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npm-search skill

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This skill helps you quickly locate npm packages and libraries by searching across npm, enabling faster project setup and informed dependency choices.

npx playbooks add skill openclaw/skills --skill npm-search

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skill.md

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---
name: npm-search
description: Search npm packages. Use for finding Node.js/JavaScript packages, libraries, and tools.
metadata: {"clawdbot":{"emoji":"📦","requires":{"bins":["jq","npm-search-mcp-server"]}}}
---

# NPM Search

CLI wrapper for npm-search-mcp-server.

> **Note:** Examples show command syntax. Replace queries with the user's actual request.

## Search Packages

```bash
bash scripts/npmsearch "<query>"
```

## Command Reference

| Command | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `npmsearch "<query>"` | Search npm packages |

## Notes

- Requires `npm-search-mcp-server` installed
- Requires `jq`

Overview

This skill searches npm packages to help you find Node.js and JavaScript libraries, tools, and utilities quickly. It wraps a CLI that queries an npm search service and presents results in a concise, machine-friendly format. Use it when you need to discover packages, compare alternatives, or locate specific functionality across npm.

How this skill works

The skill calls a local CLI wrapper around npm-search-mcp-server to perform package queries. It sends your search string to the server, parses the JSON output with jq, and returns a filtered list of matching packages with key metadata. Results include package names, descriptions, versions, and links so you can evaluate options fast.

When to use it

Looking for a package that implements a specific API or feature
Comparing multiple npm packages before choosing a dependency
Finding popular or recently updated libraries in a given domain
Auditing available packages for alternatives or forks
Quickly retrieving package metadata for automation or scripts

Best practices

Install and run npm-search-mcp-server locally for reliable responses
Ensure jq is available to parse JSON output cleanly
Use focused queries (keywords + constraints) to reduce noise
Combine package name + keywords (e.g., "logger 0-config") for precise results
Review package README and recent commits before adding as dependency

Example use cases

Search for authentication middleware packages for Express by keyword
Find lightweight utility libraries for date manipulation and compare versions
Locate CLI helpers or build tools for a project scaffold
Automate a script that pulls package metadata for dependency reports
Discover forked or alternative implementations of a popular package

FAQ

What do I need to run this skill?

You need npm-search-mcp-server installed and running locally, and jq available to parse JSON output.

How do I format my query?

Provide a concise search string combining package name and keywords. For best results include specific terms like "logger express" or "csv parser".