Printing Press Library#

Use this skill when a user asks for a CLI, agent skill, API wrapper, scraper, automation tool, or data source that may exist in the Printing Press Library.

The library is an open-source catalog of focused CLIs and matching agent skills generated from mvanhorn/cli-printing-press. This skill is the catalog front door. Do not install a random long-tail skill just because it exists. First identify the right tool, then install the focused skill or CLI only when it is useful for the task.

Default workflow#

1. Clarify the user goal only if needed.
   • If the request names a service or website, search for that directly.
   • If the request describes a job instead of a service, search by capability and domain.
   • If the user's agent already has a safe built-in tool that solves the job, prefer that over installing another CLI.
2. Search the catalog with the library CLI first.
   • Use npx -y @mvanhorn/printing-press-library search <keyword> for human-readable result cards.
   • Use npx -y @mvanhorn/printing-press-library search <keyword> --json for agent-friendly parsing.
   • Use npx -y @mvanhorn/printing-press-library list --category <category> --json when the category is known.
   • Each search result includes the canonical install command for that tool.
   • Fall back to the GitHub repo or local clone only when npx is unavailable or deeper inspection is needed.
3. Select deliberately.
   • Prefer the candidate whose README/SKILL examples match the user's actual job, not merely the same website name.
   • Check whether auth, cookies, paid APIs, OS-specific binaries, or browser automation are required before installing.
   • Install the narrowest useful tool. Do not install a family of adjacent tools just because the search returned them.
4. Install through the library installer when the selected tool is useful.
   • The default primitive is npx -y @mvanhorn/printing-press-library install <slug>.
   • In OpenClaw, use npx -y @mvanhorn/printing-press-library install <slug> --agent openclaw so the focused skill is materialized under OpenClaw's managed skills root; the installer defaults the Go binary into a per-user bin directory.
   • The install command installs both the CLI and the matching focused agent skill.
   • install <slug> is idempotent: re-running it on an already-installed tool refreshes the Go binary and overwrites/re-adds the focused skill in place.
   • Behind the scenes, the installer uses go install <module>@latest for the CLI and the Vercel Agent Skills-compatible skills CLI to install the focused pp-* skill globally from this repo.
   • If the Go binary installs successfully but is not on the current process PATH, treat that as a warning, not a failed skill install. The installer should still install the focused skill and print platform-specific PATH instructions.
   • In agent/gateway environments, shell startup files may not affect the already-running process. Restart the session/gateway after PATH changes, and verify the default user bin directory is visible to the harness.
   • For OpenClaw gateway/service deployments, verify the gateway process PATH can resolve <slug>-pp-cli; an interactive shell which is not enough.
   • Pass --cli-only or --skill-only only when the user explicitly wants just one side.
5. Make the newly installed skill visible to the running agent.
   • Most agent harnesses snapshot available skills at session start. After installing or refreshing a focused skill, start a fresh session or reload skills before trying to invoke it.
   • In Hermes CLI sessions, use /reload-skills when available, or exit and start a new hermes session.
   • In Hermes gateway sessions, use /restart from the gateway chat or hermes gateway restart from a shell so the gateway process reloads installed skills.
   • In OpenClaw, assume the current agent session may not see newly installed skills until the OpenClaw session or gateway is restarted.
6. Verify before claiming success.
   • If installing a CLI, run its --help or an equivalent harmless command.
   • If installing a skill, verify the destination harness can see it after the session reload/restart when the harness has a verification command.
   • If using a credentialed CLI, confirm required environment variables without printing secrets.
7. Offer an efficient periodic update schedule after successful install or refresh.
   • Because install/update is idempotent, it is safe to keep installed Printing Press CLIs and focused skills current with a scheduled job.
   • Do not create a cron/scheduled job without explicit user approval; recurring jobs are durable side effects.
   • Avoid one scheduled job per CLI as the default. Users may install many Printing Press tools, and per-tool jobs become noisy and hard to manage.
   • Prefer one consolidated recurring job that runs npx -y @mvanhorn/printing-press-library update, which refreshes every installed Printing Press CLI currently on PATH and its matching focused skill.
   • Offer a per-tool job using npx -y @mvanhorn/printing-press-library update <slug> only when the user explicitly wants a different cadence or policy for that one tool.
   • Prefer quiet, low-frequency schedules such as weekly unless the user asks for something else.

What this skill is for#

Use this skill to discover CLIs and agent skills in the public Printing Press Library. Match the user's goal to the right library entry, use the library CLI to find the canonical install command, and install the selected tool only when it is useful for the task.

