Plugin Structure

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:

• Conventional directory layout for automatic discovery
• Manifest-driven configuration in .claude-plugin/plugin.json
• Component-based organization (commands, agents, skills, hooks)
• Portable path references using ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}
• Explicit vs. auto-discovered component loading

Directory Structure

Every Claude Code plugin follows this organizational pattern:

plugin-name/├── .claude-plugin/│   └── plugin.json          # Required: Plugin manifest├── commands/                 # Slash commands (.md files)├── agents/                   # Subagent definitions (.md files)├── skills/                   # Agent skills (subdirectories)│   └── skill-name/│       └── SKILL.md         # Required for each skill├── hooks/│   └── hooks.json           # Event handler configuration├── .mcp.json                # MCP server definitions└── scripts/                 # Helper scripts and utilities

Critical rules:

1. Manifest location: The plugin.json manifest MUST be in .claude-plugin/ directory
2. Component locations: All component directories (commands, agents, skills, hooks) MUST be at plugin root level, NOT nested inside .claude-plugin/
3. Optional components: Only create directories for components the plugin actually uses
4. Naming convention: Use kebab-case for all directory and file names

Plugin Manifest (plugin.json)

The manifest defines plugin metadata and configuration. Located at .claude-plugin/plugin.json:

Required Fields

{  "name": "plugin-name"}

Name requirements:

• Use kebab-case format (lowercase with hyphens)
• Must be unique across installed plugins
• No spaces or special characters
• Example: code-review-assistant, test-runner, api-docs

Recommended Metadata

{  "name": "plugin-name",  "version": "1.0.0",  "description": "Brief explanation of plugin purpose",  "author": {    "name": "Author Name",    "email": "[email protected]",    "url": "https://example.com"  },  "homepage": "https://docs.example.com",  "repository": "https://github.com/user/plugin-name",  "license": "MIT",  "keywords": ["testing", "automation", "ci-cd"]}

Version format: Follow semantic versioning (MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH) Keywords: Use for plugin discovery and categorization

Component Path Configuration

Specify custom paths for components (supplements default directories):

{  "name": "plugin-name",  "commands": "./custom-commands",  "agents": ["./agents", "./specialized-agents"],  "hooks": "./config/hooks.json",  "mcpServers": "./.mcp.json"}

Important: Custom paths supplement defaults—they don't replace them. Components in both default directories and custom paths will load.

Path rules:

• Must be relative to plugin root
• Must start with ./
• Cannot use absolute paths
• Support arrays for multiple locations

Component Organization

Commands

Location: commands/ directory Format: Markdown files with YAML frontmatter Auto-discovery: All .md files in commands/ load automatically

Example structure:

commands/├── review.md        # /review command├── test.md          # /test command└── deploy.md        # /deploy command

File format:

---name: command-namedescription: Command description---
Command implementation instructions...

Usage: Commands integrate as native slash commands in Claude Code

Agents

Location: agents/ directory Format: Markdown files with YAML frontmatter Auto-discovery: All .md files in agents/ load automatically

Example structure:

agents/├── code-reviewer.md├── test-generator.md└── refactorer.md

File format:

---description: Agent role and expertisecapabilities:  - Specific task 1  - Specific task 2---
Detailed agent instructions and knowledge...

Usage: Users can invoke agents manually, or Claude Code selects them automatically based on task context

Skills

Location: skills/ directory with subdirectories per skill Format: Each skill in its own directory with SKILL.md file Auto-discovery: All SKILL.md files in skill subdirectories load automatically

Example structure:

skills/├── api-testing/│   ├── SKILL.md│   ├── scripts/│   │   └── test-runner.py│   └── references/│       └── api-spec.md└── database-migrations/    ├── SKILL.md    └── examples/        └── migration-template.sql

SKILL.md format:

---name: Skill Namedescription: When to use this skillversion: 1.0.0---
Skill instructions and guidance...

Supporting files: Skills can include scripts, references, examples, or assets in subdirectories

Usage: Claude Code autonomously activates skills based on task context matching the description

Hooks

Location: hooks/hooks.json or inline in plugin.json Format: JSON configuration defining event handlers Registration: Hooks register automatically when plugin enables

Example structure:

hooks/├── hooks.json           # Hook configuration└── scripts/    ├── validate.sh      # Hook script    └── check-style.sh   # Hook script

Configuration format:

{  "PreToolUse": [{    "matcher": "Write|Edit",    "hooks": [{      "type": "command",      "command": "bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/hooks/scripts/validate.sh",      "timeout": 30    }]  }]}

Available events: PreToolUse, PostToolUse, Stop, SubagentStop, SessionStart, SessionEnd, UserPromptSubmit, PreCompact, Notification

Usage: Hooks execute automatically in response to Claude Code events

MCP Servers

Location: .mcp.json at plugin root or inline in plugin.json Format: JSON configuration for MCP server definitions Auto-start: Servers start automatically when plugin enables

Example format:

{  "mcpServers": {    "server-name": {      "command": "node",      "args": ["${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/servers/server.js"],      "env": {        "API_KEY": "${API_KEY}"      }    }  }}

Usage: MCP servers integrate seamlessly with Claude Code's tool system

Portable Path References

${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}

Use ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT} environment variable for all intra-plugin path references:

{  "command": "bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/run.sh"}

Why it matters: Plugins install in different locations depending on:

• User installation method (marketplace, local, npm)
• Operating system conventions
• User preferences

Where to use it:

• Hook command paths
• MCP server command arguments
• Script execution references
• Resource file paths

Never use:

• Hardcoded absolute paths (/Users/name/plugins/...)
• Relative paths from working directory (./scripts/... in commands)
• Home directory shortcuts (~/plugins/...)

Path Resolution Rules

In manifest JSON fields (hooks, MCP servers):

"command": "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/tool.sh"

In component files (commands, agents, skills):

Reference scripts at: ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/helper.py

In executed scripts:

#!/bin/bash# ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT} available as environment variablesource "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/lib/common.sh"

File Naming Conventions

Component Files

Commands: Use kebab-case .md files

• code-review.md → /code-review
• run-tests.md → /run-tests
• api-docs.md → /api-docs

Agents: Use kebab-case .md files describing role

• test-generator.md
• code-reviewer.md
• performance-analyzer.md

Skills: Use kebab-case directory names

• api-testing/
• database-migrations/
• error-handling/

Supporting Files

Scripts: Use descriptive kebab-case names with appropriate extensions

• validate-input.sh
• generate-report.py
• process-data.js

Documentation: Use kebab-case markdown files

• api-reference.md
• migration-guide.md
• best-practices.md

Configuration: Use standard names

• hooks.json
• .mcp.json
• plugin.json

Auto-Discovery Mechanism

Claude Code automatically discovers and loads components:

1. Plugin manifest: Reads .claude-plugin/plugin.json when plugin enables
2. Commands: Scans commands/ directory for .md files
3. Agents: Scans agents/ directory for .md files
4. Skills: Scans skills/ for subdirectories containing SKILL.md
5. Hooks: Loads configuration from hooks/hooks.json or manifest
6. MCP servers: Loads configuration from .mcp.json or manifest

Discovery timing:

• Plugin installation: Components register with Claude Code
• Plugin enable: Components become available for use
• No restart required: Changes take effect on next Claude Code session

Override behavior: Custom paths in plugin.json supplement (not replace) default directories

Best Practices

Organization

1. Logical grouping: Group related components together

   • Put test-related commands, agents, and skills together
   • Create subdirectories in scripts/ for different purposes

2. Minimal manifest: Keep plugin.json lean

   • Only specify custom paths when necessary
   • Rely on auto-discovery for standard layouts
   • Use inline configuration only for simple cases

3. Documentation: Include README files

   • Plugin root: Overall purpose and usage
   • Component directories: Specific guidance
   • Script directories: Usage and requirements

Naming

1. Consistency: Use consistent naming across components

   • If command is test-runner, name related agent test-runner-agent
   • Match skill directory names to their purpose

2. Clarity: Use descriptive names that indicate purpose

   • Good: api-integration-testing/, code-quality-checker.md
   • Avoid: utils/, misc.md, temp.sh

3. Length: Balance brevity with clarity

   • Commands: 2-3 words (review-pr, run-ci)
   • Agents: Describe role clearly (code-reviewer, test-generator)
   • Skills: Topic-focused (error-handling, api-design)

Portability

1. Always use ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}: Never hardcode paths
2. Test on multiple systems: Verify on macOS, Linux, Windows
3. Document dependencies: List required tools and versions
4. Avoid system-specific features: Use portable bash/Python constructs

Maintenance

1. Version consistently: Update version in plugin.json for releases
2. Deprecate gracefully: Mark old components clearly before removal
3. Document breaking changes: Note changes affecting existing users
4. Test thoroughly: Verify all components work after changes

Common Patterns

Minimal Plugin

Single command with no dependencies:

my-plugin/├── .claude-plugin/│   └── plugin.json    # Just name field└── commands/    └── hello.md       # Single command

Full-Featured Plugin

Complete plugin with all component types:

my-plugin/├── .claude-plugin/│   └── plugin.json├── commands/          # User-facing commands├── agents/            # Specialized subagents├── skills/            # Auto-activating skills├── hooks/             # Event handlers│   ├── hooks.json│   └── scripts/├── .mcp.json          # External integrations└── scripts/           # Shared utilities

Skill-Focused Plugin

Plugin providing only skills:

my-plugin/├── .claude-plugin/│   └── plugin.json└── skills/    ├── skill-one/    │   └── SKILL.md    └── skill-two/        └── SKILL.md

Troubleshooting

Component not loading:

• Verify file is in correct directory with correct extension
• Check YAML frontmatter syntax (commands, agents, skills)
• Ensure skill has SKILL.md (not README.md or other name)
• Confirm plugin is enabled in Claude Code settings

Path resolution errors:

• Replace all hardcoded paths with ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}
• Verify paths are relative and start with ./ in manifest
• Check that referenced files exist at specified paths
• Test with echo $CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT in hook scripts

Auto-discovery not working:

• Confirm directories are at plugin root (not in .claude-plugin/)
• Check file naming follows conventions (kebab-case, correct extensions)
• Verify custom paths in manifest are correct
• Restart Claude Code to reload plugin configuration

Conflicts between plugins:

• Use unique, descriptive component names
• Namespace commands with plugin name if needed
• Document potential conflicts in plugin README
• Consider command prefixes for related functionality

For detailed examples and advanced patterns, see files in references/ and examples/ directories.