6 replies

How to create skill that uses javascript

✅Solved

I use js everyday at my 9-5 so would like to use it for my skill scripts.

I can create a skills that use python scripts, but anytime I try to use a javascript file it complains about not finding the tool.

I've searched far and wide but can't find a tutorial for even a simple hello world type output using javascript.

Let's take this example...

We got this folder:

/Users/jackrobson/.openclaw/skills/joke-get

/Users/jackrobson/.openclaw/skills/joke-get

That has two files:
(1) ./skills/joke-get/SKILL.md:

---
name: joke-get
description: Get a random joke and return the JSON response
user-invocable: true
metadata: {"openclaw": {"requires": {"bins": ["node"]}}}
---

# Joke Get

Retrieve a random joke from the Official Joke API.

Run:

    node {baseDir}/joke_get.js

Return the JSON exactly as received.

---
name: joke-get
description: Get a random joke and return the JSON response
user-invocable: true
metadata: {"openclaw": {"requires": {"bins": ["node"]}}}
---

# Joke Get

Retrieve a random joke from the Official Joke API.

Run:

    node {baseDir}/joke_get.js

Return the JSON exactly as received.

(2) ./skills/joke-get/joke_get.js:

const https = require("https")

const url = "https://official-joke-api.appspot.com/random_joke"

https.get(url, (res) => {
    let data = ""

    res.on("data", chunk => {
        data += chunk
    })

    res.on("end", () => {
        try {
            const json = JSON.parse(data)
            console.log(JSON.stringify(json, null, 2))
        } catch (err) {
            console.error("parse error")
            console.error(data)
        }
    })
}).on("error", err => {
    console.error("request error:", err.message)
})

const https = require("https")

const url = "https://official-joke-api.appspot.com/random_joke"

https.get(url, (res) => {
    let data = ""

    res.on("data", chunk => {
        data += chunk
    })

    res.on("end", () => {
        try {
            const json = JSON.parse(data)
            console.log(JSON.stringify(json, null, 2))
        } catch (err) {
            console.error("parse error")
            console.error(data)
        }
    })
}).on("error", err => {
    console.error("request error:", err.message)
})

Output:
If I run

/skill get-joke

/skill get-joke

/get-joke

/get-joke

It says:

I am sorry, but I encountered an error. The 'joke-get' tool was not found. I can't tell you a joke right now. Is there anything else I can help you with?

I am sorry, but I encountered an error. The 'joke-get' tool was not found. I can't tell you a joke right now. Is there anything else I can help you with?

What am I missing?

Solution

That error almost always means the skill never made it into the “eligible skills” list, so when

/skill …

/skill …

rewrites your message to “Use the
joke-get
joke-get
skill…” the model can’t actually see it and ends up saying “tool not found”.

Here are the 3 common gotchas + how to confirm which one you hit:

1) The skill is on the wrong machine (remote mode)

If your Gateway is running on a VPS/docker/other Mac, then

~/.openclaw/skills/...

~/.openclaw/skills/...

must exist on the Gateway host, not your laptop.

Docs mention this explicitly for skills in remote mode: https://docs.openclaw.ai/platforms/mac/skills

2) It’s being filtered out by

requires.bins

requires.bins

(Node not on PATH for the Gateway process)

You added:

metadata: {"openclaw": {"requires": {"bins": ["node"]}}}

metadata: {"openclaw": {"requires": {"bins": ["node"]}}}

So OpenClaw will hide the skill unless the

node

node

binary is found on the Gateway’s PATH (and PATH can differ a lot if the Gateway is running as a service/launchd).

Jump to solution

FotC�

Friends of the Crustacean 🦞🤝•14h ago•

6 replies

Jack Robson

How to create skill that uses javascript

✅Solved

/Users/jackrobson/.openclaw/skills/joke-get

/Users/jackrobson/.openclaw/skills/joke-get

That has two files:
(1) ./skills/joke-get/SKILL.md:

---
name: joke-get
description: Get a random joke and return the JSON response
user-invocable: true
metadata: {"openclaw": {"requires": {"bins": ["node"]}}}
---

# Joke Get

Retrieve a random joke from the Official Joke API.

