Guide · Agent skill

How to use the OpenMAIC Classroom Assistant agent skill

Updated 2026-10-29 · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

The OpenMAIC Classroom Assistant is an agent skill, a folder of instructions that an AI agent loads so it can work with a specific tool. This skill teaches the agent to guide you through OpenMAIC, an open-source multi-agent platform that creates interactive classroom lessons. After following this guide you will know how to install the skill, choose between the hosted Live Demo and a local setup, and ask for a classroom in plain language.

OpenMAIC Classroom AssistantTHU-MAIC/OpenMAIC · MIT Download the skill

Quick start

1Install the skill. Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/, into a project's .claude/skills/ folder, or upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills in the Claude apps.
2Ask for OpenMAIC. Say something like 'help me use OpenMAIC' so the agent loads the skill. The agent will then ask which mode you want.
3Pick a mode. Choose the Live Demo for a quick start, local setup to run it yourself, or the extend route for development work.
4Add your access code or provider keys. For Live Demo, add your sk- access code to the config yourself. For local mode, edit openmaic.yml and .env.local with your provider keys.
5Verify the service. Let the agent check GET {url}/api/health so you know OpenMAIC is running before you generate anything.
6Generate your classroom. Describe the topic or attach your material and ask for a classroom. The agent submits the job and checks until it finishes.

What is an agent skill, and what does this one do?

An agent skill is a packaged set of instructions and reference files that an AI agent reads when your request matches the skill's description. You do not run it like a normal program. You ask for something related and the agent picks up the skill.

The openmaic skill covers three kinds of work. It helps you set up OpenMAIC, either through the hosted Live Demo or by cloning and running it on your machine. It helps you generate a multi-agent interactive classroom from a topic or uploaded material. It also helps developers fork OpenMAIC or build on its @openmaic/* SDK, which the source calls secondary development (二开).

Install the openmaic skill in Claude

Download the ZIP of the skill from this page. Then choose one of the following options.

Option A: unzip the folder into ~/.claude/skills/ so it is available to you across projects. Option B: unzip it into .claude/skills/ inside a specific project so it is available only there. Option C: in the Claude apps, open Settings, go to Capabilities, then Skills, and upload the ZIP.

Option A: ~/.claude/skills/
Option B: .claude/skills/ inside your project
Option C: Settings → Capabilities → Skills in the Claude apps

Choose Live Demo or local mode

The skill asks you to pick a mode before it does anything. The Live Demo is the version hosted by the OpenMAIC team at open.maic.chat. It needs no local setup, but you need an access code that starts with sk-. To get one, sign in at open.maic.chat, open the account menu in the top-right corner, choose 访问码设置 (access code settings), and generate a code.

Local mode clones the OpenMAIC repository and runs it on your computer. The skill recommends reusing an existing checkout if one is already on the right branch. Otherwise it proposes a fresh clone and asks you to confirm before running it.

Live Demo: recommended for a quick start, needs an access code starting with sk-
Local: clone, configure provider keys, and run on your machine
Extend: fork the repo or consume the @openmaic/* SDK to build something new

git clone https://github.com/THU-MAIC/OpenMAIC.git
cd OpenMAIC
pnpm install

Add your model provider keys yourself

OpenMAIC needs at least one LLM provider API key. The skill does not want you to paste keys into the chat. Instead it tells you which file to edit. Provider keys go in openmaic.yml and .env.local, or you can set the model in the OpenMAIC web app.

The skill will not write API keys into config files for you, and it does not reuse the model or key of the agent you are talking to. If you already store an access code in ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json under skills.entries.openmaic.config.accessCode, the skill will detect it and offer Live Demo mode directly.

Edit openmaic.yml and .env.local yourself
Or set the model in the OpenMAIC web app
Optional features such as web search, image, video and TTS each have their own provider slot

Start OpenMAIC and check that it is running

After you pick a startup mode and configure keys, the skill starts OpenMAIC using the method you chose. It then checks that the service is healthy by requesting the /api/health path on the base URL, which defaults to http://localhost:3000 in the optional config example.

If generation later fails because of a provider, model or authentication problem, the skill sends you back to the provider configuration step to update the same settings.

GET {url}/api/health

Generate a classroom with a natural request

Once the service is healthy, ask for a classroom in plain language. Examples include asking for an interactive lesson on photosynthesis for Year 8 students, or asking for a classroom built from a PDF you attach. The skill submits the job using your topic or uploaded material as the requirement and then polls until the job succeeds or fails.

If you attach a file, the skill asks before reading it from disk. Once you clearly ask to generate a classroom, it submits the job without a second confirmation. For long jobs, the agent may tell you to check back later rather than wait in the same reply.

Only the requirement and material fields are sent for generation requests
Uploads and the job submission use the same cookie jar in anonymous-cookie mode
A failed job may be retried

Safety notes: scripts and network access

The skill does not run scripts. It does use the network, because it calls the OpenMAIC service and can clone the repository from GitHub. The skill asks you to confirm before cloning, before pnpm install, and before reading local files for upload.

Keep your access code and provider keys in the config files you edit yourself. Local mode still depends on the model providers you configure, so it is not fully offline.

Runs scripts: no
Uses network: yes
Confirmations required for git clone, pnpm install, and reading local files

What people use it for

Teachers who want to try OpenMAIC on a lesson topic without running a server
Students exploring how a multi-agent interactive classroom is put together
Developers who need guided steps to clone and run OpenMAIC locally
Developers planning custom providers, storage, themes or renderer changes on top of OpenMAIC

Frequently asked questions

Is the OpenMAIC agent skill free to use?

The skill itself is released under the MIT licence. OpenMAIC is open source, but you still need model provider API keys, and those are billed by the provider you choose.

What do I need to use the openmaic skill?

You need either an OpenMAIC Live Demo access code that starts with sk-, or a local OpenMAIC checkout. Local mode also needs git, Node.js and a package manager such as pnpm, plus at least one LLM provider key configured in openmaic.yml or .env.local, or in the OpenMAIC web app.

Where do I put the OpenMAIC access code?

The skill's optional config reads ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json under skills.entries.openmaic.config.accessCode. You can get the code by signing in at open.maic.chat and generating one in 访问码设置 (access code settings).

Will the agent store my API keys for me?

No. The skill is designed to have you edit openmaic.yml and .env.local yourself, and it does not ask you to paste keys into chat. This is safer but more manual.

How do I install the openmaic skill in Claude?

Download the skill ZIP and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ or a project's .claude/skills/ folder. You can also upload the ZIP in the Claude apps under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.

Can I use this skill to write any lesson plan?

No. The skill only drives the OpenMAIC product, so it is not a general-purpose lesson writer. Use it when you want an OpenMAIC interactive classroom or help setting up or extending OpenMAIC.

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Our verdict

Use this skill if you want a guided route into OpenMAIC, whether you are a teacher trying the Live Demo, a student exploring the product, or a developer setting up or extending it locally. Skip it if you want an agent to manage your API keys for you, need a fully offline setup, or want a general lesson writer unconnected to OpenMAIC.

Download the skill