How do I install the Control Os skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add 88plug/control-os in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Control Os safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Control Os?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Control Os free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Control Os?

88plug (@88plug) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Control Os by 88plug — Agent Skill

Name: Control Os
Author: 88plug

Control Os

Control and inspect the local Linux host through systemd, journald, logind, and D-Bus via the os-control MCP. Use this whenever the user wants to manage or diagnose the machine itself rather than files or GUIs: "restart/stop/start/enable the X service", "is X running / why did it crash", "show me the logs for X / what's in the journal", "what's eating CPU/RAM/disk", "list failed units", "reboot/suspend/power off the box", "notify me on the desktop when Y", "what's on the system D-Bus". Prefer it over raw `kill`/ad-hoc shell for service and power management — it uses the sanctioned interfaces (systemctl/loginctl/journalctl/busctl) and has guards that stop you from cutting off your own access. NOT for editing files, GUI apps (use screen-mcp), or remote hosts.

88plug c61678b 3.6 KB Updated Sep 17, 2026

File contents

Controlling the OS with os-control-mcp

The sanctioned "motor cortex" for the host: act through systemd / logind / journald / D-Bus, not raw PID hacks.

Full tool inventory (22):

Sense: os_diag, os_services, os_journal, os_resources, os_processes, os_pressure, os_net, os_disk, os_hardware, os_containers, os_sensors, os_session, os_verify
Act: os_service, os_power, os_dbus, os_time, os_hostname, os_locale, os_notify
Confirm / meta: os_wait, os_reload

The loop: sense → act → confirm

Sense first. os_diag (health, privilege, backends) → observe with os_services / os_journal / os_resources / os_processes / os_pressure / os_net / os_disk / os_hardware / os_containers / os_sensors / os_session. Understand state before changing it.
Act through the sanctioned tool. os_service (start/stop/restart/enable/…), os_power (suspend/reboot/poweroff), os_dbus / os_time / os_hostname / os_locale / os_notify.
Confirm. os_wait and/or re-run os_services unit=… / os_journal unit=… — don't assume the action took.

The two guards (and how to pass them)

Self-preservation guard. A severing action (stop/restart/disable/mask/kill) on a unit the agent depends on — dbus, systemd-logind, sshd, NetworkManager/networkd, tailscaled, the user@… session, goosed, etc. — is REFUSED. This stops you cutting off your own bus / login / network / remote access. If you genuinely mean it, pass force=true. (start/enable/reload are never blocked.)
Power confirm. os_power is irreversible/disruptive → refused unless confirm=true. State what you're about to do, then call with confirm=true.
D-Bus call. os_dbus op=call has side effects → needs force=true. list/tree/introspect are free.

Privilege

Read-only tools work unprivileged. System-scope mutations (os_service on system units, os_power) need root or polkit — when not root the server tries sudo -n; if that's not set up it tells you plainly. Options: run goosed/the server as root, add passwordless sudo for systemctl, or a polkit rule. scope="user" manages the user's own units with no root.

Patterns

Diagnose a crash: os_services unit=foo.service (state/last result) → os_journal unit=foo.service priority=err lines=80 → fix → os_service unit=foo.service action=restart → confirm.
Find the hog: os_resources → os_processes by=cpu (or by=mem) → act.
Health sweep: os_services state=failed to list everything broken at once.
Reach the human: os_notify summary="build done" urgency=normal.

Pairs with screen-mcp (GUI eyes+hands), NATS (messaging), and A2A (inter-agent) for a full-stack agent: sense the kernel/services, act on the system, drive the desktop, coordinate the fleet.

---name: control-osdescription: Control and inspect the local Linux host through systemd, journald, logind, and D-Bus via the os-control MCP. Use this whenever the user wants to manage or diagnose the machine itself rather than files or GUIs: "restart/stop/start/enable the X service", "is X running / why did it crash", "show me the logs for X / what's in the journal", "what's eating CPU/RAM/disk", "list failed units", "reboot/suspend/power off the box", "notify me on the desktop when Y", "what's on the system D-Bus". Prefer it over raw `kill`/ad-hoc shell for service and power management — it uses the sanctioned interfaces (systemctl/loginctl/journalctl/busctl) and has guards that stop you from cutting off your own access. NOT for editing files, GUI apps (use screen-mcp), or remote hosts.---# Controlling the OS with os-control-mcpThe sanctioned "motor cortex" for the host: act through systemd / logind / journald / D-Bus, not raw PID hacks.**Full tool inventory (22):**- **Sense:** `os_diag`, `os_services`, `os_journal`, `os_resources`, `os_processes`, `os_pressure`, `os_net`, `os_disk`, `os_hardware`, `os_containers`, `os_sensors`, `os_session`, `os_verify`- **Act:** `os_service`, `os_power`, `os_dbus`, `os_time`, `os_hostname`, `os_locale`, `os_notify`- **Confirm / meta:** `os_wait`, `os_reload`## The loop: sense → act → confirm1. **Sense first.** `os_diag` (health, privilege, backends) → observe with `os_services` / `os_journal` / `os_resources` / `os_processes` / `os_pressure` / `os_net` / `os_disk` / `os_hardware` / `os_containers` / `os_sensors` / `os_session`. Understand state before changing it.2. **Act through the sanctioned tool.** `os_service` (start/stop/restart/enable/…), `os_power` (suspend/reboot/poweroff), `os_dbus` / `os_time` / `os_hostname` / `os_locale` / `os_notify`.3. **Confirm.** `os_wait` and/or re-run `os_services unit=…` / `os_journal unit=…` — don't assume the action took.## The two guards (and how to pass them)- **Self-preservation guard.** A *severing* action (stop/restart/disable/mask/kill) on a unit the agent depends on — `dbus`, `systemd-logind`, `sshd`, `NetworkManager`/networkd, `tailscaled`, the `user@…` session, `goosed`, etc. — is **REFUSED**. This stops you cutting off your own bus / login / network / remote access. If you genuinely mean it, pass `force=true`. (start/enable/reload are never blocked.)- **Power confirm.** `os_power` is irreversible/disruptive → **refused unless `confirm=true`**. State what you're about to do, then call with `confirm=true`.- **D-Bus call.** `os_dbus op=call` has side effects → needs `force=true`. `list`/`tree`/`introspect` are free.## PrivilegeRead-only tools work unprivileged. **System-scope mutations** (`os_service` on system units, `os_power`) need root or polkit — when not root the server tries `sudo -n`; if that's not set up it tells you plainly. Options: run goosed/the server as root, add passwordless sudo for `systemctl`, or a polkit rule. `scope="user"` manages the user's own units with no root.## Patterns- **Diagnose a crash:** `os_services unit=foo.service` (state/last result) → `os_journal unit=foo.service priority=err lines=80` → fix → `os_service unit=foo.service action=restart` → confirm.- **Find the hog:** `os_resources` → `os_processes by=cpu` (or `by=mem`) → act.- **Health sweep:** `os_services state=failed` to list everything broken at once.- **Reach the human:** `os_notify summary="build done" urgency=normal`.Pairs with **screen-mcp** (GUI eyes+hands), **NATS** (messaging), and **A2A** (inter-agent) for a full-stack agent: sense the kernel/services, act on the system, drive the desktop, coordinate the fleet.

Frequently asked questions