How to Install Claude Code Community Plugins from the Marketplace

Claude Code installs community plugins through a two-step CLI workflow: first add the marketplace with /plugin marketplace add <owner>/<repo>, then install with /plugin install <name>@<source-alias>.

Plugins extend Claude Code with custom commands and tools hosted in the anthropics/claude-plugins-community repository. This guide walks through the complete installation flow, explains what happens under the hood, and shows you where to find plugin metadata in the source code.

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Step 1: Add the Community Marketplace

Before installing any plugin, you must first register its marketplace. This is a one-time operation per repository.

/plugin marketplace add anthropics/claude-plugins-community

The CLI looks for a /.claude-plugin/marketplace.json file at the repository root. This JSON catalog lists all available plugins, their versions, and source locations.

According to the repo's README, you can add any GitHub-hosted marketplace using the same syntax. The marketplace add command caches the catalog locally so Claude Code knows where to fetch plugins.

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Step 2: Install a Specific Plugin

Once the marketplace is registered, install individual plugins using this syntax:

/plugin install <plugin-name>@<source-alias>

Component	Description
<plugin-name>	The plugin identifier (e.g., quickdesign, testdino)
<source-alias>	The marketplace alias you defined in Step 1

Example: Installing QuickDesign

/plugin install quickdesign@quickdesign

This command appears in [quickdesign/README.md](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/quickdesign/README.md), which documents the plugin's specific install path.

Example: Installing TestDino from a Dedicated Marketplace

Some plugins maintain their own marketplace repositories:

/plugin marketplace add testdino-plugins
/plugin install testdino@testdino-plugins

The TestDino README shows this pattern for plugins distributed outside the main community repo.

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How Plugin Installation Works Under the Hood

When you run /plugin install, Claude Code performs these operations:

1. Fetches the plugin bundle — Clones source or downloads pre-built assets from the marketplace
2. Copies to local skills directory — Places files in ~/.claude/skills/<plugin-name>/
3. Reads plugin metadata — Parses /.claude-plugin/plugin.json to register commands, tools, and runtime dependencies
4. Activates on next session — New slash commands become available after restart

The [plugin.json](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/quickdesign/.claude-plugin/plugin.json) file inside each plugin package is critical. It defines:

• Available slash commands (e.g., /quickdesign init)
• Required tools and APIs
• Asset paths and configuration

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Managing and Troubleshooting Plugin Installations

Verify Installation

Test that a plugin loaded correctly by running its primary command:

/quickdesign init

If the command appears in autocomplete and executes, the skill is active.

Clean Reinstall

Plugins coexist side-by-side, but you can force a fresh install:

rm -rf ~/.claude/skills/quickdesign
/plugin install quickdesign@quickdesign

This removes cached files and pulls the latest version from the marketplace.

Check the Marketplace Catalog

Browse available plugins by examining the source directly:

• Community catalog: [/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json) — Lists all plugins in anthropics/claude-plugins-community

This file is what Claude Code queries when you run marketplace commands.

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Key Source Files in the Repository

File	Purpose
README.md	Generic install syntax: claude plugin install <name>@claude-community
quickdesign/README.md	QuickDesign-specific install and usage docs
testdino/README.md	TestDino-specific install from dedicated marketplace
quickdesign/.claude-plugin/plugin.json	Plugin metadata defining commands and tools
.claude-plugin/marketplace.json	Central catalog of community plugins

These paths demonstrate how the claude-plugins-community repository structures plugin discovery and distribution.

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Summary

• Add once: /plugin marketplace add <owner>/<repo> registers a new plugin source
• Install per plugin: /plugin install <name>@<alias> fetches and activates individual plugins
• Local storage: Skills live in ~/.claude/skills/<plugin>/ with metadata from plugin.json
• Activation: Commands appear automatically on next Claude Code session

The two-step marketplace pattern lets Claude Code scale to multiple plugin sources while keeping installation syntax consistent across community and third-party repositories.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Where are Claude Code plugins stored locally?

Plugins install to ~/.claude/skills/<plugin-name>/ on your filesystem. This directory contains the SKILL.md bundle and any runtime assets defined in plugin.json. You can manually remove plugins by deleting this folder.

Can I install plugins from multiple marketplaces?

Yes. Run /plugin marketplace add for each repository you want to access. Each marketplace maintains its own alias, and you reference the correct one when installing: /plugin install <name>@<marketplace-alias>.

What does the plugin.json file do?

The /.claude-plugin/plugin.json file inside each plugin package tells Claude Code which slash commands to register, what tools to expose, and where to find required dependencies. Without this metadata file, the CLI cannot activate the plugin's functionality.

How do I know if a plugin installed successfully?

Run the plugin's primary slash command (e.g., /quickdesign or /testdino). If autocomplete suggests the command and it executes without errors, the installation succeeded. Check ~/.claude/skills/ to confirm files were copied.

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