OVOS Cmd Skill

This OVOS skill runs shell scripts and other commands. The commands run without asking for confirmation.

Install

pip install ovos-skill-cmd

Usage

Trigger a command with a spoken phrase:

"Hey Mycroft, launch command echo TEST"
"Hey Mycroft, run script generate report"

Configuration

Configure the skill in settings.json. Map a spoken phrase to a script or command under alias. For example:

{
  "alias": {
    "generate report": "/home/forslund/scripts/generate_report.sh"
  }
}

With this setting, the phrase "run script generate report" makes the skill execute /home/forslund/scripts/generate_report.sh.

user

Set user to run commands under a specific user's privileges:

{
  "user": "ovos"
}

shell

Set shell to control whether commands run through a shell. It defaults to true:

{
  "shell": false
}

Full example

{
  "user": "ovos",
  "alias": {
    "generate report": "/home/forslund/scripts/generate_report.sh",
    "update system": "sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y",
    "reboot device": "sudo reboot"
  },
  "shell": true
}

Security notes

Running commands through a shell allows complex operations but can expose security risks. If your commands do not need shell features, set shell to false.
A command can run under a specific user through the user field. Make sure that user has the permissions the command needs.
Do not configure dangerous commands, such as rm -rf, without additional safeguards.

Docker containers

Commands run only inside the Docker container. If a command also needs an effect outside the container, use an additional mechanism, such as a named pipe.

This example steers Kodi, which runs outside the container, from ovos-skill-cmd:

{
    "alias": {
        "kodi restart": "echo \"systemctl restart kodi\" > /home/ovos/.config/mycroft/joespipe",
        "kodi mute": "echo \"kodi-send --action=\\\"Mute\\\"\" > /home/ovos/.config/mycroft/joespipe",
        "kodi unmute": "echo \"kodi-send --action=\\\"Mute\\\"\"  > /home/ovos/.config/mycroft/joespipe",
        "kodi louder": "echo \"kodi-send --action=\\\"VolumeUp\\\"\" > /home/ovos/.config/mycroft/joespipe",
        "kodi lower": "echo \"kodi-send --action=\\\"VolumeDown\\\"\" > /home/ovos/.config/mycroft/joespipe",
        "kodi pause": "echo \"kodi-send --action=\\\"PlayerControl(Play)\\\"\" > /home/ovos/.config/mycroft/joespipe",
        "kodi resume": "echo \"kodi-send --action=\\\"PlayerControl(Play)\\\"\" > /home/ovos/.config/mycroft/joespipe",
        "kodi stop": "echo \"kodi-send --action=\\\"PlayerControl(Stop)\\\"\" > /home/ovos/.config/mycroft/joespipe"
    },
    "shell": true,
    "__mycroft_skill_firstrun": false
}

/home/ovos/.config/mycroft/joespipe is a named pipe in the shared volume of the OVOS config folder. Outside the container, a small script watches the pipe for commands:

#!/bin/bash
while true; do eval "$(cat /storage/ovos/config/joespipe)"; done

Read more about this named-pipe approach on Stack Overflow.

Related projects

OpenVoiceOS/OpenVoiceOS — the OVOS platform this skill runs on.

License

Apache License 2.0. See LICENSE.txt.

Release files for ovos-skill-cmd 0.3.1a2

For a detailed explanation of source distributions (sdists) and built distributions (wheels), please see the package formats documentation.

Source distribution (sdist)

Source distribution for ovos-skill-cmd 0.3.1a2
File	Size	Uploaded
ovos_skill_cmd-0.3.1a2.tar.gz	11.6 kB	Aug 25, 2026	Details

Built distribution (wheel)

Table of built distributions (wheels) for ovos-skill-cmd 0.3.1a2
File	Interpreter	ABI	Platform	Reset
ovos_skill_cmd-0.3.1a2-py3-none-any.whl 15.7 kB Aug 25, 2026	Python 3	none	any	Details

Total release size: 27.3 kB

Release files / ovos_skill_cmd-0.3.1a2.tar.gz

Download URL	ovos_skill_cmd-0.3.1a2.tar.gz
Size	11.6 kB
Tags	Source
SHA-256 checksum How to use checksums	`1624dbf7cb03a751a3a7e5e38c7ddb84a744e96540a760871a4d5437456024bb`
BLAKE2b-256 checksum How to use checksums	`41c1175288a2976feb55bff69895d1794827ab356b3d32de1771cbe94da21de7`
Upload date	Aug 25, 2026
Uploaded using Trusted Publishing? What is trusted publishing?	No
Uploaded via	`twine/7.0.0 CPython/3.13.14`

Release files / ovos_skill_cmd-0.3.1a2-py3-none-any.whl

Download URL	ovos_skill_cmd-0.3.1a2-py3-none-any.whl
Size	15.7 kB
Tags	Python 3
SHA-256 checksum How to use checksums	`201841573c271ffdac9d2c6385cbadb6a51a37c7dda61a944a230bf64cdf8cce`
BLAKE2b-256 checksum How to use checksums	`f32bdb4a5bd181f9615ccdc9f49379a14ddfc2e5a9419f412007af227fde0234`
Upload date	Aug 25, 2026
Uploaded using Trusted Publishing? What is trusted publishing?	No
Uploaded via	`twine/7.0.0 CPython/3.13.14`