Plugin Structure

This is your reference when scaffolding Claude Code plugins or figuring out why components aren't loading. It covers the mandatory directory layout (manifest in .claude-plugin/, components at root), auto-discovery rules for commands/agents/skills/hooks, and the critical ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT} variable for portable paths. The structure is stricter than you might expect: plugin.json must live in .claude-plugin/ but everything else stays at the top level, and you'll break portability if you hardcode paths instead of using the environment variable. Useful when you're building a plugin from scratch or debugging why your hooks or MCP servers aren't firing. The examples are concrete enough to copy and adapt.

skills.sh installs: 184
GitHub stars: 476
last updated: Aug 21, 2026

View on GitHub

Install

$ npx -y skills add aiskillstore/marketplace --skill plugin-structure --agent claude-code

Installs into .claude/skills of the current project.

Files

Plugin Structure for Claude Code

Overview

Claude Code plugins follow a standardized directory structure with automatic component discovery. Understanding this structure enables creating well-organized, maintainable plugins that integrate seamlessly with Claude Code.

Key concepts: