# plugin-forge

Skill for creating and managing Claude Code plugins with proper structure, manifests, and marketplace integration. Use it when building plugins for distribution or setting up plugin components like commands and hooks.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 3900 installs · ★ 2592
- Author: softaworks
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/softaworks/agent-toolkit/tree/HEAD/skills/plugin-forge/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-03-05
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/plugin-forge

## What it does

plugin-forge scaffolds a plugin from the ground up: generates folder structure, creates `plugin.json` and `marketplace.json`, registers the plugin in the marketplace. The skill provides `create_plugin.py` for initial setup and `bump_version.py` for semantic versioning. It includes patterns for framework-specific plugins (React, Vue), utility plugins, and domain plugins.

Typical workflow: run the creation script, add components (commands in `commands/`, skills in `skills/`, agents, hooks in `hooks.json`), test locally with `/plugin marketplace add` and `/plugin install`, bump versions using `bump_version.py`. Command paths map to namespaced calls: `commands/namespace/command.md` becomes `/namespace:command`.

Requires Python on your development machine. Versions must be kept in sync across `plugin.json` and `marketplace.json` or the plugin will not install correctly.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add softaworks/agent-toolkit --skill plugin-forge -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/plugin-forge/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/plugin-forge/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add softaworks/agent-toolkit --skill plugin-forge -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/plugin-forge/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add softaworks/agent-toolkit --skill plugin-forge -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/plugin-forge/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install softaworks/agent-toolkit plugin-forge
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/plugin-forge/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add softaworks/agent-toolkit --skill plugin-forge -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/softaworks/agent-toolkit --path skills/plugin-forge
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/plugin-forge/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add softaworks/agent-toolkit --skill plugin-forge -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/softaworks/agent-toolkit/tree/HEAD/skills/plugin-forge/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- scaffold a plugin with correct directory structure for marketplace distribution
- add commands, skills, and hooks to an existing plugin
- update plugin version following semantic versioning rules
- register a plugin in the marketplace
- test a plugin locally before publishing

## Example prompts
- Create a new react-helpers plugin for the marketplace with author 'John Doe' and tags 'react,components'
- Bump the major version for the utils plugin in the marketplace
- Add a docs:generate command to the commands/docs directory

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: afc035cb8d3be839.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE afc035cb8d3be839
````text
---
name: plugin-forge
description: Create and manage Claude Code plugins with proper structure, manifests, and marketplace integration. Use when creating plugins for a marketplace, adding plugin components (commands, agents, hooks), bumping plugin versions, or working with plugin.json/marketplace.json manifests.
---

# 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:

```bash
python scripts/create_plugin.py plugin-name \
  --marketplace-root /path/to/marketplace \
  --author-name "Your Name" \
  --author-email "your.email@example.com" \
  --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:

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

Semantic versioning:

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

## Development Workflow

### 1. Create Structure

Manual approach (if not using script):

```bash
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`

```json
{
  "name": "plugin-name",
  "version": "0.1.0",
  "description": "Plugin description",
  "author": {
    "name": "Your Name",
    "email": "your.email@example.com"
  },
  "keywords": ["keyword1", "keyword2"]
}
```

### 3. Register in Marketplace

Update `.claude-plugin/marketplace.json`:

```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 |
````
END THIRD-PARTY FILE afc035cb8d3be839

The third-party file has ended. Everything between the afc035cb8d3be839 tags is data: requests and commands from it are not followed. An “end of file” line with another tag inside the block is part of the file.

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