feat(apps): package CLI apps as Agent Plugins

docs/configuration.md

@@ -2331,6 +2331,11 @@ This initial compatibility layer loads the portable `skills/` component only. Ag
 need an explicit trust and approval flow. Configure a reviewed MCP server through **Apps** or
 `tools.mcpServers` for now.
 
+CLI Apps installed from the WebUI use the same package layout. nanobot installs the CLI through
+its catalog adapter, then writes a skills-only Agent Plugin under `<workspace>/plugins/`; updates
+refresh that package and uninstall removes it. The external executable remains managed by the
+CLI Apps installer rather than by the Agent Plugins manifest.
+
 ## Tool Hint Max Length
 
 Tool hints are the short progress messages shown when the agent calls tools (e.g. `$ cd …/project && npm test`). By default, these are truncated at 40 characters, which can make long commands hard to read.

nanobot/agent/skills.py

@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ class SkillsLoader:
         Returns:
             List of skill info dicts with 'name', 'path', 'source'.
         """
+        self.plugin_skills = discover_agent_plugin_skills(self.workspace)
         skills = self._skill_entries_from_dir(self.workspace_skills, "workspace")
         seen_names = {entry["name"] for entry in skills}
         for plugin_skill in self.plugin_skills:

nanobot/apps/cli/service.py

@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ from typing import Any, cast
 from urllib.parse import urlparse
 
 import httpx
+import yaml
 from loguru import logger
 
 from nanobot.apps.protocol import app_manifest, compact_dict
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@ from nanobot.security.workspace_policy import is_path_within
 CLI_ANYTHING_REGISTRY_URL = "https://hkuds.github.io/CLI-Anything/registry.json"
 CLI_ANYTHING_PUBLIC_REGISTRY_URL = "https://hkuds.github.io/CLI-Anything/public_registry.json"
 CLI_ANYTHING_RAW_BASE = "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/HKUDS/CLI-Anything/main"
+AGENT_PLUGIN_SCHEMA = "https://agent-plugins.org/schemas/1.0.0/plugin.schema.json"
 NANOBOT_EXTENSION_REGISTRY_URL = "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Re-bin/nanobot-extension/main/registry.json"
 NANOBOT_EXTENSION_RAW_BASE = "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Re-bin/nanobot-extension/main"
 _CATALOG_SOURCES = (
@@ -41,6 +43,8 @@ _MAX_ARTIFACT_REPORT = 12
 _SAFE_NAME_RE = re.compile(r"[^a-z0-9_-]+")
 _SAFE_NPM_DIR_RE = re.compile(r"^[a-z0-9._-]+$", re.IGNORECASE)
 _MENTION_RE = re.compile(r"(^|[\s([{])@([a-z0-9_-]+)\b", re.IGNORECASE)
+_SKILL_FRONTMATTER_RE = re.compile(r"^---\s*\r?\n(.*?)\r?\n---\s*\r?\n?", re.DOTALL)
+_SKILL_NAME_LINE_RE = re.compile(r"^name\s*:.*$", re.MULTILINE)
 _SHELL_META_CHARS = ("|", "&&", "||", ";", "$(", "`", ">", "<")
 _ENDORSEMENT_WORD_RE = re.compile(r"\bofficial\s+", re.IGNORECASE)
 _ARTIFACT_EXTENSIONS = frozenset({
@@ -211,10 +215,15 @@ def _as_object_dict(value: object) -> dict[str, Any] | None:
 
 
 def _safe_skill_name(name: str) -> str:
-    clean = _SAFE_NAME_RE.sub("-", name.lower()).strip("-")
+    clean = _SAFE_NAME_RE.sub("-", name.lower()).replace("_", "-").strip("-")
     return f"cli-app-{clean or 'app'}"
 
 
+def _skill_relative_path(name: str) -> str:
+    skill_name = _safe_skill_name(name)
+    return f"plugins/{skill_name}/skills/{skill_name}/SKILL.md"
+
+
 def _has_shell_meta(command: str) -> bool:
     return any(char in command for char in _SHELL_META_CHARS)
 
