How to Install a Plugin in Claude Code: Step-by-Step Guide

Add the community marketplace with claude plugin marketplace add, then install any plugin with claude plugin install <name>@claude-community.

Installing a plugin in Claude Code requires registering a plugin marketplace first, then pulling specific plugins from that source. The anthropics/claude-plugins-community repository serves as the official community marketplace, publishing its catalog through .claude-plugin/marketplace.json.

Add the Community Marketplace

Before installing plugins, you must register the community marketplace with your Claude Code CLI. This one-time setup connects your local environment to the plugin catalog.

claude plugin marketplace add anthropics/claude-plugins-community

This command reads the marketplace manifest at /.claude-plugin/marketplace.json in the repository root. The file enumerates all available community plugins with their metadata, versions, and entry points.

Install a Plugin from the Marketplace

Once the marketplace is registered, use the claude plugin install command with the format <plugin-name>@claude-community. The @claude-community suffix tells the CLI which marketplace source to use.

claude plugin install quickdesign@claude-community

The generic pattern, documented in the repository's README at lines 19-22, is:

claude plugin install <plugin-name>@claude-community

Available plugin names match the entries in marketplace.json. Popular options include quickdesign and testdino, each defined by their own plugin.json descriptor.

What Happens During Installation

The CLI performs three operations automatically:

1. Downloads the plugin bundle from the repository
2. Copies Claude Code skill files (including SKILL.md and assets) to ~/.claude/skills/<plugin>/
3. Registers the plugin so Claude Code can invoke it in chat sessions

Verify Your Installation

Confirm successful installation by listing all active plugins:

claude plugin list

You can also test functionality by invoking any skill defined in the plugin's SKILL.md during a Claude Code session.

Key Source Files

Understanding the repository structure helps troubleshoot installation issues:

• .claude-plugin/marketplace.json — Central manifest enumerating all community plugins and their versions
• */.claude-plugin/plugin.json — Per-plugin descriptor defining name, description, version, and entry points (example: quickdesign/.claude-plugin/plugin.json)
• */SKILL.md — Human-readable skill definition that Claude Code parses to expose capabilities (example: quickdesign/skills/quickdesign/SKILL.md)

Each plugin follows this structure: a root directory named after the plugin, containing .claude-plugin/plugin.json for metadata and skills/<name>/SKILL.md for the actual skill implementation.

Complete Example

# Register the community marketplace once

claude plugin marketplace add anthropics/claude-plugins-community

# Install multiple plugins

claude plugin install quickdesign@claude-community
claude plugin install testdino@claude-community

# Verify everything is active

claude plugin list

After these commands, Claude Code automatically loads skill files on startup. No additional configuration is required.

Summary

• Marketplaces are additive — Register anthropics/claude-plugins-community once, then install unlimited plugins from it
• Use the @claude-community alias — The marketplace suffix distinguishes community plugins from other sources
• Installation is fully automated — The CLI handles download, file placement in ~/.claude/skills/, and registration
• Skills activate immediately — Claude Code reads SKILL.md files on startup to expose new capabilities

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I need to add a marketplace before installing plugins?

Claude Code requires explicit marketplace registration for security and provenance. The claude plugin marketplace add command validates the source and caches the marketplace.json manifest locally, enabling the CLI to resolve plugin names to specific repository paths and versions.

Where are installed plugins stored on my system?

Plugins install to ~/.claude/skills/<plugin-name>/ as implemented in the Claude Code CLI. This directory contains the SKILL.md file and any supporting assets the plugin requires. The CLI manages this path automatically; manual modification may break functionality.

Can I install plugins from multiple marketplaces?

Yes. Run claude plugin marketplace add for each source. Use the appropriate alias (e.g., @claude-community for this repository) with claude plugin install to specify which marketplace supplies a given plugin.

What if a plugin installation fails?

Verify three things: (1) the marketplace is registered with claude plugin marketplace list, (2) the plugin name exactly matches an entry in .claude-plugin/marketplace.json, and (3) you include the correct alias suffix. Check ~/.claude/skills/ for partial installations that may need manual cleanup.

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