HelpBlogCommunity🍌 PromptsNEWRulesWorkflowsAgent SkillsMCPsAdvertise
ENEnglishESEspaΓ±olZHδΈ­ζ–‡JAζ—₯本θͺžDEDeutschPTPortuguΓͺsRUРусский
Back to AI Tools & Agents

plugin-forge

plugin developmentclaude codeai agentsmarketplacemanifest managementversion controlscriptingdeveloper tools
⭐ 2.0kπŸ“„ MITπŸ•’ 2026-03-05Source β†—

Install this skill

npx skills add softaworks/agent-toolkit

Works across Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, Copilot & Antigravity

Plugin Forge is a dedicated development environment for creating, managing, and distributing extensions for the Claude Code ecosystem. It standardizes the lifecycle of marketplace-ready plugins by providing scaffolding utilities for manifest generation, command organization, and skill-based knowledge integration. Instead of creating folders and JSON files by hand, developers use these provided Python scripts to ensure local project structures align with marketplace requirements. It enforces strict naming conventions using a namespace-based hierarchy, turning markdown files into discoverable commands. By centralizing version control across plugin-specific manifests and global marketplace indexes, this toolkit maintains consistency for teams building modular agentic tools. Whether you are packaging domain-specific knowledge or specialized operational commands, this framework provides the blueprint for packaging your code into reusable, installable agent assets.

When to Use This Skill

  • β€’Developing a suite of specialized commands for a specific framework like React or Vue
  • β€’Packaging internal company knowledge base as an installable agent skill
  • β€’Standardizing plugin distribution across a team's private marketplace
  • β€’Updating plugin versions while maintaining sync between local and global manifests

How to Invoke This Skill

Example prompts that trigger this skill in Claude Code, Cursor, or Antigravity:

  • β€œscaffold a new Claude Code plugin
  • β€œregister a new skill in the marketplace
  • β€œhow do I bump the version of my plugin
  • β€œset up the directory structure for a custom domain plugin
  • β€œcreate a command namespace in my plugin

Pro Tips

  • πŸ’‘Always use the provided Python scripts (e.g., `create_plugin.py`, `bump_version.py`) to ensure manifest consistency and prevent manual errors.
  • πŸ’‘Leverage the `--marketplace-root` flag for centralizing plugin management when contributing to a shared marketplace.
  • πŸ’‘Integrate the version bumping scripts into your CI/CD pipeline for automated, semantic version releases.

What this skill does

  • β€’Auto-scaffolds folder architecture and manifest JSON files
  • β€’Manages semantic versioning across local and marketplace registry files
  • β€’Handles namespace-based command mapping with colon-separated naming
  • β€’Integrates with local marketplace directories for plugin distribution
  • β€’Standardizes plugin assets like skills, hooks, and MCP server definitions

When not to use it

  • βœ•Managing individual, ephemeral prompts that don't need to be shared or installed as plugins
  • βœ•Handling complex backend deployment infrastructure beyond standard plugin registration

Example workflow

  1. Run the create_plugin.py script to generate the initial directory structure
  2. Define plugin commands in the commands/ folder using markdown frontmatter
  3. Register the new plugin path in the marketplace.json manifest
  4. Install the plugin locally using the /plugin marketplace add command
  5. Test functionality and adjust version numbers using the bump_version.py script

Prerequisites

  • –Python 3.x for running management scripts
  • –Access to a local marketplace root directory

Pitfalls & limitations

  • !Failing to update both the internal plugin manifest and the marketplace registry simultaneously
  • !Ignoring the specific directory requirements for skill and command locations
  • !Manual namespace naming conflicts if not following the standard colon convention

FAQ

Why do I need to update the version in two different files?
The framework maintains a local manifest for the specific plugin and a global manifest for the marketplace, ensuring integrity during installation and discovery.
Can I manually create my plugin structure?
Yes, but using the provided script ensures that your JSON manifests and folder hierarchies strictly follow the required schema, preventing installation errors.
How are commands mapped in Claude Code?
The plugin uses subdirectory paths to create namespaces, where a file like commands/docs/gen.md maps to the command /docs:gen.

How it compares

Unlike manual file creation, Plugin Forge automates critical manifest validation and version synchronization, significantly reducing runtime errors during plugin discovery and installation.

Source & trust

⭐ 2.0k starsπŸ“„ MITπŸ•’ Updated 2026-03-05
πŸ“„ Full skill instructions β€” original source: softaworks/agent-toolkit
# CC Plugin Forge

## Purpose

Build and manage Claude Code plugins with correct structure, manifests, and marketplace integration. Includes workflows, automation scripts, and reference docs.

