🤖 Ghostwritten by GPT 5.4 · Fact-checked & edited by Claude Opus 4.6 · Curated by Tom Hundley
OpenClaw v2026.3.23 makes plugins much easier to find, install, and understand. The big change: instead of hunting for packages and guessing which command to use, you can now use the ClawHub plugin registry and the newer openclaw plugins command for cleaner plugin discovery, installation, and management. If you want to install compatible Codex, Claude, or Cursor bundles, this release also improves bundle installation with skill mapping — OpenClaw's way of translating outside bundle features into OpenClaw-friendly skills.
That matters because the gap in earlier coverage was not "what ClawHub is." We already covered that in OpenClaw v2026.3.22: ClawHub Plugin Registry Guide. What many vibe coders still needed was the everyday workflow: which command to use now, what a bundle actually does after install, how skill mapping works in plain English, and what to do when two plugins fight each other. This guide is that missing piece.
Think of OpenClaw's new plugin ecosystem like an app shelf plus an adapter kit. ClawHub helps you find the right add-on. The new command installs it the right way. Skill mapping helps OpenClaw understand bundles that were originally built for nearby tools.
TL;DR: OpenClaw v2026.3.23 separates plugin management from hook viewing, improves bundle compatibility, and makes ClawHub the default starting point for plugin discovery.
If you used earlier versions, the most important mindset shift is this: plugins are now first-class, hooks are secondary. In older workflows, people often reached for openclaw hooks because that was the closest thing to "show me what extras I have." In OpenClaw v2026.3.23, the cleaner path is the openclaw plugins command.
In plain English:
A practical way to think about it: a plugin is the toolbox, a hook is one tool inside it, and a bundle is a whole starter garage someone packed for another brand of workbench. OpenClaw v2026.3.23 is better at opening that garage and labeling the tools correctly.
The release also reduces friction in two places people kept stumbling:
Hook-pack installation now routes through plugin management instead of making openclaw hooks do too much. That keeps openclaw hooks focused on visibility rather than acting like a half-hidden installer.
Compatible Codex, Claude, and Cursor bundles can be installed with better skill mapping. If you've ever copied a community setup and then wondered why OpenClaw did not "get" it, this is the improvement you were waiting for.
Instead of searching random package listings, the ClawHub plugin registry gives OpenClaw users a more native place to start.
GitHub's 2024 developer survey found that AI tools are now used by a clear majority of professional developers and a large share of learners. That wider adoption increases the value of standard plugin discovery because more people are sharing reusable bundles and add-ons. The Stack Overflow 2024 Developer Survey similarly found AI-assisted development has become mainstream across experience levels — exactly why simpler, safer install flows matter for non-traditional builders.
TL;DR: Start with ClawHub for plugin discovery, then use the openclaw plugins command to inspect, install, and verify what you added.
If you are a vibe coder, here is the easiest mental model: ClawHub is the app store shelf, and openclaw plugins is the cashier plus receipt. You browse in ClawHub, then install and check through OpenClaw.
Open ClawHub and look for a plugin that solves one small problem first. Good starter examples:
Do not start by installing five things at once. One of the fastest ways to confuse yourself is stacking add-ons before you know which one changed what.
Before you install, check:
If you need help understanding what a plugin might touch in your project, read OpenClaw Workspace Files Setup Guide first. It gives helpful context for how OpenClaw organizes local working context.
Here are example commands you can paste into documentation or hand to your AI coding tool when it walks you through setup:
openclaw plugins search calendar
openclaw plugins info plugin-name
openclaw plugins install plugin-name
openclaw plugins listYour exact plugin name will vary, but the pattern matters:
| Task | Older mental model | OpenClaw v2026.3.23 approach |
|---|---|---|
| Find something | Search around manually | Use ClawHub for plugin discovery |
| Inspect details | Guess from README text | openclaw plugins info ... |
| Install add-on | Sometimes via hooks flow | openclaw plugins install ... |
| See what's active | Mixed commands | openclaw plugins list |
| Review triggers | Hooks as install path | openclaw hooks for visibility |
That table is the core upgrade. The openclaw plugins command is now the source of truth for plugin management.
Paste this into Cursor, Replit, Bolt, or whatever AI builder you use:
I am using OpenClaw v2026.3.23 and I want to safely install one plugin from ClawHub. Explain each step in plain English. First help me search for a plugin, then inspect its details, then install it, then verify it is active. Do not assume I know terminal commands. Explain what each command means before you show it.
TL;DR: Bundle installation brings in packaged capabilities from other AI ecosystems, and skill mapping helps OpenClaw translate those capabilities into actions it understands.
This is the part that sounds technical but is actually pretty intuitive.
Imagine your friend gives you a set of labeled kitchen drawers from another house. The utensils are useful, but the labels do not match your kitchen. Skill mapping is the relabeling step. OpenClaw looks at what the incoming bundle is trying to do and matches it to the closest OpenClaw skill.
That matters for compatible Codex, Claude, and Cursor bundles because those ecosystems often package helpers differently. OpenClaw v2026.3.23 improves the handoff.
