Claude Plugins

Claude Code plugins package related extensions so a workflow can be installed and shared as a unit. Depending on the project, one plugin may include skills, commands, agents, hooks, or MCP server configuration. The name alone does not tell you what permissions it needs. Follow each source link and inspect the manifest and files before enabling a new plugin.

Read the manifest and the component directories to see what an installation includes. A collection can distribute several independently named plugins, so a repository link alone is not an install target. The commands on each listing identify the marketplace and the specific plugin when the source publishes that information.

Native Claude Code mods also use plugin packaging, but their defining feature is in-process function hooks. A plugin containing only instructions or MCP configuration is still useful without being a native mod. This directory keeps the homepage’s Top mods focused on function-hook projects and lists the wider plugin ecosystem here.

Entries from an Anthropic repository are labeled as such; third-party entries are labeled community. An Anthropic example repository and the default official marketplace are also different things, so the card gives the exact source rather than treating every Anthropic-hosted project as preinstalled. Community plugins can be useful, but check maintainers, recent activity, external services, and requested tool access.

Check the owner shown on the source link, then check the installation source separately. A community marketplace can point to an upstream repository, and an example hosted by Anthropic may still need manual setup. Neither the card’s position nor the repository owner means that Claude Code has already enabled the plugin on your machine.

For a team, record the plugin name and the source you approved. Review changes when updating a bundle that contains executable hooks or external integrations. If two entries share a repository, compare their component paths rather than assuming their install instructions and dependencies are identical.

Open the source first, then run marketplace registration if the card includes it. Install the named plugin only after the marketplace is available, and reload Claude Code when the maintainer asks you to. For third-party plugins, verify any sign-in step and whether the plugin sends code or queries outside your machine. The copy button provides the documented command sequence, not a security endorsement.

Keep terminal commands and interactive Claude Code commands in their documented context. A line beginning with claude runs in a terminal; a slash command is entered inside Claude Code. Run multi-line setup in order and stop at the first error instead of installing from a marketplace that failed to register.

Once installed, inspect /plugin to confirm the expected package is enabled. For native mods, the listing includes the supported version and reload step. If a capability is missing, verify the installed component name, settings scope, and prerequisite services before reinstalling the entire collection.

A skill is usually a focused set of instructions loaded on demand. A plugin is a container that may distribute one or many skills with commands, hooks, and agents. If you only need a narrowly scoped workflow, a standalone skill can be easier to inspect. If you need a coordinated set of features, a plugin is more convenient. Compare both categories before installing.

A standalone skill is convenient when you want to read and adapt one workflow in a project folder. A plugin is convenient when several people need the same collection and an installation source. You can compare the skill instructions inside a plugin before deciding whether the additional hooks or integrations are necessary.

Avoid installing both a manually copied skill and its packaged counterpart without checking their invocation names. Duplicate workflows make it harder to tell which instructions are being used. Choose one distribution method for the trial, document it, and only expand the setup once the result meets your needs.