# Skill Explorer > A systematic framework for discovering, evaluating, and comparing OpenClaw skills. Use when you need to find the right skill for a specific task, compare multiple options, or assess skill quality a... - Skill: `modbender/skill-explorer` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add modbender/skill-explorer` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/modbender/skill-explorer/raw - Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector CAUTION) - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Productivity - Author: modbender (https://skillmd.com/u/modbender) - Updated: 2026-09-09 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/modbender/skill-explorer --- # skill-explorer A systematic framework for discovering, evaluating, and comparing OpenClaw skills. Use when you need to find the right skill for a specific task, compare multiple options, or assess skill quality and safety. ## Overview This skill provides a battle-tested workflow for skill exploration: 1. **Demand Analysis** → Clarify what you need 2. **Search & Discovery** → Find relevant skills 3. **Information Gathering** → Collect metrics and details 4. **Lateral Exploration** → Find alternatives and competitors 5. **Deep Dive** → Download and inspect skill files 6. **Safety Assessment** → Security review 7. **Synthesis & Report** → Output comparison and recommendations 8. **Decision Support** → Present options for user approval --- ## When to Use This Skill Use skill-explorer when: - You need to find a skill for a specific task - You want to compare multiple similar skills - You need to evaluate skill quality before installation - You're doing security review of a skill - You want to discover related or complementary skills --- ## The Exploration Workflow ### Phase 1: Demand Analysis **Clarify the requirements:** ``` What task does the user need to accomplish? What are the must-have vs nice-to-have features? Any constraints (budget, platform, language)? What's the priority: functionality, popularity, or safety? ``` **Document the search criteria:** - Primary keywords - Secondary/alternative terms - Platform constraints (e.g., "must work with Chinese market") - Safety requirements (e.g., "no network access") --- ### Phase 2: Search & Discovery **Primary search:** ```bash clawhub search clawhub search ``` **Capture initial results:** Record top 5-10 results with: - Skill name - Relevance score - First impression of summary --- ### Phase 3: Information Gathering **For each promising skill, collect:** ```bash clawhub inspect --json ``` **Extract key metrics:** | Metric | Why It Matters | |--------|---------------| | `stats.stars` | Community quality indicator | | `stats.downloads` | Popularity/visibility | | `stats.installsAllTime` | Actual adoption | | `stats.installsCurrent` | Active usage (low churn = good) | | `stats.versions` | Maintenance activity | | `owner.handle` | Developer reputation | | `updatedAt` | Freshness | **Read SKILL.md:** - Core functionality - Use cases - Prerequisites - Integration requirements --- ### Phase 4: Lateral Exploration **Find alternatives and complements:** ```bash # Search with related keywords clawhub search clawhub search # Look for broader/narrower skills clawhub search clawhub search ``` **Expand the candidate pool:** - Direct competitors (same function) - Partial overlaps (related function) - Complementary skills (work together) - Domain-specific variants (e.g., "CN" versions) --- ### Phase 5: Deep Dive **Download and inspect promising skills:** ```bash # Install to temp directory for inspection cd /tmp && mkdir skill-check cd skill-check && clawhub install ``` **File structure analysis:** ```bash find . -type f | sort ``` **Look for:** - `SKILL.md` - Main documentation - `scripts/` - Executable code - `package.json` / `requirements.txt` - Dependencies - `_meta.json` - Metadata - Hidden files or unusual structures --- ### Phase 6: Safety Assessment **Static code analysis:** ```bash # Check for suspicious patterns grep -r -E "(eval\(|exec\(|Function\(|atob\(|btoa\()" . grep -r -E "(crypto|encrypt|decrypt|base64|0x[0-9a-f]{20,})" . # Check for network/API calls grep -r -E "(https?://|api\.