Installing AI Skills

This guide walks through the complete technical process of installing, configuring, and integrating AI skills from OpenCreditAi into your AI agent workflows. Whether you're using Claude Code, OpenAI Agents SDK, or a custom agent runtime, the installation patterns covered here apply universally.

Prerequisites

Before installing your first skill, ensure your environment meets these requirements:

• • Node.js 18+ or Python 3.10+ (depending on skill implementation)
• • npm 9+ or pip for package management
• • A crypto wallet (MetaMask, WalletConnect) for paid skills
• • An AI agent runtime with tool-calling capability

Understanding the SKILL.md Standard

OpenCreditAi skills follow the emerging SKILL.md specification—a markdown-based skill definition format that describes what a skill does, what inputs it accepts, and how it should be invoked.

Every skill on OpenCreditAi ships with a SKILL.md file that contains:

---
name: sec-filing-summarizer
description: Fetches and summarizes SEC filings with focus on risk factors and MD&A sections.
user-invokable: true
args:
  - name: ticker
    type: string
    required: true
    description: Stock ticker symbol (e.g., AAPL, MSFT)
  - name: filing_type
    type: string
    required: false
    description: Type of filing (10-K, 10-Q, 8-K)
    default: 10-K
---

This metadata is what allows OpenCreditAi's crawler to index and surface skills to buyers. It's also what your agent runtime uses to validate inputs before invoking a skill.

Installation Methods

Method 1: npm Installation (Recommended for Node.js Projects)

For skills implemented in JavaScript or TypeScript, install via npm:

npm install @opencreditai/sec-filing-summarizer

Or using the OpenCreditAi CLI:

npx clawhub@latest install sec-filing-summarizer

The CLI handles authentication, wallet connection, and skill discovery in one command. After installation, the skill is available in your project's node_modules/@opencreditai/ directory.

Method 2: Direct SKILL.md Reference

For custom agent runtimes, you can reference a skill directly by its SKILL.md URL:

https://opencreditai.com/skills/sec-filing-summarizer/SKILL.md

Your agent runtime fetches this file, parses the metadata, and invokes the skill's execution endpoint directly.

Method 3: GitHub Integration

Many skills are also published to GitHub with the SKILL.md file in the repository root. Clone the repository and reference the local SKILL.md:

git clone https://github.com/creator/sec-filing-skill.git

Configuring Your Agent Runtime

After installation, configure your AI agent to use the skill. Below are examples for popular runtimes.

Claude Code

Add the skill to your .claude/skills/ directory:

mkdir -p .claude/skills
cp -r node_modules/@opencreditai/sec-filing-summarizer .claude/skills/

Reference it in your CLAUDE.md or invoke it directly via the skill's tool interface. Claude Code's tool system automatically discovers skills in this directory.

OpenAI Agents SDK

from agents import Agent
from opencreditai import sec_filing_summarizer

agent = Agent(
    name="Financial Analyst",
    instructions="You are a financial research assistant.",
    tools=[sec_filing_summarizer]
)

result = agent.run("Summarize Tesla's latest 10-K filing.")

Custom Runtime (HTTP Invocation)

For custom runtimes, skills expose a standardized HTTP endpoint. Invoke them via POST:

curl -X POST https://api.opencreditai.com/skills/sec-filing-summarizer/invoke \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SKILL_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "ticker": "TSLA",
    "filing_type": "10-K"
  }'

Authentication and Payment Setup

For paid skills, you need to connect your wallet and set up x402 payment authorization.

Step 1: Connect Your Wallet

npx clawhub@latest auth

This opens a browser window for wallet authentication (MetaMask or WalletConnect). Your wallet address is linked to your OpenCreditAi account for USDC settlement.

Step 2: Fund Your Account

Add USDC to your OpenCreditAi account balance. Minimum balance depends on your skill usage. x402 holds funds in escrow at the time of task assignment—there's no per-transaction credit card fee.

Step 3: Grant Skill Permissions

For skills that make external API calls (e.g., financial data providers), grant explicit permission:

npx clawhub@latest permissions grant sec-filing-summarizer api:sec-edgar

Permissions are scoped to specific capabilities and can be revoked at any time.

