Plugin Creator

README

# Plugin Creator

Build and debug OpenClaw plugins, hooks, tools, skills, and slash commands.

`plugin-creator` is an English-first Agent Skill for building, reviewing, and debugging OpenClaw plugins with clearer reasoning, cleaner boundaries, and stronger validation before install.

It is designed to teach both the SDK details and the design philosophy behind:

- hooks
- tools
- skills
- slash commands
- plugin structure
- validation before install
- failure handling and debugging

## At a glance

- explains **when** a feature belongs in a hook, tool, skill, or command
- teaches how to split one user request into the smallest correct plugin boundary
- includes a practical pre-install validation gate
- ships English-first reference docs plus a bundled example plugin snapshot
- helps debug “plugin loaded, but still not usable” problems

## What this skill is for

Use `plugin-creator` when you need to:

- create a new OpenClaw plugin
- redesign or split an existing plugin
- decide whether a feature belongs in a hook, tool, skill, or command
- write `openclaw.plugin.json`
- validate a plugin before installation
- debug why a plugin loads but is not usable at runtime

## Why this repository exists

Many plugin guides explain *how* to register a tool or command, but do not explain *why* a feature should live in one mechanism instead of another.

This repository tries to close that gap.

The skill teaches:

- the mental model for hooks vs tools vs skills vs slash commands
- how to decompose user needs into the smallest correct plugin boundary
- how to verify manifest, registration, runtime, and surface behavior separately
- how to handle abnormal cases instead of designing only for the happy path

## Who this is for

This repository is useful if you are:

- building your first OpenClaw plugin
- migrating plugin ideas from prompts into a real plugin package
- trying to understand hook vs tool vs skill vs slash command boundaries
- preparing a plugin for local install or remote handoff
- debugging why a plugin looks registered but is still unavailable at runtime

## Repository layout

```text
.
├── README.md
├── SKILL.md
└── references/
    ├── example-map.md
    ├── hooks-and-events.md
    ├── official-docs.md
    ├── pitfalls-and-debugging.md
    ├── plugin-layout-and-registration.md
    ├── testing-and-workflow.md
    └── observability-lab-source/
```

## Highlights

- English-first documentation
- Search-friendly wording for plugin, hook, tool, skill, and slash command workflows
- Pre-install validation guidance
- In-repo example map and bundled example plugin snapshot
- Practical debugging and failure-handling guidance

## How to use

1. Start with `SKILL.md`
2. Jump into the matching reference guide based on your task
3. Use the example snapshot in `references/observability-lab-source/` when you need a concrete plugin layout
4. Validate manifest, registration, runtime, and surface behavior separately before install

## Search-friendly repository description

If you want a short GitHub repository description, use:

> Build and debug OpenClaw plugins, hooks, tools, skills, and slash commands.

## License

This project is released under the MIT License.

That means commercial use is allowed, but the copyright notice and license text must stay included in copies or substantial portions of the project.

## Related OpenClaw docs

- `https://docs.openclaw.ai/plugins/building-plugins`
- `https://docs.openclaw.ai/plugins/sdk-overview`
- `https://docs.openclaw.ai/plugins/manifest`
- `https://docs.openclaw.ai/tools/plugin`
- `https://docs.openclaw.ai/tools/skills`
- `https://docs.openclaw.ai/tools/slash-commands`
- `https://docs.openclaw.ai/automation/hooks`