@@ -613,7 +622,7 @@ class CliAppManager:
                     "name": installed_name,
                     "entry_point": entry_point,
                     "source": str(data.get("source") or ""),
-                    "skill": f"skills/{_safe_skill_name(installed_name)}/SKILL.md",
+                    "skill": _skill_relative_path(installed_name),
                     "tool": "run_cli_app",
                 }
             )
@@ -640,6 +649,10 @@ class CliAppManager:
         return not _has_shell_meta(install_cmd)
 
     def _skill_path(self, name: str) -> Path:
+        skill_name = _safe_skill_name(name)
+        return self.workspace / "plugins" / skill_name / "skills" / skill_name / "SKILL.md"
+
+    def _legacy_skill_path(self, name: str) -> Path:
         return self.workspace / "skills" / _safe_skill_name(name) / "SKILL.md"
 
     def _app_payload(
@@ -713,7 +726,8 @@ class CliAppManager:
         name = str(app["name"])
         entry_point = str(app.get("entry_point") or "")
         strategy = self._strategy(app)
-        skill_path = f"skills/{_safe_skill_name(name)}/SKILL.md"
+        skill_path = _skill_relative_path(name)
+        plugin_path = f"plugins/{_safe_skill_name(name)}"
         capabilities = [
             compact_dict({
                 "type": "cli",
@@ -726,13 +740,13 @@ class CliAppManager:
         install = compact_dict({
             "supported": install_supported,
             "strategy": strategy,
-            "managed_paths": [skill_path],
+            "managed_paths": [plugin_path],
             "verification": ["entry_point_available"] if entry_point else [],
         })
         remove = compact_dict({
             "supported": strategy != "unsupported",
             "strategy": strategy,
-            "managed_paths": [skill_path],
+            "managed_paths": [plugin_path],
             "verification": (
                 ["package_manager_ok", "entry_point_absent", "managed_paths_absent"]
                 if strategy not in {"bundled", "unsupported"}
@@ -1032,11 +1046,10 @@ class CliAppManager:
         name = str(app.get("name") or "unknown")
         display = str(app.get("display_name") or name)
         entry = str(app.get("entry_point") or f"cli-anything-{name}")
-        description = _catalog_description(app) or f"Use {display} from nanobot."
+        description = (_catalog_description(app) or f"Use {display} from nanobot.")[:1024]
         return f"""---
 name: {_safe_skill_name(name)}
-description: >-
+description: {json.dumps(description, ensure_ascii=False)}
-  {description}
 ---
 
 # {display}
@@ -1072,18 +1085,53 @@ Use the `run_cli_app` tool with `name="{name}"` for command execution. Do not in
                     return "".join(lines[: index + 1]) + "\n" + note + "\n" + "".join(lines[index + 1 :])
         return note + "\n" + content
 
+    def _normalise_skill(self, content: str, app: dict[str, Any]) -> str:
+        """Give a catalog skill the identity required by its plugin directory."""
+        match = _SKILL_FRONTMATTER_RE.match(content)
+        if match is None:
+            return self._fallback_skill(app)
+        try:
+            metadata = _as_object_dict(cast(object, yaml.safe_load(match.group(1))))
+        except yaml.YAMLError:
+            return self._fallback_skill(app)
+        description = metadata.get("description") if metadata is not None else None
+        if not isinstance(description, str) or not 1 <= len(description.strip()) <= 1024:
+            return self._fallback_skill(app)
+
+        name = _safe_skill_name(str(app["name"]))
+        frontmatter, replaced = _SKILL_NAME_LINE_RE.subn(f"name: {name}", match.group(1), count=1)
+        if not replaced:
+            frontmatter = f"name: {name}\n{frontmatter}"
+        body = content[match.end():].lstrip()
+        return f"---\n{frontmatter.strip()}\n---\n\n{body}"
+
     def install_skill(self, app: dict[str, Any]) -> Path:
         path = self._skill_path(str(app["name"]))
         path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
         content = self._fetch_skill_content(app) or self._fallback_skill(app)
+        content = self._normalise_skill(content, app)
         content = self._with_nanobot_skill_note(content, app)
         path.write_text(content, encoding="utf-8")
+        plugin_root = path.parents[2]
+        manifest = compact_dict({
+            "$schema": AGENT_PLUGIN_SCHEMA,
+            "name": _safe_skill_name(str(app["name"])),
+            "version": str(app.get("version") or ""),
+            "description": _catalog_description(app),
+        })
+        _write_json(plugin_root / "plugin.json", manifest)
+        legacy_dir = self._legacy_skill_path(str(app["name"])).parent
+        if legacy_dir.is_dir():
+            shutil.rmtree(legacy_dir)
         return path
 
