canhelp

Fetches and summarizes a mainnet canister's Candid interface from its ID or name.

Updated Apr 3, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/phukrit7171/Relationship-Smart-Contract-ICP --skill canhelp-phukrit7171
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: canhelp
Source: https://github.com/phukrit7171/Relationship-Smart-Contract-ICP/tree/main/.agents/skills/canhelp
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/phukrit7171/Relationship-Smart-Contract-ICP --skill canhelp-phukrit7171

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes scripts (resource) components.

What problem does it solve? Developers on the Internet Computer often need to inspect a canister's public interface but only know its name or principal ID, and manually fetching and reading raw Candid definitions is tedious. This Skill resolves the canister, downloads its Candid interface, and presents a readable summary of methods and types. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Name-to-ID Resolution: Looks up canisters by human-readable name via the IC Dashboard API, or accepts a principal ID directly. - Candid Interface Fetching: Downloads the candid:service metadata from any mainnet canister using the icp CLI. - Structured Summaries: Groups methods by query vs update, sorts them alphabetically, and lists custom record and variant types. - Use Case: You want to integrate with a third-party canister like a ledger or registry. Provide its name, and get a clean list of its callable methods, argument types, and return types before writing any client code. ## Quick Start Ask the assistant to show the interface of a mainnet canister by providing its name or canister ID, for example: show me the interface of canister ryjl3-tyaaa-aaaaa-aaaba-cai.

Frequently Asked Questions about canhelp

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I view a canister's Candid interface on the Internet Computer?

Provide the canister ID or name, and the skill fetches the candid:service metadata using the icp CLI, then summarizes query methods, update methods, and custom types in a readable format.

How can I find a canister ID from its name on ICP?

The skill queries the IC Dashboard API with the name and returns matching canisters as ID and name pairs. If multiple canisters match, you pick one before the interface is fetched.

Does this work for local canisters in my project?

No, it only supports mainnet canisters. For local canisters, read the generated .did file in your project directly instead of fetching metadata over the network.

Why is the Candid interface empty for some canisters?

An empty result means the canister does not expose its Candid interface in its wasm metadata. The canister author must publish the candid:service metadata section for it to be retrievable.

What tools are required to fetch canister metadata?

The icp CLI must be installed and available on the PATH, along with curl and python3 for name resolution. The fetch script exits with an error if icp is not found.