOOGLE_API_KEY for google/*, OPENAI_API_KEY for openai/*, and FAL_KEY for fal/*. Examples:
  • Native Nano Banana-style setup: agents.defaults.imageGenerationModel.primary: "google/gemini-3.1-flash-image-preview"
  • Native fal setup: agents.defaults.imageGenerationModel.primary: "fal/fal-ai/flux/dev"

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Agent skill allowlists

Use agent config when you want the same machine/workspace skill roots, but a different visible skill set per agent. 
{
  agents: {
    defaults: {
      skills: ["github", "weather"],
    },
    list: [
      { id: "writer" }, // inherits defaults -> github, weather
      { id: "docs", skills: ["docs-search"] }, // replaces defaults
      { id: "locked-down", skills: [] }, // no skills
    ],
  },
}
Rules:
  • agents.defaults.skills: shared baseline allowlist for agents that omit agents.list[].skills.
  • Omit agents.defaults.skills to leave skills unrestricted by default.
  • agents.list[].skills: explicit final skill set for that agent; it does not merge with defaults.
  • agents.list[].skills: []: expose no skills for that agent.

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Fields

  • Built-in skill roots always include ~/.openclaw/skills, ~/.agents/skills, <workspace>/.agents/skills, and <workspace>/skills.
  • allowBundled: optional allowlist for bundled skills only. When set, only bundled skills in the list are eligible (managed, agent, and workspace skills unaffected).
  • load.extraDirs: additional skill directories to scan (lowest precedence).
  • load.watch: watch skill folders and refresh the skills snapshot (default: true).
  • load.watchDebounceMs: debounce for skill watcher events in milliseconds (default: 250).
  • install.preferBrew: prefer brew installers when available (default: true).
  • install.nodeManager: node installer preference (npm | pnpm | yarn | bun, default: npm). This only affects skill installs; the Gateway runtime should still be Node (Bun not recommended for WhatsApp/Telegram).
    • openclaw setup --node-manager is narrower and currently accepts npm, pnpm, or bun. Set skills.install.nodeManager: "yarn" manually if you want Yarn-backed skill installs.
  • entries.<skillKey>: per-skill overrides.
  • agents.defaults.skills: optional default skill allowlist inherited by agents that omit agents.list[].skills.
  • agents.list[].skills: optional per-agent final skill allowlist; explicit lists replace inherited defaults instead of merging.
Per-skill fields:
  • enabled: set false to disable a skill even if it’s bundled/installed.
  • env: environment variables injected for the agent run (only if not already set).
  • apiKey: optional convenience for skills that declare a primary env var. Supports plaintext string or SecretRef object ({ source, provider, id }).

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Notes

  • Keys under entries map to the skill name by default. If a skill defines metadata.openclaw.skillKey, use that key instead.
  • Load precedence is <workspace>/skills → <workspace>/.agents/skills → ~/.agents/skills → ~/.openclaw/skills → bundled skills → skills.load.extraDirs.
  • Changes to skills are picked up on the next agent turn when the watcher is enabled.

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Sandboxed skills + env vars

When a session is sandboxed, skill processes run inside Docker. The sandbox does not inherit the host process.env. Use one of:
  • agents.defaults.sandbox.docker.env (or per-agent agents.list[].sandbox.docker.env)
  • bake the env into your custom sandbox image
Global env and skills.entries.<skill>.env/apiKey apply to host runs only.