How to Use Claw Directory: Find and Install the Right OpenClaw Skills

OpenClaw has over 3,500 skills. That number is a strength and a problem. Somewhere in those thousands of skills is exactly what you need — a TickTick integration, a Figma exporter, a Sonos controller. But finding it means sorting through hundreds of options, many of which are outdated, duplicated, or abandoned.

Claw Directory exists to solve that problem. It is a curated catalog of OpenClaw skills with categories, search, metadata, and quality signals. Instead of scrolling through a raw list, you browse a structured directory that surfaces the best options first.

This guide walks through how to use Claw Directory effectively: navigating by category, using search, reading skill pages, evaluating quality, and installing skills from the directory into your OpenClaw agent.

What Is Claw Directory?

Claw Directory is a curated skills directory for the OpenClaw ecosystem. It catalogs skills from the broader 3,500+ ecosystem, with descriptions, categories, metadata, and direct links to installation.

What makes it different from just browsing ClawHub:

• Curated — Not every skill makes it in. Skills are reviewed for basic quality before being listed
• Categorized — Skills are organized into categories like Media, Productivity, Development, and Smart Home
• Searchable — Full-text search across skill names, descriptions, and tags
• Metadata-rich — Each skill page shows the author, tags, category, and related skills
• Editorially reviewed — Featured picks and best-of lists highlight top options

The directory is not a marketplace. Every skill listed is free and open source. There are no paid listings, sponsored placements, or premium tiers.

Navigating by Category

The most common way to find skills is by category. Claw Directory organizes skills into groups based on what they do.

Available Categories

How to Browse a Category

Click any category from the homepage or navigation. The category page shows all skills in that group, sorted by relevance. Each skill entry displays:

• Name — The skill identifier used for installation
• Description — One-line summary of what it does
• Author — Who built and maintains it
• Tags — Keywords for finer-grained filtering

Browsing by category works best when you know the general area (media, productivity) but not the specific skill name. If you know what you are looking for, search is faster.

Using Search

The search bar on Claw Directory runs full-text search across skill names, descriptions, and tags. It is the fastest way to find a specific skill.

Search Tips

Search by tool name:

If you use a specific service (Figma, TickTick, Sonos), search for that name. The directory will show all skills that integrate with it.

• “figma” returns the figma skill and figma-design-toolkit
• “sonos” returns sonoscli and related audio skills
• “google” returns google-workspace-mcp and other Google integrations

Search by task:

Describe what you want to do. The search indexes descriptions, so task-oriented queries work well.

• “image generation” finds fal-ai, pollinations, runware, nvidia-image-gen
• “task management” finds ticktick, todoist, clickup
• “deploy azure” finds azd-deployment

Search by category keyword:

If you want to narrow down within a category, combine the category with a specific term.

• “media video” finds video-specific media skills
• “automation browser” finds browser automation skills
• “development database” finds database-related dev skills

When Search Returns Too Many Results

If your query is broad (like “ai” or “data”), you will get many results. Narrow your search with more specific terms or browse by category instead. The category pages have their own sorting and filtering.

Reading a Skill Page

Every skill on Claw Directory has its own page. Understanding what is on that page helps you evaluate whether a skill is worth installing.

Skill Page Anatomy

A typical skill page contains:

Header section:

• Skill name
• One-line description
• Author name
• Category badge
• Tags

Description section:

• Detailed explanation of what the skill does
• Key features and capabilities
• Use cases and examples

Metadata section:

• Author information
• Related skills
• Category links

What to Look For

When evaluating a skill from its directory page:

1. Description clarity — Does the skill page explain exactly what it does? Vague descriptions (“AI-powered tool for various tasks”) are a warning sign. Good skills state precisely what they integrate with and what actions they support.

2. Author — Is the author known in the OpenClaw community? Skills by active community members tend to be better maintained. Check if the author has other skills listed on the directory.

3. Tags — Tags indicate the skill’s scope. A skill with tags like “figma, design, export, tokens” tells you more about its capabilities than one with just “design.”

4. Related skills — The directory shows related skills on each page. This helps you find alternatives if the current skill does not fit, or complementary skills that work well together.

Understanding Skill Metadata

Metadata tells you about a skill’s provenance and context. Here is what each field means and why it matters.

Author

The person or organization that created and maintains the skill. Skills by known authors with multiple listings tend to be more reliable. An author with five well-maintained skills is more trustworthy than an anonymous single-skill listing.

Category

The primary category determines where the skill appears in the directory. Some skills could reasonably fit multiple categories. The assigned category reflects the skill’s primary use case.

Tags

Tags provide finer-grained classification. A skill in the “Media” category might have tags like “image, generation, ai, flux” to indicate it is specifically about AI image generation using FLUX models.

Tags are useful for:

• Understanding the skill’s specific capabilities
• Finding similar skills through tag-based navigation
• Evaluating whether the skill covers your use case

Installing Skills from the Directory

Once you find a skill you want, installation is one command.

Standard Installation

Every skill on Claw Directory is installable through ClawHub:

clawhub install skill-name

Replace skill-name with the exact skill name from the directory page. The name is case-sensitive.

Verify the Installation

After installing, confirm the skill is loaded:

openclaw skills list

The skill should appear in the list. If it does not, try reloading:

openclaw skills reload

Check for Prerequisites

Some skills require API keys or external accounts. The skill page and SKILL.md file document these requirements. Common prerequisites:

Set required environment variables before using the skill:

export SERVICE_API_KEY=your-key-here

Add these to your shell profile for persistence.

