How do I install the Scout skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add lord1egypt/scout 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 Scout safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. Independent scanners report: SkillSpector: PASS, Skill Scanner: PASS. Capability flags: docs only. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Scout?

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 Scout free to use?

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

Lord1Egypt (@lord1egypt) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Scout by lord1egypt — Agent Skill

Name: Scout
Rating: 4.5 (4 reviews)
Author: Lord1Egypt

Scout

Automate update tracking for OpenClaw and any other GitHub-released tools. Scout monitors your watchlist weekly, reviews release notes with a security lens, checks for post-release regressions, and posts a recommendation card before asking for approval — so you always know what changed and why before anything gets installed. Use when checking for available updates, reviewing a release link, running a periodic software health check, or adding new tools to monitor. Never installs anything without explicit approval.

Lord1Egypt Updated Sep 8, 2026 2 repo stars

File contents

Scout — Software Update Advisor

Scout monitors GitHub releases for watched tools, reviews release notes, assesses risk, and recommends whether to upgrade. It never installs anything without explicit approval.

Running a Check

python3 scripts/check_updates.py
# structured output:
python3 scripts/check_updates.py --json

Config is read from ~/.config/scout/watchlist.json. Created automatically on first run with openclaw as the default.

Adding a Tool (conversational)

When a user wants to add a tool, ask for:

GitHub repo (e.g. owner/repo)
How to detect the installed version (command, npm, pip, or file)

Then run:

python3 scripts/add_tool.py \
  --name "tool-name" \
  --repo "owner/repo" \
  --detect-type command \
  --detect-cmd "tool --version" \
  --version-prefix "v" \
  --notes "What this tool does"

See references/watchlist.md for supported detect types and examples.

Verifying a Release

Before recommending any upgrade, run the issue checker:

python3 scripts/verify_release.py --repo owner/repo --since YYYY-MM-DD

Reports bug-labeled issues and regression keywords created after the release date.

Skipping a Version

When a user decides to skip an update:

python3 scripts/skip_release.py --tool toolname --version v1.2.3 --reason "why"
# list skipped:
python3 scripts/skip_release.py --list
# un-skip:
python3 scripts/skip_release.py --clear --tool toolname

Skipped versions are stored in ~/.config/scout/skip_list.json and suppressed from future check_updates.py output.

Review Workflow

For every update found, produce a full recommendation card before asking for approval:

🔔 Update: <tool name> <installed> → <latest>
   Source: <GitHub repo> by <author/org>
   Released: <date>

Risk: 🟢/🟡/🔴 <level>

What changed:
- <plain-language summary>
- <note security fixes, breaking changes, new permissions>

Impact on our setup:
- <what this touches in config/workflow>
- <anything requiring config changes or re-auth>

Post-release issues: <none found / list any regressions>

Recommendation: <Upgrade now / Wait / Skip>
Reason: <one sentence>

Never ask "want me to upgrade X?" without the full card. The user needs enough context to decide without prior knowledge of the tool.

Risk levels:

🟢 Low — patch/fix only, no config changes, no new permissions
🟡 Medium — new features, minor config additions, optional breaking changes
🔴 High — breaking changes, auth changes, schema migrations, security patches

After Approval

Run the appropriate install command for the tool
Validate config if applicable (openclaw config validate)
Restart services if needed
Confirm health

Skill Health Review

Periodically review your own skills against OpenClaw best practices:

python3 scripts/review_skills.py [--skills-dir /path/to/skills]

Checks each skill for structural issues and quality improvements. Reports findings — all changes require explicit approval before applying.

Periodic Use

Add to heartbeat or weekly cron. Recommended cadence: weekly (Sundays).

---name: scoutdescription: Automate update tracking for OpenClaw and any other GitHub-released tools. Scout monitors your watchlist weekly, reviews release notes with a security lens, checks for post-release regressions, and posts a recommendation card before asking for approval — so you always know what changed and why before anything gets installed. Use when checking for available updates, reviewing a release link, running a periodic software health check, or adding new tools to monitor. Never installs anything without explicit approval.---# Scout — Software Update AdvisorScout monitors GitHub releases for watched tools, reviews release notes, assesses risk, and recommends whether to upgrade. It never installs anything without explicit approval.## Running a Check```bashpython3 scripts/check_updates.py# structured output:python3 scripts/check_updates.py --json```Config is read from `~/.config/scout/watchlist.json`. Created automatically on first run with openclaw as the default.## Adding a Tool (conversational)When a user wants to add a tool, ask for:1. GitHub repo (e.g. `owner/repo`)2. How to detect the installed version (command, npm, pip, or file)Then run:```bashpython3 scripts/add_tool.py \ --name "tool-name" \ --repo "owner/repo" \ --detect-type command \ --detect-cmd "tool --version" \ --version-prefix "v" \ --notes "What this tool does"```See `references/watchlist.md` for supported detect types and examples.## Verifying a ReleaseBefore recommending any upgrade, run the issue checker:```bashpython3 scripts/verify_release.py --repo owner/repo --since YYYY-MM-DD```Reports bug-labeled issues and regression keywords created after the release date.## Skipping a VersionWhen a user decides to skip an update:```bashpython3 scripts/skip_release.py --tool toolname --version v1.2.3 --reason "why"# list skipped:python3 scripts/skip_release.py --list# un-skip:python3 scripts/skip_release.py --clear --tool toolname```Skipped versions are stored in `~/.config/scout/skip_list.json` and suppressed from future `check_updates.py` output.## Review WorkflowFor every update found, produce a full recommendation card before asking for approval:```🔔 Update: <tool name> <installed> → <latest> Source: <GitHub repo> by <author/org> Released: <date>Risk: 🟢/🟡/🔴 <level>What changed:- <plain-language summary>- <note security fixes, breaking changes, new permissions>Impact on our setup:- <what this touches in config/workflow>- <anything requiring config changes or re-auth>Post-release issues: <none found / list any regressions>Recommendation: <Upgrade now / Wait / Skip>Reason: <one sentence>```Never ask "want me to upgrade X?" without the full card. The user needs enough context to decide without prior knowledge of the tool.**Risk levels:**- 🟢 Low — patch/fix only, no config changes, no new permissions- 🟡 Medium — new features, minor config additions, optional breaking changes- 🔴 High — breaking changes, auth changes, schema migrations, security patches## After Approval1. Run the appropriate install command for the tool2. Validate config if applicable (`openclaw config validate`)3. Restart services if needed4. Confirm health## Skill Health ReviewPeriodically review your own skills against OpenClaw best practices:```bashpython3 scripts/review_skills.py [--skills-dir /path/to/skills]```Checks each skill for structural issues and quality improvements. Reports findings — all changes require explicit approval before applying.## Periodic UseAdd to heartbeat or weekly cron. Recommended cadence: weekly (Sundays).

Frequently asked questions