Good fits:

• finding a purpose-built CLI for a named service
• finding a scraper or data-source tool for a one-off research or automation task
• installing a focused pp-* skill so future agents know how to use a specific CLI
• refreshing already-installed Printing Press CLIs and skills

Poor fits:

• replacing a safe built-in agent tool that already solves the task
• installing broad tool bundles speculatively
• credentialed account actions where the user has not approved external side effects
• publishing, posting, booking, buying, emailing, or mutating third-party state without explicit approval

Install primitive#

The Printing Press Library CLI is the canonical interface for installing catalog tools:

bash

npx -y @mvanhorn/printing-press-library install <slug>

For OpenClaw, pass the OpenClaw agent target explicitly. The installer puts the binary in the default per-user bin directory ( $HOME/.local/bin on macOS/Linux, %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\PrintingPress\bin on Windows):

bash

npx -y @mvanhorn/printing-press-library install <slug> --agent openclaw

That command installs both halves of a catalog entry:

• the Go CLI binary
• the matching focused pp-* agent skill

For the skill half, the installer shells out through the Vercel Agent Skills-compatible installer. Conceptually, it runs:

bash

npx -y skills@latest add mvanhorn/printing-press-library/cli-skills/pp-<slug> -g -y

So the catalog installer is still the right top-level command: it installs the CLI, then installs the focused skill globally using the same agent-skills mechanism rather than asking the agent to hand-roll a separate skill install path.

The install operation is idempotent and works as a reinstall for one tool. Re-running install <slug> uses go install <module>@latest for the binary and re-adds the focused skill non-interactively, overwriting the existing install in place. No uninstall-first step is needed.

If install warns that the binary directory is not on PATH, the binary and focused skill can still be installed successfully. Follow the printed platform-specific PATH instructions, then restart the running agent session or gateway if it inherits a fixed environment. Use --bin-dir <dir> only when the default user bin directory is wrong for that machine.

Use update when the user asks to refresh or reinstall existing tools:

bash

npx -y @mvanhorn/printing-press-library update flight-goat
npx -y @mvanhorn/printing-press-library update

When deciding whether a local CLI is stale, compare the installed binary's reported version with the catalog release metadata before falling back to source inspection:

bash

<slug>-pp-cli --version
npx -y @mvanhorn/printing-press-library search <slug> --json
npx -y @mvanhorn/printing-press-library list --json

In search --json or list --json, read release.version for the catalog version and release.cli_name for the binary name. If the local --version is older than the catalog release.version, update the tool with the user's intended binary directory, usually:

bash

npx -y @mvanhorn/printing-press-library update <slug> --bin-dir ~/.local/bin

Only fall back to go version -m <binary>, repo inspection, or direct .printing-press-release.json reads when the catalog entry lacks release metadata or the binary's version string is missing, non-semver-like, or otherwise suspicious. For example, Substack can be checked with substack-pp-cli --version locally and npx -y @mvanhorn/printing-press-library search substack --json remotely; update with npx -y @mvanhorn/printing-press-library update substack --bin-dir ~/.local/bin when the catalog version is newer.

update <slug> delegates to install semantics for that tool. update with no args discovers Printing Press CLIs currently on PATH and refreshes all of them, including their matching focused skills.

Because updates are idempotent, after a successful install or refresh, offer to create a recurring update job. Ask first; do not schedule it automatically. Prefer a single consolidated job over one job per CLI, because users may install many Printing Press tools and per-tool schedules become noisy fast.

For most users, schedule one quiet weekly job that refreshes every installed Printing Press CLI currently on PATH and its matching focused skill:

bash

npx -y @mvanhorn/printing-press-library update

Use a per-tool scheduled command only when the user explicitly wants a separate cadence or policy for one tool:

bash

npx -y @mvanhorn/printing-press-library update flight-goat

If the installed library CLI exposes reinstall, treat it as a convenience alias for update:

bash

npx -y @mvanhorn/printing-press-library reinstall flight-goat

Example:

bash

npx -y @mvanhorn/printing-press-library install flight-goat

Use the install line printed by search or list output. Do not synthesize harness-specific direct skill install commands as the default path; those are only for explicit skill-only workflows.

After install or update, assume the focused skill may not be visible to the currently running agent until skills are reloaded or the session restarts. Hermes CLI sessions can use /reload-skills or start a new session. Hermes gateway sessions should use /restart or hermes gateway restart. OpenClaw agents should restart the current session or gateway if the newly installed focused skill is not visible immediately.

Hermes-native usage#

Hermes can make Printing Press more useful than a plain skill installer because Hermes has native skills, profiles, gateway sessions, cron jobs, memory, and toolsets. Use those primitives instead of treating Hermes like a generic chat harness.

Install and reload in Hermes#

After installing or updating a focused tool, make sure Hermes can actually see the new skill before invoking it:

bash

npx -y @mvanhorn/printing-press-library install <slug>

Then reload based on where Hermes is running:

• Hermes CLI: run /reload-skills if available, or start a fresh hermes session.
• Hermes gateway: run /restart in the gateway chat, or run hermes gateway restart from a shell.
• Named profiles: install and reload in the same profile that will use the skill. A skill installed under one Hermes home/profile may not be visible to another.

When checking a local Hermes install, useful commands are:

bash

hermes skills list
hermes skills inspect <skill-or-url>
hermes config path
hermes config env-path
hermes profile list

Use these commands for diagnostics only. The catalog installer remains the default path for installing Printing Press catalog entries unless the user explicitly asks for a Hermes-only skill install.

