🤖 Ghostwritten by Claude Opus 4.6 · Fact-checked & edited by GPT 5.4 · Curated by Tom Hundley
OpenClaw v2026.3.28-beta.1 brings ClawHub into the CLI, so you can search, install, and update plugins without leaving your editor. In practice, that means three core commands matter most: openclaw skills search, openclaw skills install, and openclaw skills update. The new plugin@marketplace syntax also shortens installs to a single command.
This guide focuses on the hands-on workflow: how to search the marketplace, install a plugin or a full bundle, update what you already have, and vet plugins before you trust them. If you want background on earlier workflows, see how bundle installation works and the basics of skill installation.
The OpenClaw release notes for v2026.3.28-beta.1 describe expanded marketplace integration. Below, we'll stick to the commands and checks most likely to matter in day-to-day use.
TL;DR: openclaw skills search lets you browse ClawHub plugins by keyword and, where supported, narrow results by bundle.
If you've ever searched an app store, the flow will feel familiar: enter a keyword and review the results.
Open your terminal and run:
openclaw skills search gmailThis queries ClawHub and returns matching plugins. Depending on your OpenClaw version and output format, you may see fields such as the plugin name, author, rating, downloads, or bundle compatibility.
A typical result might include columns like these:
| Name | Author | Downloads | Rating | Bundle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| gmail-send | clawhub-official | 12.4k | ★★★★☆ | claude, cursor |
| gmail-reader | community-dev | 3.1k | ★★★☆☆ | cursor |
| gmail-automation | clawhub-official | 8.7k | ★★★★★ | claude, codex, cursor |
Treat that table as illustrative rather than guaranteed output. Exact fields may vary by release.
If your version supports bundle filtering, you can narrow results to plugins packaged for a specific tool:
openclaw skills search gmail --bundle cursorThat helps you focus on plugins already grouped for Cursor. The same pattern may work for --bundle claude or --bundle codex, depending on the bundle names exposed by your release.
Bundles are useful because they reduce guesswork. Instead of assembling a stack plugin by plugin, you start with a curated set that should work together more cleanly.
TL;DR: plugin@marketplace gives you a shorter way to install a marketplace plugin directly from ClawHub.
Before native marketplace flows, installation often meant copying a package name from a website, editing configuration, and restarting the tool. With marketplace shorthand, the happy path is simpler:
openclaw skills install gmail-automation@marketplaceThe @marketplace suffix tells OpenClaw to resolve that plugin from ClawHub rather than from a local or manually configured source.
In a typical install flow, OpenClaw will:
You may see output similar to this:
✓ gmail-automation v2.1.0 installed from ClawHub
Skills added: gmail.send, gmail.read, gmail.label, gmail.draft
Bundle compatibility: claude ✓ codex ✓ cursor ✓Again, treat the exact wording as representative. CLI output can change between beta releases.
If you've previously used a manual setup path, the marketplace version may be easier to maintain because updates can be discovered through the same native commands. For a related setup path, see AgentSkills method for Gmail.
You may also be able to install a full bundle instead of individual plugins:
openclaw skills install --bundle cursorThat installs the plugins included in the official Cursor bundle for your release. Bundle size can change over time, so avoid assuming a fixed plugin count unless the release notes specify one.
TL;DR: openclaw skills update checks installed marketplace plugins for newer versions, and --apply installs them.
Plugins need maintenance. Security fixes, compatibility updates, and feature releases all land over time. To check what changed:
openclaw skills updateA review-first flow might look like this:
2 updates available:
gmail-automation v2.1.0 → v2.1.3
slack-notify v1.4.0 → v1.5.0
Run 'openclaw skills update --apply' to install all updates.When you're ready to proceed:
openclaw skills update --applyTo update one plugin:
openclaw skills update gmail-automation@marketplaceA practical habit is to check for updates on a regular schedule, especially if you rely on third-party plugins.
TL;DR: Most install problems come down to naming mistakes, compatibility mismatches, or plugin conflicts.