Run:

    node {baseDir}/joke_get.js

Return the JSON exactly as received.

---
name: joke-get
description: Get a random joke and return the JSON response
user-invocable: true
metadata: {"openclaw": {"requires": {"bins": ["node"]}}}
---

# Joke Get

Retrieve a random joke from the Official Joke API.

Run:

    node {baseDir}/joke_get.js

Return the JSON exactly as received.

(2) ./skills/joke-get/joke_get.js:

const https = require("https")

const url = "https://official-joke-api.appspot.com/random_joke"

https.get(url, (res) => {
    let data = ""

    res.on("data", chunk => {
        data += chunk
    })

    res.on("end", () => {
        try {
            const json = JSON.parse(data)
            console.log(JSON.stringify(json, null, 2))
        } catch (err) {
            console.error("parse error")
            console.error(data)
        }
    })
}).on("error", err => {
    console.error("request error:", err.message)
})

const https = require("https")

const url = "https://official-joke-api.appspot.com/random_joke"

https.get(url, (res) => {
    let data = ""

    res.on("data", chunk => {
        data += chunk
    })

    res.on("end", () => {
        try {
            const json = JSON.parse(data)
            console.log(JSON.stringify(json, null, 2))
        } catch (err) {
            console.error("parse error")
            console.error(data)
        }
    })
}).on("error", err => {
    console.error("request error:", err.message)
})

Output:
If I run

/skill get-joke

/skill get-joke

/get-joke

/get-joke

It says:

I am sorry, but I encountered an error. The 'joke-get' tool was not found. I can't tell you a joke right now. Is there anything else I can help you with?

I am sorry, but I encountered an error. The 'joke-get' tool was not found. I can't tell you a joke right now. Is there anything else I can help you with?

What am I missing?

Solution

That error almost always means the skill never made it into the “eligible skills” list, so when

/skill …

/skill …

1) The skill is on the wrong machine (remote mode)

If your Gateway is running on a VPS/docker/other Mac, then

~/.openclaw/skills/...

~/.openclaw/skills/...

must exist on the Gateway host, not your laptop.

Docs mention this explicitly for skills in remote mode: https://docs.openclaw.ai/platforms/mac/skills

2) It’s being filtered out by

requires.bins

requires.bins

(Node not on PATH for the Gateway process)

You added:

metadata: {"openclaw": {"requires": {"bins": ["node"]}}}

metadata: {"openclaw": {"requires": {"bins": ["node"]}}}

So OpenClaw will hide the skill unless the

node

node

binary is found on the Gateway’s PATH (and PATH can differ a lot if the Gateway is running as a service/launchd).

Jump to solution

How to create skill that uses javascript

1) The skill is on the wrong machine (remote mode)

2) It’s being filtered out by
`requires.bins`
`requires.bins`
(Node not on PATH for the Gateway process)

How to create skill that uses javascript

1) The skill is on the wrong machine (remote mode)

2) It’s being filtered out by
`requires.bins`
`requires.bins`
(Node not on PATH for the Gateway process)

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How to create skill that uses javascript

1) The skill is on the wrong machine (remote mode)

2) It’s being filtered out by requires.binsrequires.bins (Node not on PATH for the Gateway process)

How to create skill that uses javascript

1) The skill is on the wrong machine (remote mode)

2) It’s being filtered out by requires.binsrequires.bins (Node not on PATH for the Gateway process)

Similar Threads

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2) It’s being filtered out by
`requires.bins`
`requires.bins`
(Node not on PATH for the Gateway process)

2) It’s being filtered out by
`requires.bins`
`requires.bins`
(Node not on PATH for the Gateway process)