Walkthrough: create a local marketplace

This example creates a marketplace with one plugin: a quality-review skill for code reviews. You'll create the directory structure, add a skill, create the plugin manifest and marketplace catalog, then install and test it.

```bash theme=\{null\}
mkdir -p my-marketplace/.claude-plugin
mkdir -p my-marketplace/plugins/quality-review-plugin/.claude-plugin
mkdir -p my-marketplace/plugins/quality-review-plugin/skills/quality-review
```

Create a `SKILL.md` file that defines what the `quality-review` skill does.

```markdown my-marketplace/plugins/quality-review-plugin/skills/quality-review/SKILL.md theme=\{null\}
---
description: Review code for bugs, security, and performance
---

Review the code I've selected or the recent changes for:
- Potential bugs or edge cases
- Security concerns
- Performance issues
- Readability improvements

Be concise and actionable.
```

Create a `plugin.json` file that describes the plugin. The manifest goes in the `.claude-plugin/` directory.

```json my-marketplace/plugins/quality-review-plugin/.claude-plugin/plugin.json theme=\{null\}
\{
  "name": "quality-review-plugin",
  "description": "Adds a quality-review skill for quick code reviews",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "author": \{
    "name": "Your Name"
  \}
\}
```

  Setting `version` means users only receive updates when you change this field, so bump it on every release. A plugin with a [`command` source](#command-sources) isn't pinned by this field. If you omit `version`, the version comes from the next source in [version management](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/plugins-reference#version-management).

Create the marketplace catalog that lists your plugin.

```json my-marketplace/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json theme=\{null\}
\{
  "name": "my-plugins",
  "owner": \{
    "name": "Your Name"
  \},
  "plugins": [
    \{
      "name": "quality-review-plugin",
      "source": "./plugins/quality-review-plugin",
      "description": "Adds a quality-review skill for quick code reviews"
    \}
  ]
\}
```

From the directory that contains `my-marketplace`, start Claude Code and run the following commands. The install command opens a plugin details view where you select an installation scope to confirm the install. Check the install summary: if it reports `Run /reload-plugins to activate.`, see [Apply plugin changes without restarting](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/discover-plugins#apply-plugin-changes-without-restarting).

```shell theme=\{null\}
/plugin marketplace add ./my-marketplace
/plugin install quality-review-plugin@my-plugins
```

Select some code in your editor and run your new skill. Plugin skills are namespaced with the plugin name.

```shell theme=\{null\}
/quality-review-plugin:quality-review
```

To learn more about what plugins can do, including hooks, agents, MCP servers, and LSP servers, see Plugins.

How plugins are installed: when users install a plugin, Claude Code copies the plugin directory to a cache location, except for a command source in link mode, which is used in place. Copied plugins can't reference files outside their directory using paths like ../shared-utils, because those files won't be copied.

If you need to share files across plugins, use symlinks. See Plugin caching and file resolution for details.