Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Camera Snapshot and Clip Capture agent skill
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The camsnap skill teaches an AI agent to use the camsnap command-line tool to connect to IP cameras on your network over RTSP or ONVIF. After following this guide you will be able to install the skill, register your cameras, and ask your agent for a still image, a short clip, or a motion watch. It is written for people who have not used agent skills before.
Camera Snapshot and Clip Capturespinabot/brigade · MIT Download the skill Quick start
- 1Install camsnap. Install the camsnap command-line tool with Homebrew using the formula steipete/tap/camsnap.
- 2Install ffmpeg. Make sure ffmpeg is installed and available on your PATH, since the skill requires it.
- 3Add the skill. Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ or a project's .claude/skills/ folder, or upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
- 4Register cameras. Use camsnap add with a name, host, user and password for each camera. Settings are saved in ~/.config/camsnap/config.yaml.
- 5Test connectivity. Run camsnap discover --info and camsnap doctor --probe to confirm your cameras are reachable.
- 6Take a test snapshot. Capture a single still with camsnap snap before trying longer clips.
- 7Ask the agent. Make a plain-language request naming your camera, such as taking a picture from the kitchen camera.
What is an agent skill and what does camsnap let the agent do?
An agent skill is a folder containing a SKILL.md file that tells an AI agent when and how to use a tool. The camsnap skill points the agent at the camsnap command-line tool, which connects to IP cameras on your network.
With the skill, the agent can take a snapshot from a named camera, record a short video clip, or watch a camera for motion. It can also run a discovery command to find cameras and a doctor command to test connectivity.
- Snapshot: save a still image from a camera
- Clip: record a short video, for example five seconds
- Motion watch: watch a camera and trigger an action on motion
- Discover: look for cameras on the network
- Doctor: test whether cameras are reachable
What do you need before installing camsnap?
The skill needs three things: the camsnap command-line tool, ffmpeg available on your PATH, and login details for each camera. The camsnap tool can be installed with Homebrew using the formula steipete/tap/camsnap.
Each camera needs a hostname or IP address and a username and password. The skill stores these in a config file at ~/.config/camsnap/config.yaml.
- camsnap command-line tool (Homebrew formula steipete/tap/camsnap)
- ffmpeg available on PATH
- Camera hostnames and usernames/passwords for each camera
brew install steipete/tap/camsnapHow do you install the camsnap skill?
Download the skill ZIP from this page and unzip it. To make it available to Claude across your projects, unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/. To make it available only inside one project, unzip it into that project's .claude/skills/ folder.
If you use the Claude apps instead, upload the ZIP under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
- Personal install: ~/.claude/skills/
- Project install: .claude/skills/ inside your project
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills, then upload the ZIP
How do you add a camera and test it?
Register each camera with the add command, giving it a short name you will use later. Then run a discovery command and a doctor command to confirm the tool can reach your camera.
The source suggests a short test capture before longer clips, so take a snapshot first to confirm the connection works.
- Add a camera with a name, host, user and password
- Run discover to look for cameras
- Run doctor with probe to test connectivity
- Take a short snapshot to confirm the image arrives
camsnap add --name kitchen --host 192.168.0.10 --user user --pass pass
camsnap discover --info
camsnap doctor --probe
camsnap snap kitchen --out shot.jpgHow do you ask the agent to use camsnap?
Once the skill is installed and cameras are configured, you ask the agent in plain language. Use the camera name you registered, such as kitchen. The agent chooses the matching camsnap command.
The skill's common commands map to these kinds of requests: a snapshot, a clip of a set length, a motion watch with a threshold, and a connectivity check.
- "Take a picture from the kitchen camera." (snapshot)
- "Record five seconds of video from the kitchen camera." (clip)
- "Watch the kitchen camera for motion." (motion watch)
- "Check whether my cameras are reachable." (doctor)
camsnap clip kitchen --dur 5s --out clip.mp4
camsnap watch kitchen --threshold 0.2 --action '...'What safety points should you know?
The skill runs scripts and uses the network. It connects directly to your cameras, and it stores camera login details in a plain config file at ~/.config/camsnap/config.yaml, so protect that file and the machine it lives on.
Only use camsnap with cameras you own or have permission to access. Capturing footage from other people's cameras may be illegal or a privacy violation. Be cautious on shared or workplace camera systems, where the agent could expose sensitive footage. This skill is a thin wrapper around a local command-line tool, not a managed or audited video security product.
- Use only cameras you own or are authorised to access
- Config file holds camera usernames and passwords
- Not suited to shared or workplace camera systems
- Not a managed or audited security product
What people use it for
- Grab a snapshot from a front-door or kitchen camera when you are away from home
- Record a short clip of a set length to check what a camera saw
- Watch a camera for motion and trigger a follow-up action
- Feed camera frames into a home-automation or monitoring workflow you are building
- Test whether your IP cameras are reachable over RTSP or ONVIF before setting up anything else
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the camsnap skill?
Download the skill ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder. In the Claude apps, you can upload the ZIP under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
What does camsnap require?
It requires the camsnap command-line tool, which you can install with the Homebrew formula steipete/tap/camsnap, plus ffmpeg available on your PATH. You also need the hostname and username/password for each camera.
Is camsnap free?
The skill is published under the MIT licence. This guide does not state pricing for the camsnap tool or any other service, so check the licence and the project's homepage for details.
Which camera protocols does camsnap support?
The skill connects to cameras over RTSP and ONVIF, which are the protocols named in its description. It works with IP cameras on your network.
Where does camsnap store my camera passwords?
Camera details are stored in ~/.config/camsnap/config.yaml. Because this file holds usernames and passwords, keep it private and secure the machine it is on.
Why does my camsnap command fail or show no image?
Check that ffmpeg is on your PATH, that the camera hostname and login are correct, and that the camera is on your network. Run camsnap doctor --probe to test connectivity, and try a short snapshot before a longer clip.
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Our verdict
Choose camsnap if you run your own IP cameras and want quick snapshots, clips or motion checks from an AI agent, or if you are building a home-automation workflow that needs camera frames. Pick something else if you need footage from cameras you do not own or have permission to access, or a managed and audited video security product, since camsnap is a thin wrapper around a local command-line tool.
Download the skill