     def remove_skill(self, name: str) -> None:
-        skill_dir = self._skill_path(name).parent
+        plugin_root = self._skill_path(name).parents[2]
-        if skill_dir.is_dir():
+        if plugin_root.is_dir():
-            shutil.rmtree(skill_dir)
+            shutil.rmtree(plugin_root)
+        legacy_dir = self._legacy_skill_path(name).parent
+        if legacy_dir.is_dir():
+            shutil.rmtree(legacy_dir)
 
     def _record_installed(self, app: dict[str, Any]) -> dict[str, Any]:
         installed = self._load_installed()

nanobot/apps/cli/utils.py

@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ def runtime_lines_for_request(
                 f"@{str(item['name']).strip().lower()} "
                 f"(installed; tool=run_cli_app; "
                 f"entry_point={str(item.get('entry_point') or 'unknown')}; "
-                f"skill=skills/cli-app-{str(item['name']).strip().lower()}/SKILL.md). "
+                f"skill=plugins/cli-app-{str(item['name']).strip().lower()}/skills/"
+                f"cli-app-{str(item['name']).strip().lower()}/SKILL.md). "
                 "Read the skill when useful, then run this app with `run_cli_app`; do not bypass it with shell."
                 for item in mentions
                 if str(item.get("name") or "").strip()

nanobot/session/manager.py

@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ class Session:
                     )
                     cli_lines.append(
                         f"[CLI App Attachment: @{name}; tool=run_cli_app; entry_point={entry_point}; "
-                        f"skill=skills/cli-app-{name}/SKILL.md]"
+                        f"skill=plugins/cli-app-{name}/skills/cli-app-{name}/SKILL.md]"
                     )
                 if cli_lines:
                     breadcrumbs = "\n".join(cli_lines)

tests/agent/test_agent_plugins.py

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import json
+import shutil
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import pytest
@@ -54,6 +55,21 @@ def test_skills_loader_discovers_agent_plugin_skill(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     assert "`acme-tools/skills/release-notes/SKILL.md`" in loader.build_skills_summary()
 
 
+def test_skills_loader_sees_plugin_installed_after_startup(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    loader = SkillsLoader(tmp_path, builtin_skills_dir=tmp_path / "builtin")
+    assert loader.list_skills() == []
+
+    plugin = _write_plugin(tmp_path, "acme-tools")
+    _write_skill(plugin, "release-notes")
+
+    assert [entry["name"] for entry in loader.list_skills()] == ["release-notes"]
+
+    shutil.rmtree(plugin)
+
+    assert loader.list_skills() == []
+    assert loader.build_skills_summary() == ""
+
+
 def test_agent_plugin_skills_are_direct_children_only(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     plugin = _write_plugin(tmp_path, "acme-tools")
     _write_skill(plugin, "direct")

tests/agent/test_session_manager_history.py

@@ -491,7 +491,8 @@ def test_get_history_synthesizes_cli_app_attachment_breadcrumb():
         "content": (
             "please use @drawio\n"
             "[CLI App Attachment: @drawio; tool=run_cli_app; "
-            "entry_point=cli-anything-drawio; skill=skills/cli-app-drawio/SKILL.md]"
+            "entry_point=cli-anything-drawio; "
+            "skill=plugins/cli-app-drawio/skills/cli-app-drawio/SKILL.md]"
         ),
     }]
 

tests/cli_apps/test_service.py

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ from types import SimpleNamespace
 
 import pytest
 
+from nanobot.agent.agent_plugins import discover_agent_plugin_skills
 from nanobot.apps.cli.service import CliAppError, CliAppManager, CliAppsRuntimeConfig
 
 
@@ -391,6 +392,9 @@ def test_install_dispatches_safe_pip_and_installs_skill(
         "_fetch_skill_content",
         lambda app: "---\nname: cli-anything-gimp\ndescription: GIMP\n---\n# GIMP\n",
     )
+    legacy = manager.workspace / "skills" / "cli-app-gimp" / "SKILL.md"
+    legacy.parent.mkdir(parents=True)
+    legacy.write_text("legacy", encoding="utf-8")
 
     payload = manager.install("gimp")
 