|token|key|secret|password)" . # Check for file system operations grep -r -E "(fs\.|writeFile|readFile|unlink|chmod)" . ``` **Risk classification:** | Level | Indicators | |-------|-----------| | 🟢 Low | Pure documentation, no scripts, no network | | 🟡 Medium | Scripts but official APIs only, read-only ops | | 🔴 High | Obfuscated code, unknown network endpoints, write operations | **Special checks:** - [ ] VirusTotal warnings (verify if false positive) - [ ] Hardcoded credentials or tokens - [ ] External dependencies (npm/pip packages) - [ ] Permission requirements (camera, microphone, etc.) --- ### Phase 7: Synthesis & Report **Create comparison table:** ```markdown | Skill | Stars | Installs | Safety | Best For | |-------|-------|----------|--------|----------| | skill-a | ⭐⭐ 25 | 45 | 🟢 | General use | | skill-b | ⭐ 8 | 12 | 🟢 | Specific niche | | skill-c | ⭐⭐⭐ 60 | 120 | 🟡 | Power users | ``` **Write detailed analysis:** 1. **Executive Summary** - Top 2-3 recommendations 2. **Detailed Comparison** - Feature-by-feature analysis 3. **Safety Assessment** - Security findings 4. **Use Case Mapping** - Which skill fits which scenario 5. **Installation Guide** - Prerequisites and steps --- ### Phase 8: Decision Support **Present clear options:** ``` ## Recommendation ### Option A: Best Overall → [skill-name] - Why: Highest quality + safety - Trade-off: May lack advanced features ### Option B: Most Popular → [skill-name] - Why: Community validated - Trade-off: Higher complexity ### Option C: Specific Need → [skill-name] - Why: Perfect fit for [specific use case] - Trade-off: Less generalizable ``` **Get user approval:** - Present options with trade-offs - Ask for priority (functionality vs safety vs popularity) - Wait for explicit approval before installation - Document approved skills for installation queue --- ## Best Practices ### Do's - ✅ Always check multiple similar skills (don't settle for first result) - ✅ Download and inspect before recommending installation - ✅ Document security findings clearly - ✅ Consider the user's specific context (language, platform, expertise) - ✅ Update EVOLUTION.md after installation ### Don'ts - ❌ Don't recommend based on downloads alone - ❌ Don't skip security checks even for popular skills - ❌ Don't install without explicit user approval - ❌ Don't ignore VirusTotal warnings without investigation - ❌ Don't overlook maintenance status (old updates = risk) --- ## Integration with Evolution System After completing an exploration: 1. **Update EVOLUTION.md:** - Add discovered skills to "待学习" list - Note priority and context - Link to exploration report 2. **Create exploration report:** - Save to `reports/skill-exploration-{topic}.md` - Include all findings and recommendations - Reference in future decisions 3. **Track decisions:** - Document which skills were approved/declined - Note reasons for future reference - Update after installation and usage --- ## Example Output Template ```markdown # Skill Exploration Report: [Topic] ## Executive Summary Recommended: [skill-name] (⭐⭐ 50 stars, 80 installs, 🟢 safe) ## Skills Discovered ### Tier 1: Strong Candidates | Skill | Stars | Installs | Safety | Verdict | |-------|-------|----------|--------|---------| | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ### Tier 2: Alternatives ... ## Detailed Analysis ### [skill-name] **Overview:** ... **Strengths:** ... **Weaknesses:** ... **Safety Review:** ... **Best For:** ... ## Recommendations 1. **Install:** [skill] - [reason] 2. **Consider:** [skill] - [reason] 3. **Skip:** [skill] - [reason] ## Next Steps - [ ] User approval for recommended skills - [ ] Security review for approved skills - [ ] Installation and testing - [ ] Update EVOLUTION.md ``` --- ## Related Skills - **marketing-mode** - For go-to-market strategy after skill selection - **tweet-writer** - For promoting discovered skills - **skill-creator** - For creating your own skills based on gaps found --- *This skill helps you make informed decisions about skill adoption, ensuring you find the right tool for the job while maintaining security standards.*