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Use this guide when you want OpenClaw to use the Paperzilla CLI (pz) directly. This is the CLI-based path. If you want Paperzilla over MCP instead, use Use Paperzilla with MCP or Use Paperzilla MCP with Claude.

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Before you start

  • OpenClaw installed
  • pz installed. If you have not installed it yet, start with the CLI guide.
  • pz authenticated with pz login
  • At least one Paperzilla project in your account

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How this works

The Paperzilla skill teaches OpenClaw when to use the pz CLI. It does not replace the pz binary or your Paperzilla login. OpenClaw can find the skill when you mention it in your request.

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Step 1: install and test the Paperzilla CLI

Install pz, then log in: 
pz login
Confirm the CLI works before you add the skill: 
pz project list
If this command does not work yet, fix the CLI setup first. OpenClaw depends on the same local pz install.

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Step 2: install the Paperzilla skill in OpenClaw

If you are using current OpenClaw, install the skill with the native OpenClaw command: 
openclaw skills install paperzilla
If you already use the separate ClawHub CLI, this also works: 
clawhub install paperzilla
openclaw skills install installs into the active workspace skills/ directory. The separate clawhub CLI installs into ./skills under your current working directory, or falls back to the configured OpenClaw workspace.
If your OpenClaw version is older and openclaw skills install paperzilla fails because skills does not accept subcommands yet, use clawhub install paperzilla instead.

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Updating the skill

To update the Paperzilla skill to the latest published version: 
openclaw skills update paperzilla
If you use the separate ClawHub CLI instead: 
clawhub update paperzilla
To update every installed skill: 
clawhub update --all

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Step 3: ask OpenClaw to use Paperzilla

After install, ask OpenClaw to use Paperzilla in the workspace where you installed the skill. You can ask for things like:
  • “List my Paperzilla projects.”
  • “Show the newest must-read papers from my agents project.”
  • “Open the newest must-read paper and summarize the metadata.”
  • “Get markdown for that paper.”
  • “Compare the two most recent must-read papers from this week.”
  • “Get the Atom feed URL for my evaluation project.”

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What OpenClaw can do through the skill

The skill wraps the same pz workflows documented in the CLI guide. That includes:
  • listing projects
  • opening one project
  • browsing a feed with filters like --must-read, --since, and --limit
  • opening one paper by UUID, short ID, or feed item ID
  • fetching raw paper markdown
  • getting an Atom feed URL

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When to use this vs MCP

Use OpenClaw plus CLI when:
  • your agent already works in a terminal or workspace
  • you want to reuse the local pz session
  • you prefer deterministic CLI output and shell-friendly workflows
Use MCP when:
  • your client already supports MCP directly
  • you want a remote tool surface instead of a local CLI dependency
  • you do not want to install pz in the agent environment

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Troubleshooting

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OpenClaw does not seem to use Paperzilla

Mention Paperzilla explicitly in the request so OpenClaw has a clear reason to use the skill.

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pz works in your shell but not for OpenClaw

Make sure pz is on PATH in the environment where OpenClaw runs.

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clawhub is not installed

That is fine. Use openclaw skills install paperzilla instead. The separate clawhub CLI is mainly for registry workflows such as publish or sync.

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You get no projects or no papers

Check the underlying CLI first: 
pz project list
pz feed <project-id>
If the CLI shows no data, fix that first in Paperzilla or the local CLI session.

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Markdown is not ready yet

The Paperzilla CLI may ask you to try again shortly if markdown generation is still pending.