BrickOwl AFOL skill
Use this skill when the user asks for BrickOwl catalog lookup, BrickOwl store inventory, BrickOwl orders, BrickOwl wishlist creation, or BrickOwl marketplace listing management.
Primary interface: scripts/brickowl.
The skill is self-contained for archive distribution and wraps the BrickOwl API directly using checked-in references inside this skill directory:
- OpenAPI reference:
references/openapi/brickowl.yaml - Domain guidance:
references/prompts/brickowl-tools.txt - CLI source:
scripts/brickowl_cli.py
Do not scrape vendor docs or invent parameters when the checked-in OpenAPI reference covers the endpoint. If the reference is insufficient, say what is missing.
Authentication
Required environment variable:
export BRICKOWL_API_KEY=...
Optional override:
export BRICKOWL_BASE_URL=https://api.brickowl.com/v1
Never print, commit, log, or paste the real API key. Commands should reference $BRICKOWL_API_KEY only indirectly through the CLI.
BrickOwl auth placement matters:
- GET endpoints send
keyas a query parameter. - POST endpoints send
keyin theapplication/x-www-form-urlencodedrequest body.
The CLI handles that split, which is the main reason to use it instead of ad-hoc curl.
CLI quick reference
Run commands from this skill directory:
scripts/brickowl --help
scripts/brickowl user
scripts/brickowl id-lookup --id 75192-1 --type Set --id-type set_number
scripts/brickowl catalog-search --query "Millennium Falcon" --type Set --page 1
scripts/brickowl inventory-list --page 1
scripts/brickowl orders --status Pending --page 1
scripts/brickowl order --order-id 12345
Mutating commands are guarded. They do nothing unless passed --yes; use --dry-run first:
scripts/brickowl inventory-create --dry-run \
--boid 123456 \
--quantity 1 \
--price 850.00 \
--condition news
scripts/brickowl inventory-update --dry-run \
--lot-id 12345 \
--price 599.99
scripts/brickowl inventory-delete --dry-run --lot-id 12345
scripts/brickowl wishlist-create --dry-run --name "Wanted parts" --description "For next build"
scripts/brickowl bulk --dry-run --requests-json '[{"path":"/user"}]'
Safety rules
Read-only by default:
usercatalog-searchid-lookupinventory-listordersorder
Mutating operations require explicit user confirmation in the current conversation before execution:
inventory-createinventory-updateinventory-deletewishlist-createbulkwhenever any embedded request mutates data
Stored credentials are not permission. Before any mutation, restate the exact action, lot/item identifiers, quantity, price, condition, wishlist name, or bulk request list and wait for explicit confirmation such as "yes, create it" or "confirm update lot 123".
The CLI enforces this mechanically: mutating commands fail unless --yes is passed, and --dry-run prints the request shape with the API key redacted.
If the user asks to "sell", "list", "update inventory", or "delete lot" without naming a platform and both BrickLink/BrickOwl could apply, ask which marketplace to use before mutating anything.
Endpoint coverage
GET /catalog/searchviacatalog-searchGET /catalog/id_lookupviaid-lookupGET /inventory/listviainventory-listPOST /inventory/createviainventory-create --yesPOST /inventory/updateviainventory-update --yes- inventory deletion through
inventory-delete --yes, implemented asPOST /inventory/updatewithdelete=true GET /order/listviaordersGET /order/viewviaorderPOST /wishlist/create_listviawishlist-create --yesGET /userviauserPOST /bulkviabulk --yes
Treat inventory, order, buyer, address, cost, and personal-note data as private. Summarize only what the user needs.
Known BrickOwl lookup rule
Use id-lookup for known external IDs. Do not abuse fuzzy catalog search as an ID lookup tool.
Good:
scripts/brickowl id-lookup --id 75192-1 --type Set --id-type set_number
Useful id_type values from the checked-in spec:
item_nodesign_idbl_item_noset_number
Use catalog-search only when the user gives a fuzzy text query or asks to browse/search by words:
scripts/brickowl catalog-search --query "Millennium Falcon" --type Set --page 1
Mutating workflows
Do not run these with --yes until the user explicitly confirms the exact action.
Create an inventory lot
Required fields: boid, quantity, price, condition. Valid create conditions are lowercase BrickOwl condition IDs: news, newc, newi, usedc, usedi, usedn, usedg, useda, other. Plain New is not valid for inventory-create.
Confirmation prompt shape:
Confirm BrickOwl inventory create: BOID <boid>, quantity <qty>, price <price>, condition <condition>, optional color_id <color_id>, optional external_id <external_id>.
Then:
scripts/brickowl inventory-create --yes --boid "$BOID" --quantity "$QUANTITY" --price "$PRICE" --condition "$CONDITION"
Update an inventory lot
Use --lot-id or --external-lot-id, plus only the fields the user asked to change. For quantity, distinguish:
--absolute-quantity: set quantity to this exact value.--relative-quantity: add/subtract this amount.
Confirmation prompt shape:
Confirm BrickOwl lot update: lot_id <lot_id> / external_lot_id <external_lot_id>; changes: <fields>.
Then:
scripts/brickowl inventory-update --yes --lot-id "$LOT_ID" --price "$PRICE"
Delete an inventory lot
Deletion is destructive and needs especially explicit confirmation naming the lot ID.
scripts/brickowl inventory-delete --yes --lot-id "$LOT_ID"
Create a wishlist
Confirmation prompt shape:
Confirm BrickOwl wishlist creation: name "<name>", description "<description>".
Then:
scripts/brickowl wishlist-create --yes --name "$WISHLIST_NAME" --description "$WISHLIST_DESCRIPTION"
Bulk requests
Bulk has a lower rate limit: 200 requests/minute. Inspect every embedded request before deciding whether it is read-only or mutating.
If any embedded request is POST to inventory or wishlist endpoints, require explicit confirmation for the whole batch and summarize each write. Do not hide writes inside a bulk payload.
scripts/brickowl bulk --yes --requests-json "$BULK_REQUESTS_JSON"
BrickOwl limitations and routing
BrickOwl API does not provide marketplace offer data from other sellers. If the user asks for current marketplace prices/offers on BrickOwl, explain that limitation and suggest BrickLink pricing if available, or direct them to BrickOwl.com for manual marketplace browsing.
BrickOwl is appropriate for:
- validating BrickOwl catalog IDs / BOIDs
- managing the authenticated user's own BrickOwl inventory
- viewing the authenticated user's BrickOwl orders
- creating BrickOwl wishlists
It is not appropriate for API-based cross-seller price discovery.
Verification
Local, no-network checks:
python3 -m py_compile scripts/brickowl_cli.py
scripts/brickowl inventory-create --dry-run --boid 123 --quantity 1 --price 9.99 --condition news
python3 -m unittest discover -s tests -p 'test_*.py'
scripts/validate-skills.sh
Read-only smoke check, only when BRICKOWL_API_KEY is configured:
scripts/brickowl user