Hermes profiles#

Hermes profiles isolate config, skills, cron jobs, sessions, and memory. If the user mentions a profile, workspace, or separate assistant identity, do not assume the default profile.

Before diagnosing "skill not found" problems, check:

• which Hermes profile is active
• which HERMES_HOME the installer targeted
• whether the skill exists under that profile's skills/ directory
• whether the CLI or gateway was restarted after installation

A common failure mode is installing a focused skill into one profile and then trying to use it from another. That is not a Printing Press failure; it is an install-target mismatch.

Hermes toolsets#

Most Printing Press CLIs require shell execution, so Hermes needs terminal access to run them. If Hermes cannot use a newly installed CLI, check whether the active platform/session has the terminal toolset enabled.

Do not enable broad tool access blindly. If the task only needs a built-in web/search/file tool, prefer the built-in tool over installing and running a third-party CLI.

Hermes cron updates#

For Hermes users who want installed Printing Press tools kept current, recommend one consolidated scheduled update job rather than per-tool sprawl:

text

Schedule: weekly, quiet hours preferred
Prompt: Run `npx -y @mvanhorn/printing-press-library update`, summarize any changes, and stay quiet if nothing changed.

If using Hermes' cron tool or CLI, create the job only after explicit user approval. Recurring jobs are durable side effects.

A good Hermes cron prompt is self-contained:

text

Refresh installed Printing Press tools by running `npx -y @mvanhorn/printing-press-library update`. Report only updated tools, failures, or missing prerequisites. Do not print secrets. If nothing changed and there were no errors, say so briefly.

Use a per-tool schedule only when the user explicitly wants a different cadence or risk policy for one tool.

Hermes memory and session search#

Hermes may remember durable user preferences, environment conventions, and known credential locations. Use that context to avoid making the user repeat setup details, but do not store volatile install results such as PR numbers, commit SHAs, one-off downloaded files, or "installed tool X today" as memory.

Good memory candidates after repeated Printing Press use:

• the user's preferred Hermes profile for tool installs
• stable secret-manager conventions
• a durable workspace path convention
• a recurring policy such as "prefer consolidated weekly updates over per-tool jobs"

Bad memory candidates:

• a specific temporary branch or PR number
• a one-time search result
• an installed version that will be stale soon
• raw API keys, cookies, tokens, or session headers

When the user asks what was installed or decided previously, prefer Hermes session search over guessing.

Search tactics#

Use the library CLI as the default catalog index. Human-readable search cards include an install: line with the canonical install command:

bash

npx -y @mvanhorn/printing-press-library search <keyword>

Use JSON when scripting or when structured ranking is useful:

bash

npx -y @mvanhorn/printing-press-library search <keyword> --json

Examples:

bash

npx -y @mvanhorn/printing-press-library search flights
npx -y @mvanhorn/printing-press-library search espn --json
npx -y @mvanhorn/printing-press-library list --category travel --json

Use repository inspection only as a fallback when npx is unavailable, when the CLI result is ambiguous, or when deeper README/SKILL details are needed before choosing a candidate:

bash

rg -i "<service-or-capability>" registry.json library cli-skills

If the registry shape differs, prefer the npm CLI output instead of hand-parsing generated catalog files. Facts beat vibes; official interfaces beat archaeology.

Selection rules#

Prefer a candidate when:

• It names the target service directly.
• Its README/SKILL examples match the user's requested job.
• It has documented auth and setup requirements the user can satisfy.
• It supports the user's OS/runtime.
• It can be verified with a harmless command before any external side effects.

Avoid a candidate when:

• It is only vaguely adjacent to the task.
• It requires credentials the user does not have.
• It is a scraper for a site where the user's task needs official-account data and the skill cannot authenticate.
• A safer built-in API/tool already solves the task.
• The task is high-risk, paid, public-facing, or privacy-sensitive and the user has not approved the external action.

Safety and credentials#

• Never print API keys, cookies, tokens, or session headers.
• Do not ask the user to paste secrets into chat if a local secret manager or environment file is available.
• Treat third-party CLIs as code execution. Install only the focused tool needed for the task.
• Do not publish, post, email, buy, book, or mutate external state unless the user explicitly approves that action.

For Hermes users, prefer Hermes' normal environment file or the user's existing secret manager. To find the Hermes env path, use:

bash

hermes config env-path

Confirm that required variables are present without echoing their values. If a focused skill says a key is optional or required only for one feature, preserve that distinction; do not make the whole tool sound credential-gated.

Verification checklist#

Before reporting success:

• The selected candidate directly matches the user's requested job.
• The install command came from search, list, or documented Printing Press CLI behavior.
• The CLI was verified with --help or another harmless command.
• The agent harness was reloaded/restarted if a newly installed skill must be visible immediately.
• Required credentials were checked without printing secrets.
• No external side effect was performed without explicit approval.
• For Hermes, the relevant profile/session/gateway was considered when diagnosing visibility.

README behavior on ClawHub#

ClawHub renders SKILL.md (or skill.md) as the skill readme. A separate README.md in the skill folder is not the published readme. Put user-facing ClawHub documentation in this file.