Build Custom OpenClaw Skills
Create your own secure OpenClaw skills from scratch. Learn the AgentSkills spec, parameters, API integration, testing, multi-step workflows, and safe publishing to ClawHub.
Using AI skills is useful. Building your own is a superpower. When you create a custom skill, you’re packaging your expertise into something any AI agent can run — repeatedly, reliably, and shareable with the world.
The AgentSkills spec works across Claude Code, VS Code Copilot, Codex CLI, Cursor, and more. Skills you build aren’t locked to one platform. And you don’t need to be a programmer to make one — SKILL.md files are just structured Markdown.
This course takes you from “never built a skill” to “published on ClawHub” in eight lessons.
You’ll build your first working skill in Lesson 2, then progressively add more power: parameters and variables for flexible inputs, API integrations for connecting to external services, testing frameworks for making sure your skill actually works, and multi-step workflows for complex tasks.
Security gets a full lesson because public skills need to be safe. You’ll learn the seven most common attack vectors and how to defend against each one. The capstone walks you through the full publishing workflow.
What You'll Learn
- Explain the AgentSkills specification structure and progressive disclosure pattern
- Create a working SKILL.md with proper YAML frontmatter and instruction blocks
- Implement parameterized skills using $ARGUMENTS and shell expansion syntax
- Design secure API integrations with credential isolation and error handling
- Use Promptfoo and Cisco Skill Scanner to test and validate skills
- Build multi-step workflows using subagents and task orchestration
- Apply the security checklist to prevent the 7 common skill attack vectors
- Execute the publishing workflow for ClawHub and GitHub following quality and safety standards
After This Course, You Can
What You'll Build
Course Syllabus
Prerequisites
- Completed 'OpenClaw for Everyone' course (or equivalent OpenClaw familiarity)
- Basic comfort with text editors and file management
- Understanding of API concepts (helpful but not required)
Who Is This For?
- OpenClaw users who've been using community skills and want to build their own
- Developers who want to package their workflows into reusable, shareable AI tools
- Prompt engineers ready to go beyond single-use prompts and create parameterized, testable skill packages
- Anyone who's built Custom GPTs and wants the same idea but portable across every major AI agent
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to know how to code?
Not for basic skills. SKILL.md files are Markdown — plain text with some structure. For advanced skills with API integrations or scripts, basic familiarity with concepts like API keys and JSON helps, but we explain everything step by step.
Do skills only work with OpenClaw?
No! The AgentSkills standard works across Claude Code, VS Code Copilot, Codex CLI, Cursor, and more. Skills you build here are portable across all compliant agents.
How is this different from prompt engineering?
Prompt engineering is about writing good instructions for a single conversation. Skill building packages those instructions into reusable, shareable, parameterized tools that any agent can use — with proper testing and security.
Will I learn how to publish skills publicly?
Yes. Lesson 8 covers publishing to ClawHub and GitHub, including the security checks your skill should pass before going public.
