Claude Code plugins explained: what to bundle and when

Slash commands shortcut what you type. Hooks fire on events. Skills give Claude capabilities it chooses to use. Plugins bundle them so a whole way of working installs in one step. Details below follow Anthropic’s plugins documentation, checked on 03/10/2026.

What’s in a plugin

A typical plugin directory:

my-plugin/
├── .claude-plugin/
│   └── plugin.json      # manifest: name, plus optional version and description
├── skills/
│   └── quote/
│       └── SKILL.md     # runs as /my-plugin:quote, or when Claude decides it's relevant
├── agents/
│   └── reviewer.md      # a subagent Claude can delegate to
├── hooks/
│   └── hooks.json       # commands that run on lifecycle events
└── .mcp.json            # MCP servers the plugin connects

While you’re building it, load it straight from the folder for one session with claude --plugin-dir ./my-plugin.

When to make a plugin

• Your team repeats a workflow. Package it once, version it, and everyone gets the same setup.
• You use the same conventions in many projects. House style, Australian English rules and a few shared commands, installed everywhere at user scope.
• You’re handing a setup to someone else. A plugin is easier to install and update than a set of files to copy.

When not to:

• One skill or one command: save it on its own, in your user or project .claude folder.
• One project: a project .claude folder is simpler.
• Anything you’re not sure will last a week: try it as a local skill first.

An illustrative plugin for an Australian business

This is an illustration of the shape, not a plugin we publish:

au-business-basics/
├── .claude-plugin/plugin.json
├── skills/
│   ├── aud-formatting/SKILL.md   # AUD, GST-inclusive or exclusive, DD/MM/YYYY
│   ├── quote/SKILL.md            # draft a quote from a scope
│   └── standup/SKILL.md          # summarise yesterday's work
└── hooks/hooks.json              # add today's date and house rules to each prompt

A minimal manifest:

{
  "name": "au-business-basics",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "description": "House rules and shortcuts for Australian business work"
}

Installing and sharing plugins

• Install: run /plugin in a session and pick from the Discover tab, or run claude plugin install <name>@<marketplace> in your shell.
• Scopes: user scope (every project on your computer), project scope (everyone working in the repository, through its committed settings) or local scope (you, in this repository only).
• Share: publish a marketplace, a repository with a .claude-plugin/marketplace.json file, and have teammates add it once.

What to put in your first plugin

Keep the first one small:

1. Your house rules as a skill or a short instructions file.
2. One command you use every week.
3. One hook, such as adding today’s date to each prompt.

Ship that, then add pieces as real needs appear.

What to keep out of a plugin

• Anything specific to one project; that belongs in the project’s own .claude folder.
• Secrets. API keys and tokens go in environment variables or a password manager, never in a plugin.
• Anything that runs code you haven’t read. A plugin runs with your permissions.