Say a bundle includes:
OpenClaw may map those into its own skill names and usage patterns so they appear more naturally inside your workflow. You do not need to memorize the internal mechanics. You only need to know that a bundle may arrive with one vocabulary and end up usable through OpenClaw's vocabulary.
A typical bundle installation pattern may look like this:
openclaw plugins install bundle-name
openclaw plugins info bundle-name
openclaw plugins list
openclaw hooksWhy check hooks at the end? Because after installation, you want to see what new actions became available. In OpenClaw v2026.3.23, that is the right order: install through plugins, inspect behavior through hooks.
If it is compatible, OpenClaw tries to map it. If not, you may see partial support or missing behavior. That is not necessarily a bug — sometimes a bundle expects features that do not exist in OpenClaw, or it assumes a different workspace layout.
This is where you should be patient and check package notes. Anthropic has written publicly about tool use and structured assistant behavior becoming more important in modern AI workflows, and OpenAI has pushed more agent-like development patterns into mainstream tools. The practical result is that cross-tool bundles are becoming more common, but they still need translation.
Help me install a compatible OpenClaw bundle and explain skill mapping like I am new to this. After installation, show me how to check which skills or hooks appeared, and explain any mismatches in plain English.
TL;DR: Most plugin problems come from overlap, version mismatch, or unclear bundle behavior — and you can usually fix them by isolating one change at a time.
When two plugins conflict, it usually feels mysterious. In reality, it is often one of three things:
Look for these symptoms:
Follow this order slowly:
openclaw plugins listopenclaw plugins info plugin-nameopenclaw hooks to see what new actions were exposedExample commands:
openclaw plugins list
openclaw plugins info plugin-name
openclaw hooks
openclaw plugins remove plugin-nameIf you are using an AI assistant to help, be very literal. Say what changed and when. For example:
Yesterday my formatting plugin worked. Today I installed a Cursor-compatible bundle. Now replies are duplicated. Help me compare the newly installed bundle with my existing plugins and identify overlap one step at a time.
That kind of prompt works better than "it broke."
Before you troubleshoot too deeply, make sure you are current on OpenClaw security fixes. If you missed recent hardening work, read OpenClaw v2026.3.11 Security Fix Guide and CVE-2026-25253: Lock Down Your OpenClaw API Tokens Now. A plugin problem and a security problem can look similar from the outside, especially when permissions are involved.
TL;DR: Treat third-party plugins like giving someone a key to one room in your house — check who made it, what door it opens, and whether you can take the key back.
This is the part too many people skip because installation is finally easier. Easier does not mean risk-free.
A plugin may ask OpenClaw to read files, access messages, or interact with outside services. Even if the package is listed in the ClawHub plugin registry, you should still vet it. A registry helps with discovery, but it is not a guarantee of safety.
Before installing a third-party package, ask:
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has long recommended least privilege — giving software only the access it truly needs. CISA guidance on software supply chain risk points in the same direction: know what you install, where it came from, and what it can reach.
Tomorrow, we will dig into a practical "plugin cleanup" routine for people whose OpenClaw setup has become a junk drawer. If your install list is getting messy, come back tomorrow and share this with someone who uses OpenClaw.
openclaw plugins is for managing installable add-ons: searching, inspecting, installing, listing, and removing them. openclaw hooks is now better thought of as a visibility tool that shows the actions or triggers those plugins expose. In OpenClaw v2026.3.23, plugin management should start with the plugins command. The key distinction is that plugins handles lifecycle (install, remove, update) while hooks handles introspection (what can this plugin do?).
Skill mapping is OpenClaw's way of translating features from compatible external bundles into OpenClaw-friendly capabilities. When a Codex, Claude, or Cursor bundle uses different labels or structure, OpenClaw attempts to match those to its own skill definitions so the bundle becomes usable inside your normal workflow. The mapping is automatic during installation, but you can inspect the results with openclaw plugins info bundle-name.
Sometimes, if the bundle is compatible and OpenClaw can map it properly. The improvement in OpenClaw v2026.3.23 is that bundle installation is more deliberate and better at handling this translation. Some bundles may only work partially if they expect features OpenClaw does not support. Check the package notes on ClawHub for compatibility details before installing.
Common signs include duplicated behavior, missing expected actions, or a workflow changing right after a new install. The fastest way to diagnose it is to list your plugins, inspect the newest one, review visible hooks, and remove only one suspect package at a time. Keeping a simple install log (even a text file with dates and plugin names) makes this much easier.
No registry should be trusted blindly. ClawHub improves plugin discovery and makes community packages easier to find, but you should still review publisher details, permissions, documentation quality, and package scope before installing anything in a real workspace. Think of ClawHub as a curated directory, not a security guarantee.
openclaw plugins commandThe real win in OpenClaw v2026.3.23 is not just that there are more plugins. It is that the workflow finally makes sense for normal humans: discover through ClawHub, install with the openclaw plugins command, inspect what appeared, and use skill mapping to make outside bundles feel native. That is a much better foundation for vibe coders who want useful add-ons without turning their setup into a mystery box.
Try one small plugin or one compatible bundle today, keep notes, and pay attention to what changes after install. Then come back tomorrow, and share this with someone who uses OpenClaw.
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