ClawHub CLI: Search, Install, and Manage AI Skills in 60 Seconds

Browsing the marketplace is fine for discovery. But once you know what you want, the ClawHub CLI is how you get it done — no browser, no copy-paste, no friction.

This tutorial covers the three commands you'll use every day: clawhub search, clawhub install, and clawhub inspect. By the end, you'll be pulling skills into any project faster than you can open a browser tab.

Prerequisites

You need:

• Claude Code installed and authenticated (claude --version should work)
• Node.js 18+ for the ClawHub CLI
• A terminal

Install the ClawHub CLI

npm install -g clawhub

Verify the installation:

clawhub --version
# clawhub v1.x.x

Authenticate with your ClawHub account:

clawhub auth login

This opens a browser window to complete OAuth. Once done, your token is stored locally and you won't need to log in again.

clawhub search: Find the Right Skill Fast

The search command queries the ClawHub registry and returns matching skills with key metadata — install count, rating, type, and a one-line description.

Basic Search

clawhub search "git commit"

Output:

Found 4 skills matching "git commit"

  conventional-commits     ★ 4.8  ↓ 12,400  command
  commit-message-ai        ★ 4.6  ↓  8,900  command
  git-workflow-suite       ★ 4.7  ↓ 15,200  plugin
  semantic-release-ai      ★ 4.3  ↓  4,100  command

Run `clawhub inspect <skill-name>` for full details.

Filter by Type

Skills come in three types: command (slash commands), plugin (multi-capability bundles), and agent (autonomous workflows). Filter to narrow results:

clawhub search "browser automation" --type agent
clawhub search "code review" --type command

Filter by Category

clawhub search "testing" --category development
clawhub search "writing" --category productivity

Sort by Popularity or Rating

clawhub search "documentation" --sort installs
clawhub search "refactor" --sort rating

Search Flags Reference

clawhub inspect: Read Before You Install

Never install a skill blind. The inspect command pulls the full skill manifest — what it does, what permissions it needs, which files it touches, and who published it.

clawhub inspect conventional-commits

Output:

conventional-commits v2.1.0
Published by: verified-publisher
Rating: ★ 4.8 (234 reviews)
Installs: 12,400

Description:
  Generates Conventional Commit messages from your staged changes.
  Analyzes diffs, infers change type (feat/fix/chore), and formats
  messages to the spec. Works with commitizen and semantic-release.

Type: command
Invocation: /commit

Permissions:
  - Read: git diff, git log
  - Write: git commit (requires confirmation)
  - Network: none

Files created:
  ~/.claude/commands/commit.md

Compatibility:
  Claude Code: >=1.2.0
  Node.js: >=18

Install: clawhub install conventional-commits

What to Check Before Installing

1. Permissions — Does the skill need network access? Write access to which files?
2. Publisher verification — Look for the verified-publisher badge
3. Compatibility — Check your Claude Code version matches
4. Install count and rating — High installs + high rating = battle-tested

Inspect Multiple Skills

Compare options side by side:

clawhub inspect agent-browser
clawhub inspect playwright-automation

clawhub install: Add a Skill to Your Project

Once you've found and inspected a skill, installation is one command:

clawhub install conventional-commits

Output:

Installing conventional-commits v2.1.0...
  ✓ Fetching manifest
  ✓ Verifying signature
  ✓ Installing to ~/.claude/commands/commit.md
  ✓ Updating skill registry

Done. Use /commit in Claude Code to activate.

Install to a Specific Project

By default, skills install globally. For project-local installation (useful for team projects):

clawhub install conventional-commits --local

This installs to .claude/commands/ in your current directory. Commit it to your repo and every team member gets the skill automatically.

Install a Specific Version

clawhub install conventional-commits@2.0.0

Install Multiple Skills at Once

clawhub install conventional-commits code-review-ai test-generator

Install from a SKILL.md File

If you have a SKILL.md file locally (e.g., you're developing your own skill):

clawhub install ./my-skill/SKILL.md

Managing Installed Skills

List All Installed Skills

clawhub list

Output:

Installed skills (global):

  conventional-commits  v2.1.0  command  /commit
  code-review-ai        v1.4.0  command  /review
  agent-browser         v3.0.1  agent    /agent-browser

3 skills installed globally.
Run `clawhub list --local` for project-specific skills.

Update a Skill

clawhub update conventional-commits
clawhub update --all  # Update everything

Remove a Skill

clawhub uninstall conventional-commits

Check for Updates

clawhub outdated

2 skills have updates available:

  conventional-commits  v2.1.0 → v2.2.0  (patch)
  agent-browser         v3.0.1 → v3.1.0  (minor)

Run `clawhub update --all` to update everything.

Practical Workflow: From Idea to Running in Under 60 Seconds

Here's the full workflow in practice. Say you want to add browser automation to your project:

# 1. Search for what exists
clawhub search "browser automation" --sort installs

# 2. Inspect the top result
clawhub inspect agent-browser

# 3. Install it
clawhub install agent-browser

# 4. Open Claude Code and use it
# /agent-browser navigate to https://example.com and take a screenshot

Total time: under 60 seconds from idea to working capability.

Troubleshooting

clawhub: command not found — Run npm install -g clawhub and ensure your global npm bin is in $PATH.

Authentication required — Run clawhub auth login to re-authenticate.

Incompatible Claude Code version — Update Claude Code: npm update -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code.

Permission denied — Use sudo npm install -g clawhub or fix your npm global directory permissions.

Next Steps

With the CLI installed, explore what's possible:

• Browse the full skill catalog to find skills for your workflow
• Read the publishing guide if you want to share your own skills
• Try the self-improving agent for a more advanced skill

The ClawHub CLI is your fastest path to a Claude Code setup that actually matches how you work.