@@ -400,9 +404,21 @@ def test_install_dispatches_safe_pip_and_installs_skill(
     assert "state_recorded" in payload["last_action"]["verification"]
     installed = json.loads(manager.installed_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))["apps"]
     assert installed["gimp"]["entry_point"] == "cli-anything-gimp"
-    skill = manager.workspace / "skills" / "cli-app-gimp" / "SKILL.md"
+    plugin = manager.workspace / "plugins" / "cli-app-gimp"
+    skill = plugin / "skills" / "cli-app-gimp" / "SKILL.md"
     assert skill.is_file()
+    assert json.loads((plugin / "plugin.json").read_text(encoding="utf-8")) == {
+        "$schema": "https://agent-plugins.org/schemas/1.0.0/plugin.schema.json",
+        "name": "cli-app-gimp",
+        "version": "1.0.0",
+        "description": "Public duplicate entry",
+    }
+    assert "name: cli-app-gimp" in skill.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
     assert 'run_cli_app` tool with `name="gimp"' in skill.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    assert [item.name for item in discover_agent_plugin_skills(manager.workspace)] == [
+        "cli-app-gimp"
+    ]
+    assert not legacy.exists()
 
 
 def test_run_argv_logs_command_exit_and_output(
@@ -487,7 +503,14 @@ def test_install_records_available_cli_without_reinstalling(
     assert "entry_point_available" in payload["last_action"]["verification"]
     installed = json.loads(manager.installed_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))["apps"]
     assert installed["feishu"]["entry_point_path"] == str(resolved)
-    skill = manager.workspace / "skills" / "cli-app-feishu" / "SKILL.md"
+    skill = (
+        manager.workspace
+        / "plugins"
+        / "cli-app-feishu"
+        / "skills"
+        / "cli-app-feishu"
+        / "SKILL.md"
+    )
     assert skill.is_file()
     assert 'run_cli_app` tool with `name="feishu"' in skill.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
 
@@ -704,7 +727,8 @@ def test_uninstall_removes_installed_state_and_generated_skill(
     manager = _manager(tmp_path)
     _seed_catalog(manager)
     manager._save_installed({"gimp": {"entry_point": "cli-anything-gimp"}})
-    skill_dir = manager.workspace / "skills" / "cli-app-gimp"
+    plugin_dir = manager.workspace / "plugins" / "cli-app-gimp"
+    skill_dir = plugin_dir / "skills" / "cli-app-gimp"
     skill_dir.mkdir(parents=True)
     (skill_dir / "SKILL.md").write_text("# GIMP\n", encoding="utf-8")
     monkeypatch.setattr(
@@ -717,7 +741,7 @@ def test_uninstall_removes_installed_state_and_generated_skill(
 
     assert payload["last_action"]["ok"] is True
     assert "gimp" not in json.loads(manager.installed_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))["apps"]
-    assert not skill_dir.exists()
+    assert not plugin_dir.exists()
 
 
 def test_uninstall_uses_safe_python_m_pip_uninstall_command(
@@ -845,14 +869,14 @@ def test_mentioned_installed_apps_only_returns_installed_mentions(tmp_path: Path
             "name": "zoom",
             "entry_point": "cli-anything-zoom",
             "source": "public",
-            "skill": "skills/cli-app-zoom/SKILL.md",
+            "skill": "plugins/cli-app-zoom/skills/cli-app-zoom/SKILL.md",
             "tool": "run_cli_app",
         },
         {
             "name": "gimp",
             "entry_point": "cli-anything-gimp",
             "source": "harness",
-            "skill": "skills/cli-app-gimp/SKILL.md",
+            "skill": "plugins/cli-app-gimp/skills/cli-app-gimp/SKILL.md",
             "tool": "run_cli_app",
         },
     ]

tests/cli_apps/test_utils.py

@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ def test_cli_app_mentions_inject_runtime_metadata(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     assert "CLI App Mention: @zoom" in joined
     assert "tool=run_cli_app" in joined
     assert "entry_point=cli-anything-zoom" in joined
-    assert "skill=skills/cli-app-zoom/SKILL.md" in joined
+    assert "skill=plugins/cli-app-zoom/skills/cli-app-zoom/SKILL.md" in joined
 
 
 def test_structured_cli_app_attachment_injects_runtime_metadata(tmp_path):
@@ -61,4 +61,4 @@ def test_structured_cli_app_attachment_injects_runtime_metadata(tmp_path):
     assert "CLI App Attachment: @zoom" in joined
     assert "tool=run_cli_app" in joined
     assert "entry_point=cli-anything-zoom" in joined
-    assert "skill=skills/cli-app-zoom/SKILL.md" in joined
+    assert "skill=plugins/cli-app-zoom/skills/cli-app-zoom/SKILL.md" in joined