macOS

What This Skill Does

The macOS skill for OpenClaw empowers AI agents to perform complex system administration and automation tasks on Apple hardware. It bridges the gap between standard Linux-based automation expectations and the unique requirements of macOS (Darwin). The skill includes deep knowledge of BSD-variant command-line utilities, Homebrew package management, the Keychain security framework, launchd service management, and TCC (Transparency, Consent, and Control) privacy handling.

Installation

To integrate this skill into your environment, run the following command in your terminal: clawhub install openclaw/skills/skills/ivangdavila/macos Ensure your OpenClaw agent has the necessary permissions to execute shell commands and modify system configurations.

Use Cases

• Automated Environment Setup: Configuring new developer machines by installing homebrew formulas and setting user preferences via defaults.
• Secrets Management: Securely storing and retrieving API keys and tokens within the macOS Keychain for persistent agent access.
• Service Orchestration: Deploying and managing background daemons or agents using launchd and troubleshooting them via log show.
• Preferences Management: System-level configuration changes, such as enabling hidden Finder settings or adjusting system behaviors via preference domains.

Example Prompts

1. "OpenClaw, please securely store my OpenAI API key in the Keychain under the service name 'openclaw-agent'."
2. "I need to automate a cleanup script for my project directory. How can I use the BSD version of find to delete files older than 30 days without using -printf?"
3. "Check the status of my custom background service and list the last 10 minutes of logs to see why it is crashing."

Tips & Limitations

• BSD vs GNU: Always remember that macOS uses BSD versions of core utilities. The skill provides direct translations, such as using realpath instead of readlink -f or providing the empty string extension for sed -i.
• Privacy (TCC): macOS is highly restrictive. If your agent is failing to read files or execute UI events, ensure you have granted the parent process 'Full Disk Access' or 'Automation' permissions in System Settings.
• Pathing: Note the distinction between Intel (/usr/local) and Apple Silicon (/opt/homebrew) architectures to ensure your automation remains portable across hardware generations.
• Services: Always unload a launchd service before editing its plist, as changes to an active plist are ignored by the system.