When an install fails, start with the simplest explanation and work outward.
The plugin name may be misspelled, renamed, or no longer available. Try a broader search:
openclaw skills search gmailIf your release supports fuzzy matching, partial terms can help surface the correct package.
Two plugins may be trying to register the same skill name or overlapping functionality. Check for conflicts:
openclaw skills list --conflictsThen remove the plugin you don't need:
openclaw skills remove [plugin-name]Some plugins require a newer OpenClaw release than the one you're running. Check your version:
openclaw --versionIf needed, update OpenClaw first. The v2026.3.28 Beta Release Guide covers the upgrade path.
TL;DR: Check the publisher, requested permissions, maintenance history, and bundle inclusion before installing any marketplace plugin.
ClawHub is a marketplace, not a guarantee of trust. Native install flows make plugin setup faster, but they do not remove the need for judgment.
Before installing a plugin, inspect its details:
openclaw skills info [plugin-name]@marketplaceLook for these signals:
| Check | Better Sign | Red Flag |
|---|---|---|
| Author | Official publisher or recognizable organization | Unknown author with little history |
| Permissions | Requests only what the plugin clearly needs | Broad file system, network, or account access without a clear reason |
| Downloads | Meaningful adoption relative to the niche | Very low usage with no explanation |
| Bundle inclusion | Included in an official bundle | Not included anywhere and poorly documented |
| Last updated | Maintained recently | Stale with no visible maintenance |
A few cautions:
If a plugin asks for permissions that don't fit its purpose, stop there. A weather plugin should not need broad file access. For a deeper review process, see How to Safely Install and Vet ClawHub Plugins. If your OpenClaw instance is internet-facing, also review CVE-2026-25253 before expanding plugin access.
TL;DR: Use your AI assistant to compare plugin options, but verify the final choice yourself with skills info.
Paste this into your AI tool:
I want to find and install OpenClaw plugins for [your use case, such as "email automation" or "Slack notifications"].
Please run 'openclaw skills search [keyword] --bundle [cursor/claude/codex]'
and help me compare the options based on publisher, permissions, maintenance signals, and bundle inclusion.Then verify the recommendation manually before installing anything.
openclaw skills search lets you browse ClawHub from the CLIplugin@marketplace shortens marketplace installs to a single commandopenclaw skills update helps you review and apply plugin updatesopenclaw skills info should be part of every install decisionClawHub's native flows make plugin management much smoother: search in the CLI, install with @marketplace, and update from the same interface. That's a real usability improvement, especially for teams that want fewer manual steps and less configuration drift.
The tradeoff is that convenience can make it easier to install something you haven't properly reviewed. Use the native commands, but keep the vetting habit. If you want help designing a safer plugin workflow for your team, Elegant Software Solutions can help you evaluate tooling, permissions, and rollout practices before they become a support problem.
It tells OpenClaw to resolve that plugin from the marketplace source, ClawHub, rather than from a manual or local source. In practice, it shortens installation and makes the source explicit.
If your release exposes official bundles, yes. Use openclaw skills install --bundle cursor or the equivalent bundle name for your tool. Bundle contents can change by release, so check what is included before relying on it in team documentation.
No. Marketplace availability is not the same as a security review. Check the publisher, permissions, maintenance history, and whether the plugin appears in an official bundle before installing.
Run openclaw skills update regularly, review what changed, and then apply updates intentionally. In production or shared environments, test important plugin updates before rolling them out broadly.
A plugin adds one capability. A bundle is a curated collection of plugins grouped for a specific workflow or tool. Bundles are useful for faster setup, but they are still made of individual plugins you should understand.
We'll cover custom bundle creation: how to assemble your own plugin bundle, share it with a team, and pin versions so everyone starts from the same baseline.
Found this useful? Share it with someone who's still installing OpenClaw plugins the hard way. And if your team needs a cleaner plugin rollout process, talk to Elegant Software Solutions.
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