Environment Variables and Secrets

Many skills require API keys or configuration values. Store these in your project's .env file:

# .env
SEC_EDGAR_API_KEY=your_sec_edgar_key
ALPHA_VANTAGE_API_KEY=your_alpha_vantage_key
OPENWEATHER_API_KEY=your_openweather_key

Skills access these via the standard process.env interface. Never commit .env to version control—add it to your .gitignore.

Verifying Installation

After installation, verify the skill is correctly installed and accessible:

List Installed Skills

npx clawhub@latest list

Output shows all installed skills with their versions and status.

Test a Skill Invocation

npx clawhub@latest invoke sec-filing-summarizer \
  --ticker AAPL \
  --filing_type 10-K

If successful, you receive the skill's output directly in your terminal.

Check Skill Health

npx clawhub@latest doctor sec-filing-summarizer

This runs a health check that verifies network connectivity, API key validity, and payment authorization.

Troubleshooting Common Installation Issues

Issue: MODULE_NOT_FOUND after npm install

Cause: The skill package was installed in the wrong directory, or your Node.js path isn't configured correctly.

Fix:

npm install @opencreditai/sec-filing-summarizer --save
# Verify installation
ls node_modules/@opencreditai/

Issue: x402 Payment Required error

Cause: Your account balance is insufficient, or x402 escrow couldn't be established.

Fix:

# Check balance
npx clawhub@latest balance

# Add funds
npx clawhub@latest deposit --amount 10 --currency USDC

Issue: Permission Denied for skill invocation

Cause: The skill requires specific permissions you haven't granted.

Fix:

npx clawhub@latest permissions list
npx clawhub@latest permissions grant <skill-name> <permission-scope>

Issue: Skill returns null or empty output

Cause: Input arguments may be malformed, or the skill's execution endpoint is returning an error silently.

Fix:

# Enable verbose logging
npx clawhub@latest invoke <skill-name> --verbose --args '{"ticker":"AAPL"}'

Issue: Network timeout on invocation

Cause: The skill's execution endpoint is slow or unreachable.

Fix:

# Set a custom timeout (in seconds)
npx clawhub@latest invoke <skill-name> --timeout 60 --args '{"ticker":"AAPL"}'

Updating and Uninstalling Skills

Update to Latest Version

npx clawhub@latest update sec-filing-summarizer

Updates are additive—your configuration and usage history persist.

Uninstall a Skill

npx clawhub@latest uninstall sec-filing-summarizer

This removes the skill package from node_modules but preserves your usage history and any local configuration.

Advanced: Building Your Own Skill Installer

If you're building a custom agent runtime, integrate OpenCreditAi's installer SDK:

npm install @opencreditai/installer-sdk

import { OpenCreditAiInstaller } from '@opencreditai/installer-sdk';

const installer = new OpenCreditAiInstaller({
  walletAddress: process.env.WALLET_ADDRESS,
  apiKey: process.env.OPENCREDITAI_API_KEY,
});

await installer.install('sec-filing-summarizer');
const result = await installer.invoke('sec-filing-summarizer', {
  ticker: 'AAPL',
  filing_type: '10-K'
});

The SDK handles skill discovery, installation, authentication, payment escrow, and invocation under a single interface.

FAQ: Installing AI Skills

Can I install skills without a wallet?

Yes—free skills don't require a wallet. Only paid skills need wallet authentication for x402 USDC settlement.

Are skills sandboxed from each other?

Skills run in isolated execution environments. A misbehaving skill cannot access data from another skill or your agent's conversation history.

Can I install the same skill on multiple projects?

Yes. Each project has its own skill installation. There's no limit on concurrent installations across projects.

Do skills work offline?

Most skills require network access to function (they fetch data or call external APIs). Some skills ship with local fallback data for offline use—check the skill's documentation.

How do I report a broken skill?

Use npx clawhub@latest report <skill-name> with a description of the issue. OpenCreditAi's trust and safety team reviews reports within 24 hours and may issue refunds for non-functional skills.

Ready to Install Your First Skill?

Head to the OpenCreditAi Marketplace and browse skills by category. Each skill page shows installation commands, pricing, and documentation.

For sellers: List your own skill and start earning USDC today.

Disclaimer: Technical implementation details may vary by skill. Always refer to the specific skill's documentation for the most accurate installation and configuration instructions.