# Where to Find Documentation for a Specific Claude Plugin: A Complete Guide

> Find Claude plugin documentation easily. Explore dedicated subdirectories in the claude-plugins-community repository for comprehensive setup and usage details in README.md, plugin.json, and SKILL.md.

- Repository: [Anthropic/claude-plugins-community](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community)
- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-09-06

---

**Documentation for any Claude plugin is stored in its dedicated subdirectory within the `anthropics/claude-plugins-community` repository, with [`README.md`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/README.md), [`plugin.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/plugin.json), and [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/SKILL.md) files containing complete setup and usage instructions.**

Every community plugin for Claude follows a consistent documentation structure. Whether you're installing the TRES Finance plugin, QuickDesign, or TestDino, the source of truth resides in specific files you can browse directly on GitHub without cloning the repository.

## Primary Documentation Locations

Each plugin subdirectory contains standardized files that serve different purposes:

| Documentation Type | File Location | Purpose |
|-------------------|---------------|---------|
| **Overview and installation** | [`README.md`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/README.md) in plugin root | High-level description, install commands, basic usage |
| **Machine-readable metadata** | [`.claude-plugin/plugin.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/.claude-plugin/plugin.json) | Plugin name, version, config schema, MCP servers |
| **Skill-specific guides** | `skills/*/SKILL.md` | Detailed task documentation for individual skills |
| **Marketplace index** | [`.claude-plugin/marketplace.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json) (repo root) | JSON listing of all available community plugins |

## Exploring Plugin Documentation on GitHub

### TRES Finance Plugin

The TRES Finance plugin documentation lives at [`tres-finance-plugin/README.md`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/tres-finance-plugin/README.md). This file contains:

- Plugin overview and capabilities
- Installation command: `claude plugin install tres-finance@claude-community`
- Quick start examples
- MCP server configuration details

The machine-readable specification is available at [`tres-finance-plugin/.claude-plugin/plugin.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/tres-finance-plugin/.claude-plugin/plugin.json), which defines the plugin's schema and available skills.

### QuickDesign Plugin

Documentation for the QuickDesign plugin is located at [`quickdesign/README.md`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/quickdesign/README.md). This plugin also includes skill-specific documentation at [`quickdesign/skills/quickdesign/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/quickdesign/skills/quickdesign/SKILL.md) for advanced usage patterns.

### TestDino Plugin

The TestDino plugin combines its main [`testdino/README.md`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/testdino/README.md) with detailed skill documentation in `testdino/skills/*/SKILL.md` files, covering MCP integration and testing workflows.

## Installing and Inspecting Plugins with Claude CLI

The `claude` command-line interface provides direct access to plugin documentation and metadata:

```bash

# Register the community marketplace (one-time setup)

claude plugin marketplace add anthropics/claude-plugins-community

# Install a specific plugin by name

claude plugin install tres-finance@claude-community

# List all installed plugins with versions

claude plugin list

# Display full plugin.json metadata for an installed plugin

claude plugin info tres-finance

```

The `claude plugin info` command outputs the contents of [`.claude-plugin/plugin.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/.claude-plugin/plugin.json), giving you immediate access to configuration schemas and capability definitions without visiting GitHub.

## Programmatic Documentation Access

For automation or custom tooling, fetch documentation directly from GitHub's raw content API:

```python
import requests

def fetch_plugin_readme(plugin_name: str) -> str:
    """
    Retrieve README.md for any community plugin.
    
    Args:
        plugin_name: Plugin directory name (e.g., "tres-finance-plugin")
    """
    url = (
        "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/"
        "anthropics/claude-plugins-community/main/"
        f"{plugin_name}/README.md"
    )
    response = requests.get(url)
    response.raise_for_status()
    return response.text


def fetch_plugin_json(plugin_name: str) -> dict:
    """Fetch machine-readable plugin metadata."""
    url = (
        "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/"
        "anthropics/claude-plugins-community/main/"
        f"{plugin_name}/.claude-plugin/plugin.json"
    )
    response = requests.get(url)
    response.raise_for_status()
    return response.json()


# Example usage

readme = fetch_plugin_readme("tres-finance-plugin")
metadata = fetch_plugin_json("tres-finance-plugin")
print(f"Plugin version: {metadata.get('version')}")

```

## Understanding the Marketplace Index

The root-level [`.claude-plugin/marketplace.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json) serves as the authoritative registry of all community plugins. This JSON file maps plugin names to their source repositories and is the mechanism by which `claude plugin marketplace add` discovers available plugins.

Direct URL: `https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json`

## Summary

- **Start with [`README.md`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/README.md)** in the plugin's subdirectory for human-readable documentation and installation steps
- **Check [`.claude-plugin/plugin.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/.claude-plugin/plugin.json)** for programmatic discovery of capabilities, versions, and configuration schemas
- **Review [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/SKILL.md) files** in `skills/` subdirectories for detailed task-specific guidance
- **Use `claude plugin info <name>`** to inspect installed plugin metadata from the command line
- **Reference [`marketplace.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/marketplace.json)** for the complete list of available community plugins

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Where is the main documentation for Claude plugins located?

All official documentation resides in the `anthropics/claude-plugins-community` repository on GitHub. Each plugin maintains its own subdirectory containing [`README.md`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/README.md), [`.claude-plugin/plugin.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/.claude-plugin/plugin.json), and skill-specific [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/SKILL.md) files. No external documentation site exists—the repository itself is the canonical source.

### What information does [`plugin.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/plugin.json) contain?

The [`.claude-plugin/plugin.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/.claude-plugin/plugin.json) file stores machine-readable metadata including the plugin name, semantic version, user configuration schema, declared MCP servers, available skills, and entry points. This file enables the Claude CLI to validate configurations and present appropriate options to users.

### How do I find documentation for plugin skills specifically?

Skill-level documentation is located in [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/SKILL.md) files within each skill's subdirectory under `skills/`. For example, the TRES Finance plugin's request skill documentation is at [`tres-finance-plugin/skills/tres-request-skill-update/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/tres-finance-plugin/skills/tres-request-skill-update/SKILL.md). These files contain task-specific parameters, expected inputs, and usage patterns.

### Can I browse plugin documentation without installing anything?

Yes. All documentation files are publicly accessible via GitHub's web interface and raw content API. Navigate to `https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community`, open any plugin folder, and view [`README.md`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/README.md) directly in your browser.