- name
- magic-need
- description
- Capture tool and data needs from AI agents during task execution. When an agent identifies it needs a tool, API, or data source that doesn't exist, this skill provides a CLI to register that need. Needs are categorized automatically and can be reviewed periodically to build an integration roadmap. Use when the agent realizes it needs something that isn't available — e.g., "I would need X API to do this properly", "If I had access to Y logs I could investigate", "A tool that does Z would be useful here".
magic-need
Capture what your AI agent wishes it had. Let your agent spec your product for you.
Overview
When an AI agent is executing a task and hits a wall because it lacks data or tools, instead of just failing or working around it, this skill lets the agent register exactly what it's missing. Over time, this builds a prioritized roadmap of integrations and features.
Inspired by Sonarly's magic_fetch concept — give the agent a "tool that does nothing" and let it tell you what it actually needs.
Usage
As an Agent (During Task Execution)
When you realize you need something you don't have:
# Option 1: Use the CLI directly
node ~/.openclaw/skills/magic-need/scripts/cli.js "API for recent deploys of service X"
# Option 2: Use via shell exec
exec({
command: 'node ~/.openclaw/skills/magic-need/scripts/cli.js "CPU metrics for upstream service"'
})The CLI will:
- Save the need to
~/.magic-need/needs.json - Auto-categorize it (integration, observability, devops, auth, database, storage)
- Return a confirmation with the need ID
As a Human (Reviewing Needs)
# List all needs
node scripts/cli.js list
# Generate a report (grouped by category)
node scripts/cli.js report
# Archive resolved needs
node scripts/cli.js clearAuto-Categorization
Needs are automatically categorized based on description keywords:
| Category | Keywords | Example Need |
|---|---|---|
integration | api, endpoint | "API for fetching user data" |
observability | metric, log, monitor | "Error logs from last hour" |
devops | deploy, pipeline, ci | "Recent deployments of service X" |
auth | user, auth, login, permission | "Auth tokens for service Y" |
database | database, db, query, schema | "Query to get active users" |
storage | file, storage, upload, s3 | "Upload files to cloud storage" |
general | (default) | Other needs |
Data Format
Needs are stored as JSON in ~/.magic-need/needs.json:
[
{
"id": "j8ldlr",
"description": "API for recent deploys",
"createdAt": "2026-03-07T18:09:18.123Z",
"status": "pending",
"category": "integration"
}
]Report Format
The report command outputs a formatted summary:
🪄 **Magic Need Report** — 4 pending
🔌 **INTEGRATION** (2)
• API for recent deploys of auth-service
• Feature flags toggled recently
📊 **OBSERVABILITY** (1)
• CPU metrics for upstream database
📝 **GENERAL** (1)
• Tool to visualize data flowBest Practices
Good Need Descriptions
Be specific about what you need:
- ✅ "API endpoint for deploys in the last 2 hours, filtered by service name"
- ✅ "CPU and memory metrics for upstream auth-service pods"
- ✅ "Feature flags that changed in the last 24h for api-gateway"
- ✅ "Sentry errors grouped by affected user segment"
Bad Need Descriptions
Avoid vague descriptions:
- ❌ "need more data"
- ❌ "can't do this without tools"
- ❌ "would be nice to have logs"
Integration Roadmap
Periodically review the generated reports to:
- Identify patterns (which categories have the most needs?)
- Prioritize integrations (which needs block the most tasks?)
- Build the most impactful tools first
CLI Reference
See scripts/cli.js for the full implementation.
Commands
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
cli.js "description" | Register a new need |
cli.js list | List all needs |
cli.js report | Generate formatted report |
cli.js clear | Archive pending needs |
Cron Integration
To receive daily reports, set up a cronjob:
# Daily at 10 PM
0 22 * * * node ~/.openclaw/skills/magic-need/scripts/cli.js report | your-notification-scriptOr use OpenClaw's cron system to send reports to a Discord channel.