How do I install the Openclaw Update Checker skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add modbender/openclaw-update-checker 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 Openclaw Update Checker safe to use?

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

Which AI agents work with Openclaw Update Checker?

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 Openclaw Update Checker free to use?

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

Who published Openclaw Update Checker?

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

Openclaw Update Checker by modbender

Name: Openclaw Update Checker
Rating: 4.2 (5 reviews)
Author: modbender

Openclaw Update Checker

Check for OpenClaw updates by comparing installed version against the npm registry. Use when: user asks about updates, version status, or 'is openclaw up to date'. Also useful in heartbeats/cron for periodic update monitoring. Read-only — reports status only, does not modify the system.

modbender Updated Sep 9, 2026 12 repo stars

File contents

OpenClaw Update Checker

Read-only version checker. Compares the installed OpenClaw version against the npm registry and reports whether updates are available. Does not install, modify, or restart anything.

Usage

# Human-readable output
python3 scripts/check_update.py

# Machine-readable JSON (for dashboards, cron, integrations)
python3 scripts/check_update.py --format json

Output

Text mode: One-liner if current, or a summary showing installed vs latest version and number of versions behind.

JSON mode:

{
  "installed": "2026.2.21-2",
  "latest": "2026.2.21-2",
  "up_to_date": true,
  "newer_versions": [],
  "changelog_url": "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/releases/tag/v2026.2.21"
}

How It Works

Reads the installed version from the local package.json file at known npm global install paths (/usr/lib/node_modules/openclaw/package.json or /usr/local/lib/node_modules/openclaw/package.json)
Queries the npm registry via an HTTPS GET request to https://registry.npmjs.org/openclaw using Python's urllib.request (stdlib)
Compares versions and reports the result

What It Does NOT Do

Does not install or update any packages
Does not write to any files
Does not restart any services
Does not execute any subprocesses or shell commands

System Access

File reads: /usr/lib/node_modules/openclaw/package.json and /usr/local/lib/node_modules/openclaw/package.json (read-only, to determine installed version)
Network: Single HTTPS GET to https://registry.npmjs.org/openclaw (read-only, no authentication, to fetch available versions)

Requirements

Python 3.10+ (uses str | None type union syntax)
OpenClaw installed globally via npm
Outbound HTTPS access to registry.npmjs.org

---name: openclaw-update-checkerdescription: Check for OpenClaw updates by comparing installed version against the npm registry. Use when: user asks about updates, version status, or 'is openclaw up to date'. Also useful in heartbeats/cron for periodic update monitoring. Read-only — reports status only, does not modify the system.--- # OpenClaw Update Checker Read-only version checker. Compares the installed OpenClaw version against the npm registry and reports whether updates are available. Does not install, modify, or restart anything. ## Usage ```bash # Human-readable output python3 scripts/check_update.py # Machine-readable JSON (for dashboards, cron, integrations) python3 scripts/check_update.py --format json ``` ## Output **Text mode:** One-liner if current, or a summary showing installed vs latest version and number of versions behind. **JSON mode:** ```json { "installed": "2026.2.21-2", "latest": "2026.2.21-2", "up_to_date": true, "newer_versions": [], "changelog_url": "https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/releases/tag/v2026.2.21" } ``` ## How It Works 1. **Reads the installed version** from the local `package.json` file at known npm global install paths (`/usr/lib/node_modules/openclaw/package.json` or `/usr/local/lib/node_modules/openclaw/package.json`) 2. **Queries the npm registry** via an HTTPS GET request to `https://registry.npmjs.org/openclaw` using Python's `urllib.request` (stdlib) 3. **Compares versions** and reports the result ## What It Does NOT Do - Does not install or update any packages - Does not write to any files - Does not restart any services - Does not execute any subprocesses or shell commands ## System Access - **File reads:** `/usr/lib/node_modules/openclaw/package.json` and `/usr/local/lib/node_modules/openclaw/package.json` (read-only, to determine installed version) - **Network:** Single HTTPS GET to `https://registry.npmjs.org/openclaw` (read-only, no authentication, to fetch available versions) ## Requirements - Python 3.10+ (uses `str | None` type union syntax) - OpenClaw installed globally via npm - Outbound HTTPS access to `registry.npmjs.org`

Frequently asked questions