# skills

List, inspect, and install agent skills

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `skills`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/skills

## Facts

- Tool: `skills`
- Server: OpenClaw (`openclaw`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw.md
- Install: `npx -y openclaw`
- Homepage: https://www.npmjs.com/package/openclaw
- Risk category: Write (Medium risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity verified
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 0
- Recommended policy verdict: Rate-limited

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "skills",
    "arguments": {}
  }
}
```

## Why skills is rated Medium

The tool supports listing and inspecting skills (Read operations) but also 'install agent skills', which modifies the agent's capabilities. Per the rules, the most severe applicable category wins, making this a Write operation. Severity is medium because installing skills could alter agent behavior significantly, but it appears reversible.

From the tool's own definition: "'install agent skills' implies creating or modifying agent configuration by adding new skills"

## Use case

AI agents use skills to create or update resources in OpenClaw, usually the action step of a workflow, after the agent has gathered context. Every call changes real data in your OpenClaw environment.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Rate-limited**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches OpenClaw:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "skills": {
      "limits": [
        {
          "counter": "skills_rate",
          "window": "minute",
          "max": 30,
          "scope": "grant"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

## Other tools on OpenClaw (128)

- `drop` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/drop.md
- `reset` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/reset.md
- `uninstall` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/uninstall.md
- `abort` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/abort.md
- `acp` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/acp.md
- `action` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/action.md
- `agent` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/agent.md
- `auth` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/auth.md
- `bash` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/bash.md
- `browser` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/browser.md
- `capability` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/capability.md
- `chat` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/chat.md
- `command` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/command.md
- `completion` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/completion.md
- `crestodian` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/crestodian.md
- `cron` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/cron.md
- `daemon` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/daemon.md
- `doctor` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/doctor.md
- `elevated` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/elevated.md
- `events_wait` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/events-wait.md
- `gateway` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/gateway.md
- `infer` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/infer.md
- `new` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/new.md
- `node` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/node.md
- `nodes` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/nodes.md
- `permissions_respond` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/permissions-respond.md
- `phone` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/phone.md
- `plugins` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/plugins.md
- `proxy` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/proxy.md
- `qa` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw/qa.md
- …and 98 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/openclaw.md

## For agents

This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry:

- Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack`
- Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md)
- Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events`

---

Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=openclaw · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/openclaw