Claude Code Plugins: How to Install, Choose and Manage Them
Claude Code plugins bundle skills, agents, hooks and MCP servers into one install. How to add them, which official plugins to try and what to check first.
Josh Pocock5 min read
AI Coding
Claude Code plugins
Stride AI Academy
Claude Code plugins are packages that add skills, agents, hooks and MCP servers to Claude Code in one install. To add one, run /plugin in a session and pick it from the Discover tab, or run /plugin install with the plugin's name and marketplace. Install only what you'll use, because an enabled plugin is part of every session.
Every command below was checked against Anthropic's plugin docs on November 5, 2026. Plugins change fast, so check the docs if something looks different on your screen.
What is a Claude Code plugin?
A plugin is a folder of components that Claude Code installs and loads as one unit. It can hold skills, subagents, hooks and MCP servers. Most plugins come from a marketplace, which is a catalog that lists plugins and where to fetch them.
Don't confuse this with the Claude Code extension for VS Code or the JetBrains plugin. Those put Claude Code inside your editor. A Claude Code plugin adds abilities to Claude Code itself.
Do you need a plugin?
You need a plugin when you want several pieces of a setup packaged together, or you want to install or share a setup in one step. Skills, subagents, hooks and MCP servers all work without one, so a single skill you wrote yourself can stay in ~/.claude/skills/.
| You want to | Use |
|---|---|
| Add one instruction set for yourself | A standalone skill |
| Connect one outside tool | A standalone MCP server |
| Install a setup someone else built | A plugin |
| Give your whole setup to a team or client | A plugin in your own marketplace |
How to install a Claude Code plugin
Anthropic's official marketplace, claude-plugins-official, is added for you the first time you start an interactive session. So you can install from it straight away.
- Start Claude Code in your project with
claude. - Run
/pluginto browse, or go straight to a plugin:
/plugin install commit-commands@claude-plugins-official- Read the details pane. It shows what the plugin adds, and official plugins also show a Context cost estimate.
- Choose a scope (see below).
- Read the install summary. If it says
Run /reload-plugins to apply, Claude Code runs that reload for you. - Type
/and look for the plugin's skills in the form/<plugin>:<skill>, such as/commit-commands:commit.
In the desktop app's Code tab, click the + button next to the prompt box and select Add plugins instead.
You can also check what's installed from your shell:
claude plugin listChoose the right install scope
The scope decides who gets the plugin. Pick the smallest one that does the job.
| Scope | Who gets it | Where it's saved |
|---|---|---|
| User | You, in every project on this machine | ~/.claude/settings.json |
| Project | Everyone in this repository | .claude/settings.json (committed) |
| Local | You, in this repository only | .claude/settings.local.json |
If a plugin is set at more than one scope, local beats project, and project beats user. For client work, project scope is useful: commit the setting and everyone on the repo gets the same tools.
Which official plugins should you try first?
These are in Anthropic's official plugin repository. Install one, use it for a week, and keep it only if it earns its place.
| Plugin | Good for |
|---|---|
commit-commands |
Faster commit steps |
code-review |
Reviewing changes before they ship |
security-guidance |
Catching security issues while you build |
frontend-design |
Better-looking interfaces |
feature-dev |
Working through a new feature step by step |
skill-creator |
Writing your own skills |
plugin-dev |
Building your own plugins |
claude-md-management |
Keeping your CLAUDE.md file in shape |
typescript-lsp or pyright-lsp |
Language help for TypeScript or Python |
The descriptions here are our short summaries, so open the details pane to see exactly what each plugin adds.
How to add another marketplace
Anything outside the official marketplace needs one extra step. Add the marketplace once, and its plugins then appear on the Discover tab.
/plugin marketplace add your-org/pluginsThe source can be a GitHub owner/repo, a full git URL, a local folder or a hosted marketplace.json file. Then install with /plugin install <plugin>@<marketplace>.
Are Claude Code plugins safe?
Treat a plugin like any software you install. What a plugin runs, it runs as you, and it can run hooks and MCP servers. So read the details pane before installing, and be careful with plugins from strangers.
Plugins also have a cost. For each skill, agent and command Claude can use on its own, the name and description sit in Claude's context on every turn. MCP servers run alongside each session where the plugin is on. That's why a long list of plugins can make every session heavier, even when you aren't using them.
The simple rule: read before you install, start with official plugins, and remove what you don't use.
How to update, disable or remove a plugin
Open the Installed tab in /plugin during a session, or use these from your shell:
claude plugin update commit-commands@claude-plugins-official
claude plugin disable commit-commands@claude-plugins-official
claude plugin enable commit-commands@claude-plugins-official
claude plugin uninstall commit-commands@claude-plugins-officialinstall and uninstall act on user scope unless you add a flag, such as --scope project. There's no single command that updates every plugin at once.
Using plugins for client work
Plugins are useful if you build for clients, because you can package a tested setup instead of rebuilding it each time. A small agency could keep its review rules, deployment steps and client report skills in one private marketplace. Everyone then starts each job the same way.
Want help building that kind of setup? The Claude Code for agencies course covers it, and the Claude Code community is where members share what's working. You can also read the best MCP servers for Claude Code to pick your connections.
FAQ
What are Claude Code plugins?
They're packages that add skills, subagents, hooks and MCP servers to Claude Code as one install. You get them from a marketplace, which is a catalog of plugins. Anthropic runs an official one, and anyone can publish their own.
How do I install plugins in Claude Code?
Run /plugin in a session to browse, or run /plugin install <plugin>@<marketplace>. Review what it adds, choose a scope, then type / to confirm its skills appear. You can also use claude plugin install from your shell.
What's the difference between a plugin and a skill?
A skill is one set of instructions Claude can load. A plugin is a package that can contain skills along with subagents, hooks and MCP servers. If you only need one skill, you don't need a plugin.
Do Claude Code plugins use more tokens?
They can. An enabled plugin adds names and descriptions of what Claude can invoke to each turn, and more when a skill or agent runs. Official plugins show a Context cost estimate before you install, so check it and remove plugins you don't use.
Why isn't my plugin showing up?
Run /reload-plugins, then check the Errors tab in /plugin. Also confirm it's enabled at the right scope with claude plugin list. Plugins installed at local scope only appear in that repository.