## When to Use

- Creating new plugins for a marketplace
- Adding/modifying plugin components (commands, skills, agents, hooks)
- Updating plugin versions
- Working with plugin or marketplace manifests
- Setting up local plugin testing
- Publishing plugins

## Getting Started

### Create New Plugin

Use create_plugin.py to generate plugin structure:

python scripts/create_plugin.py plugin-name \
  --marketplace-root /path/to/marketplace \
  --author-name "Your Name" \
  --author-email "[email protected]" \
  --description "Plugin description" \
  --keywords "keyword1,keyword2" \
  --category "productivity"


This automatically:

- Creates plugin directory structure
- Generates plugin.json manifest
- Creates README template
- Updates marketplace.json

### Bump Version

Use bump_version.py to update versions in both manifests:

python scripts/bump_version.py plugin-name major|minor|patch \
  --marketplace-root /path/to/marketplace


Semantic versioning:

- **major**: Breaking changes (1.0.0 β†’ 2.0.0)
- **minor**: New features, refactoring (1.0.0 β†’ 1.1.0)
- **patch**: Bug fixes, docs (1.0.0 β†’ 1.0.1)

## Development Workflow

### 1. Create Structure

Manual approach (if not using script):

mkdir -p plugins/plugin-name/.claude-plugin
mkdir -p plugins/plugin-name/commands
mkdir -p plugins/plugin-name/skills


### 2. Plugin Manifest

File: plugins/plugin-name/.claude-plugin/plugin.json

{
  "name": "plugin-name",
  "version": "0.1.0",
  "description": "Plugin description",
  "author": {
    "name": "Your Name",
    "email": "[email protected]"
  },
  "keywords": ["keyword1", "keyword2"]
}


### 3. Register in Marketplace

Update .claude-plugin/marketplace.json:

{
  "name": "plugin-name",
  "source": "./plugins/plugin-name",
  "description": "Plugin description",
  "version": "0.1.0",
  "keywords": ["keyword1", "keyword2"],
  "category": "productivity"
}


### 4. Add Components

Create in respective directories:

| Component | Location | Format |
|-----------|----------|--------|
| Commands | commands/ | Markdown with frontmatter |
| Skills | skills/<name>/ | Directory with SKILL.md |
| Agents | agents/ | Markdown definitions |
| Hooks | hooks/hooks.json | Event handlers |
| MCP Servers | .mcp.json | External integrations |

### 5. Local Testing

# Add marketplace
/plugin marketplace add /path/to/marketplace-root

# Install plugin
/plugin install plugin-name@marketplace-name

# After changes: reinstall
/plugin uninstall plugin-name@marketplace-name
/plugin install plugin-name@marketplace-name


## Plugin Patterns

### Framework Plugin

For framework-specific guidance (React, Vue, etc.):

plugins/framework-name/
β”œβ”€β”€ .claude-plugin/plugin.json
β”œβ”€β”€ skills/
β”‚   └── framework-name/
β”‚       β”œβ”€β”€ SKILL.md
β”‚       └── references/
β”œβ”€β”€ commands/
β”‚   └── prime/
β”‚       β”œβ”€β”€ components.md
β”‚       └── framework.md
└── README.md


### Utility Plugin

For tools and commands:

plugins/utility-name/
β”œβ”€β”€ .claude-plugin/plugin.json
β”œβ”€β”€ commands/
β”‚   β”œβ”€β”€ action1.md
β”‚   └── action2.md
└── README.md


### Domain Plugin

For domain-specific knowledge:

plugins/domain-name/
β”œβ”€β”€ .claude-plugin/plugin.json
β”œβ”€β”€ skills/
β”‚   └── domain-name/
β”‚       β”œβ”€β”€ SKILL.md
β”‚       β”œβ”€β”€ references/
β”‚       └── scripts/
└── README.md


## Command Naming

Subdirectory-based namespacing with : separator:

- commands/namespace/command.md β†’ /namespace:command
- commands/simple.md β†’ /simple

Examples:

- commands/prime/vue.md β†’ /prime:vue
- commands/docs/generate.md β†’ /docs:generate

## Version Management

**Important:** Update version in BOTH locations:

1. plugins/<name>/.claude-plugin/plugin.json
2. .claude-plugin/marketplace.json

Use bump_version.py to automate.

