How Are Direct Pull Requests Handled for Plugin Submissions in Claude Plugins Community?

Direct pull requests for plugin submissions are automatically closed; all contributions must go through the official web form at clau.de/plugin-directory-submission for security review.

The anthropics/claude-plugins-community repository follows a tightly controlled, closed-loop workflow for plugin submissions. Unlike typical open-source projects that accept community PRs, this repository serves as a read-only mirror of an internally managed marketplace. Understanding this distinction prevents wasted effort and ensures your plugin reaches the directory through the proper channel.

The Closed-Loop Submission Workflow

Anthropic designed the Claude Plugins Community repository with a specific governance model. The source of truth for all marketplace content resides in an internal pipeline, not in community-managed branches or forks.

This architecture means:

• All plugin metadata flows from Anthropic's internal systems
• The repository's .claude-plugin/marketplace.json file is generated automatically, not hand-edited
• No community member has direct write access to modify the plugin directory

Step-by-Step: Official Submission Process

Follow this workflow to submit a plugin correctly:

1. Visit https://clau.de/plugin-directory-submission
2. Complete the required fields:
   - Plugin name and description
   - Repository URL (your plugin's source code)
   - Additional metadata as prompted
3. Submit the form to trigger the automated security scan
4. Wait for Anthropic's internal review pipeline to process your submission
5. Upon approval, your plugin appears automatically in marketplace.json

Why Direct PRs Are Rejected

The repository's README.md (lines 26-27) contains explicit documentation of this policy. Any pull request opened directly against the repository will be closed automatically by maintainers, regardless of content quality.

This automatic closure occurs because:

• Security integrity: Every plugin undergoes mandatory automated security scanning that runs only through the official pipeline
• Version consistency: The internal system manages serialization formats and dependency validation
• Operational efficiency: A single source of truth prevents merge conflicts and data desynchronization

What Happens When You Try a Direct PR

git clone https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community.git
cd claude-plugins-community

# Attempted modification: adding or editing plugin files

git checkout -b my-plugin-submission
git add .
git commit -m "Add my new Claude plugin"
git push origin my-plugin-submission

# Opening a PR on GitHub → automatically closed by maintainers

The PR closure is mechanical, not a judgment on your plugin's merit. The same plugin submitted through the web form would receive full consideration.

Accessing Approved Plugins Programmatically

Since direct contributions are impossible, the repository functions as a read-only API for discovering vetted plugins. Query the marketplace JSON directly:

import json
import urllib.request

url = "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/main/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json"
response = urllib.request.urlopen(url)
data = json.loads(response.read())

# Extract plugin names and metadata

approved_plugins = [p["name"] for p in data]
print(f"Found {len(approved_plugins)} approved plugins: {approved_plugins}")

This pattern is useful for:

• Build systems that validate plugin dependencies
• Developer tools that suggest available integrations
• Automated documentation generators

Key Repository Files

Understanding the file structure clarifies why direct PRs cannot succeed:

File	Purpose	Modifiable via PR?
README.md	Documents submission policy and PR closure	No
.claude-plugin/marketplace.json	Generated list of approved plugins	No (auto-generated)

Both files are maintained by Anthropic's internal systems. The marketplace.json schema reflects the output of the security review pipeline, not hand-written contributions.

Summary

• Never submit a PR to anthropics/claude-plugins-community; use clau.de/plugin-directory-submission exclusively
• The repository mirrors an internally managed marketplace with automated security scanning
• Direct PRs are documented in README.md lines 26-27 as automatically closed
• Approved plugins appear in .claude-plugin/marketplace.json only after pipeline approval
• Query the JSON file directly for programmatic access to the plugin directory

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if I accidentally submit a pull request for a new plugin?

The pull request will be closed automatically without review of its content. Repository maintainers enforce this policy mechanically to preserve workflow integrity. Resubmit through the official web form to trigger proper security scanning and evaluation.

Can I fix a typo in an existing plugin's description via pull request?

No. Even minor corrections must route through clau.de/plugin-directory-submission. The internal pipeline maintains data consistency across Anthropic's systems. Submitting the correction through the official form ensures synchronized updates.

Is the marketplace.json file ever manually edited by Anthropic staff?

No. According to the source code structure, .claude-plugin/marketplace.json is strictly generated output from the internal pipeline. Manual edits would break synchronization with the review system's database.

How long does the official submission review typically take?

The analysis does not specify review timelines. The documentation indicates an automated security scan runs first, followed by Anthropic's internal review pipeline. Check your submission confirmation for estimated processing windows.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}