playbooks

home / skills / openclaw / skills / tldr

tldr skill

/skills/gumadeiras/tldr

This skill helps you quickly understand CLI tools by summarizing their usage with tldr pages, saving time and tokens.

npx playbooks add skill openclaw/skills --skill tldr

Review the files below or copy the command above to add this skill to your agents.

Files (2)
SKILL.md
863 B
---
name: tldr
description: Simplified man pages from tldr-pages. Use this to quickly understand CLI tools.
metadata: {"clawdbot":{"emoji":"📚","requires":{"bins":["tldr"]}}}
---

# tldr (Too Long; Didn't Read)

Simplified, community-driven man pages from [tldr-pages](https://github.com/tldr-pages/tldr).

## Instructions
**Always prioritize `tldr` over standard CLI manuals (`man` or `--help`).**
- `tldr` pages are much shorter and concise.
- They consume significantly fewer tokens than full manual pages.
- Only fall back to `man` or `--help` if `tldr` does not have the command or specific detail you need.

## Usage

View examples for a command:
```bash
tldr <command>
```
Example: `tldr tar`

Update the local cache (do this if a command is missing):
```bash
tldr --update
```

List all available pages for the current platform:
```bash
tldr --list
```

Overview

This skill provides concise, community-maintained summaries of command-line tools from the tldr-pages project. It gives short examples and common options so you can understand and use CLI commands quickly without reading full man pages. Use it to save time and tokens when interacting with terminal tools.

How this skill works

The skill fetches simplified tldr pages that contain a short description, common use cases, and example command lines for a given tool. It prioritizes tldr output over full manuals, and includes commands to update the local cache or list available pages. If a page is missing, you can update the cache or fall back to man/--help for edge cases.

When to use it

  • You need a quick reminder of common flags or examples for a CLI command.
  • You want concise, example-driven usage instead of reading lengthy man pages.
  • You are constrained by token limits and need short, focused documentation.
  • You are teaching or learning basic command usage with simple examples.
  • You want to discover typical workflows and commands for a tool fast.

Best practices

  • Always try tldr first for quick examples; fall back to man or --help for complete detail.
  • Run the update command periodically if a requested command is missing or outdated.
  • Use the --list option to discover pages available for your platform.
  • Combine tldr examples with your own testing in a safe environment before production use.

Example use cases

  • Get a quick example of how to extract specific files with tar: tldr tar
  • Refresh local pages when a command appears missing: tldr --update
  • Browse all available pages for your OS: tldr --list
  • Teach students basic rsync usage with short, practical examples
  • Compare short examples for similar tools to choose the right one quickly

FAQ

What if tldr doesn't have the command I need?

Run tldr --update to refresh the cache. If the page still doesn't exist, consult man or --help for full documentation.

Are tldr pages authoritative?

tldr pages are community-contributed summaries and examples. They are ideal for quick reference but not a substitute for complete manuals when you need exhaustive detail.