Trying Before Committing

Not sure a skill is right? Install it, test it for a day, and uninstall if it does not fit:

clawhub install skill-name
# ... use it for a while ...
clawhub uninstall skill-name

Skills install cleanly and uninstall cleanly. There is no risk in trying one out.

Curated Picks vs. Community Skills

Claw Directory features two types of listings: editorially curated picks and community-contributed skills.

Curated Picks

The Best Skills 2026 page and category highlights are editorial selections. These skills have been:

• Tested by the Claw Directory team
• Verified to install and run correctly
• Confirmed to have active maintenance
• Evaluated for real-world usefulness

Curated picks are the safest starting point. If you are new to OpenClaw or want reliable recommendations, start here.

Community Skills

The broader catalog includes all skills that meet baseline quality standards. Community skills are reviewed for basic functionality but may not have been extensively tested. They represent the full breadth of the ecosystem.

Community skills are worth exploring when:

• You need a niche integration (specific service or API)
• Curated picks do not cover your use case
• You want to discover new tools and capabilities

How to Spot a Good Community Skill

Even without editorial review, you can evaluate community skills:

1. Complete documentation — The SKILL.md should explain installation, configuration, and usage with examples
2. Active author — Check if the author has other skills or recent activity
3. Specific scope — Skills that do one thing well are more reliable than skills that try to do everything
4. Clear prerequisites — Good skills document their requirements upfront

Tips for Evaluating Skill Quality

Beyond the directory metadata, here are practical ways to assess whether a skill is worth installing.

Check the SKILL.md

After installing a skill, read its SKILL.md file:

cat ~/.openclaw/skills/skill-name/SKILL.md

A well-written SKILL.md includes:

• Clear description of capabilities
• Usage examples
• Configuration instructions
• Required environment variables
• Known limitations

A sparse or missing SKILL.md is a red flag. It means the skill may work but you will have to figure out how on your own.

Test with Simple Commands First

Before relying on a skill for important work, test it with basic operations. If a task management skill cannot reliably create a single task, it will not handle complex workflows.

Check for Duplicates

Multiple skills may cover the same service. For example, there may be several Notion-related skills in the ecosystem. Compare them before committing:

• Which one has better documentation?
• Which one covers more features?
• Which one is more actively maintained?

The directory helps here — related skills are listed on each skill page, making it easy to compare alternatives.

Consider Your Skill Count

Each installed skill adds context that your agent processes on every message. More skills means:

• Higher token usage (increased API cost)
• Longer response times
• Potential confusion about which skill to use

Install skills deliberately. Three well-chosen skills are better than fifteen you rarely use.

Common Workflows

Here are typical paths through the directory based on what you are trying to accomplish.

”I just set up OpenClaw and want to explore”

1. Visit the homepage and browse featured skills
2. Check Best Skills 2026 for top picks
3. Pick one category that interests you and browse it
4. Install one or two skills and try them

”I need a skill for a specific service”

1. Search for the service name (e.g., “figma”, “sonos”, “clickup”)
2. Compare results if multiple skills appear
3. Read skill pages and check metadata
4. Install the best match

”I want to build a productivity stack”

1. Browse productivity skills
2. Read our Best Productivity Skills 2026 for ranked recommendations
3. Install 2-3 skills that match your existing tools
4. Test each one for a few days before adding more

”I want to optimize my existing setup”

1. Run openclaw skills list to see what you have installed
2. Search the directory for each skill to check for updates or better alternatives
3. Uninstall unused skills to reduce noise
4. Check Best Skills 2026 for new additions

What to Try Next

• Browse the directory — Start at clawdir.com and explore by category or search
• Check the best skills — Visit Best Skills 2026 for curated top picks across every category
• Install your first skill — Pick one from the directory and install it with clawhub install skill-name
• Read the getting started guide — If you have not set up OpenClaw yet, the Getting Started guide covers installation through first skill
• Explore specific skills — Read our deep dives on figma, Sonos, or mcporter

FAQ

How many skills does Claw Directory list?

The directory catalogs a curated selection from the 3,500+ skills in the broader OpenClaw ecosystem. Not every skill is listed — the directory applies baseline quality standards. The exact count grows as new skills are reviewed and added.

Is Claw Directory the same as ClawHub?

No. ClawHub is the package manager and registry where skills are published and installed from (clawhub install skill-name). Claw Directory is a curated catalog with categories, search, metadata, and editorial content. Think of ClawHub as npm and Claw Directory as a curated list of the best npm packages.

How often is the directory updated?

New skills are added regularly as they are reviewed. Existing skill pages are updated when significant changes occur. The Best Skills 2026 page is refreshed as new standout skills emerge.

Can I submit my own skill to the directory?

The directory accepts submissions from the community. If you have built an OpenClaw skill and want it listed, check the submission guidelines on the site. Skills need to meet baseline quality standards: working installation, clear SKILL.md, and active maintenance.

Why are some popular skills not listed?

A skill might be popular but not meet the directory’s quality standards. Common reasons for exclusion: broken installation, missing documentation, abandoned maintenance (no updates in 6+ months), or functionality duplicated by a better-maintained alternative.

Summary

Claw Directory is the fastest way to find the right OpenClaw skills for your setup. Instead of searching through 3,500+ options, you browse a curated catalog organized by category and searchable by keyword.

Start with one skill that matches a tool you already use. Install it, try it for a few days, and add more as you find gaps. The directory will be here when you need it.