## Git Commits

Use conventional commits:

git commit -m "feat: add new plugin"
git commit -m "fix: correct plugin manifest"
git commit -m "docs: update plugin README"
git commit -m "feat!: breaking change"


## Reference Docs

Detailed documentation included:

| Reference | Content |
|-----------|---------|
| references/plugin-structure.md | Directory structure, manifest schema, components |
| references/marketplace-schema.md | Marketplace format, plugin entries, distribution |
| references/workflows.md | Step-by-step workflows, patterns, publishing |

### Scripts

| Script | Purpose |
|--------|---------|
| scripts/create_plugin.py | Scaffold new plugin |
| scripts/bump_version.py | Update versions |

How to Use This Skill Unit

Option A: Project-Specific (Recommended)

  1. Click "Download" above
  2. In your project, create the directory: .agent/skills/plugin-forge/
  3. Save the file as SKILL.md
  4. The agent will automatically discover the skill based on its description.

Option B: Global Installation (All Agents)

Save the file to these locations to make it available across all projects:

  • Claude Code: ~/.claude/skills/softaworks/agent-toolkit/plugin-forge/SKILL.md
  • Cursor: ~/.cursor/skills/softaworks/agent-toolkit/plugin-forge/SKILL.md
  • Antigravity: ~/.gemini/antigravity/skills/softaworks/agent-toolkit/plugin-forge/SKILL.md

πŸš€ Install with CLI:
npx skills add softaworks/agent-toolkit

Read the Master Guide: Mastering Agent Skills β†’

Recommended Rules

View more rules β†’

Python Automation & Scripting Expert

PythonAutomationScripting
You are an expert in Python automation and scripting. Key Principles: - Write robust, error-resistant scripts - Implement proper logging - Handle edg...

LangChain & AI Orchestration

LangChainAI AgentsOrchestration
You are an expert in LangChain and building AI applications with LLM orchestration. Key Principles: - Chain components together for complex tasks - A...

Git Feature Branch Workflow

WorkflowsGitVersion Control
Create a workflow to start new feature branches synchronized with main. Workflow File: .agent/workflows/start_feature.md ```markdown --- description...

Recommended Workflows

View more workflows β†’

Reduce Bundle Size

PerformanceBundleOptimization
--- description: Analyze and reduce JS bundle --- 1. **Analyze Bundle**: // turbo - Run `npm install @next/bundle-analyzer` // turbo - Ru...

Setup Service Worker for Offline

PWAOfflineService Worker
--- description: Enable offline functionality --- 1. **Install Workbox**: // turbo - Run `npm install next-pwa` 2. **Configure**: ```js ...

Setup Sentry Error Tracking

MonitoringSentryErrors
--- description: Track and debug production errors with Sentry --- 1. **Install Sentry SDK**: - Install the Next.js SDK. // turbo - Run `npm...

Recommended MCP Servers

View more MCP servers β†’
A

AI Agent Marketplace Index

Community

MCP server to search more than 5000+ AI agents and tools of various categories from [AI Agent Marketplace Index](http://www.deepnlp.org/store/ai-agent) and monitor traffic of AI Agents.

i

it-tools-mcp

Community

A Model Context Protocol server that recreates [CorentinTh it-tools](https://github.com/CorentinTh/it-tools) utilities for AI agents, enabling access to a wide range of developer tools (encoding, decoding, conversions, and more) via MCP.

AgentOps

AgentOps

Official

Provide observability and tracing for debugging AI agents with [AgentOps](https://www.agentops.ai/) API.

Take It Further

Maximize your productivity with these powerful resources

πŸ“‹

Define Your Standards

Set up coding standards to ensure this workflow produces consistent, high-quality results.

Browse Rules Library
πŸ“–

Master Workflows

Learn how to create custom workflows, use Turbo Mode, and build your automation library.

Complete Guide

How to use this Skill in Claude Code & Cursor

For Claude Code (CLI)

To use this skill in Claude Code, copy the rule content into your project's custom instructions or follow our Add-Skill CLI guide. This ensures Claude follows your standards during every code generation.

For Cursor & Windsurf

For Cursor or Windsurf, individual skills are best used in the "Rules for AI" section. This specific unit helps the agent avoid ai tools & agents issues, leading to cleaner, more efficient code.

Why the skill format matters: the standardized Agent Skills format lets your AI agent load detailed instructions only when they are relevant, keeping your prompt clean while improving results.

Source & attribution

This skill is categorized under AI Tools & Agents and is published by Softaworks, maintained in softaworks/agent-toolkit.

← Browse All Agent Skills
Sponsored AI assistant. Recommendations may be paid.