# What Types of Claude Plugins Are Supported? A Complete Guide to the Claude Plugins Community

> Discover the three types of Claude plugins: full plugins, skill-only plugins, and MCP-server plugins. Learn about the Claude Plugins Community and expand Claude's capabilities.

- Repository: [Anthropic/claude-plugins-community](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community)
- Tags: guide
- Published: 2026-08-26

---

**Claude Code supports three distinct types of plugins from the Claude Plugins Community repository: full plugins (packaged bundles with manifests), skill-only plugins (lightweight single skills), and MCP-server plugins (remote tool servers).**

The `anthropics/claude-plugins-community` repository provides a centralized marketplace for extending Claude Code's capabilities. Each **Claude plugin** type serves different integration needs, from simple command additions to complex external API integrations via the Model Context Protocol (MCP).

## The Three Types of Claude Plugins

Claude Code's plugin architecture accommodates three distinct extension patterns, each defined by its source structure and installation mechanism.

### Full Plugins: Packaged Bundles

A **full plugin** is a complete directory containing a `.claude-plugin/` folder with a [`plugin.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/plugin.json) manifest and optionally an [`mcp.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/mcp.json) file. This structure supports one or more skill directories bundled together.

According to the source code in `anthropics/claude-plugins-community`, full plugins define their metadata—including name, description, version, author, and user-configurable settings—within the [`plugin.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/plugin.json) manifest. For example, the `tres-finance-plugin` stores its manifest at [`tres-finance-plugin/.claude-plugin/plugin.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/tres-finance-plugin/.claude-plugin/plugin.json) and includes configurable entries like `DEBANK_API_KEY`.

Marketplace entries for full plugins use the `"source": "url"` type:

```json
{
  "source": {
    "source": "url",
    "url": "https://github.com/0xProject/0x-ai.git",
    "sha": "..."
  }
}

```

### Skill-Only Plugins: Single Skills

**Skill-only plugins** provide a minimal installation footprint, shipping only a [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/SKILL.md) file (plus optional reference files) without a [`plugin.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/plugin.json) manifest. These plugins are ideal for distributing single commands or utilities.

The marketplace identifies skill-only plugins using the `"git-subdir"` source type, which extracts a specific subdirectory from a repository. The `a11y-fixer` entry demonstrates this pattern:

```json
{
  "source": {
    "source": "git-subdir",
    "url": "...",
    "path": "generated-plugins/a11y-fixer",
    "ref": "main",
    "sha": "..."
  }
}

```

Unlike full plugins, skill-only plugins appear directly as slash commands (e.g., `/a11y-fixer`) without a surrounding plugin bundle structure.

### MCP-Server Plugins: Remote Tool Servers

**MCP-server plugins** extend Claude Code through the Model Context Protocol (MCP), exposing custom tool calls via remote servers. These plugins bundle an [`.mcp.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/.mcp.json) definition file that declares available tools and endpoints.

The `tres-finance-plugin` exemplifies this type, bundling the TRES MCP server at `https://ai.tres.finance/mcp`. The server definition enables skills to invoke remote tools such as `build_query` and `execute`, effectively bridging external APIs into Claude Code's command interface.

## How Plugin Discovery Works

All **Claude plugins**—regardless of type—are enumerated in the central marketplace manifest located at [`.claude-plugin/marketplace.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json) in the community repository. This file serves as the master registry, specifying:

- Plugin name and description
- Source type (`url` or `git-subdir`)
- Optional categorization (e.g., `"category": "testing"` for the *meticulous* entry)
- Version references via SHA commits

When you run `claude plugin marketplace add anthropics/claude-plugins-community`, Claude Code loads this manifest to resolve plugin names to their source locations and installation methods.

## Installing Claude Plugins: Code Examples

### Installing a Full Plugin

Full plugins install by name after adding the marketplace:

```bash

# Add the community marketplace (once per session)

claude plugin marketplace add anthropics/claude-plugins-community

# Install the full plugin by name

claude plugin install tres-finance-plugin@claude-community

```

Post-installation, the plugin's skills become available as slash commands (e.g., `/tres-asset-balance-validation`).

### Installing a Skill-Only Plugin

Skill-only plugins install similarly but resolve to single commands:

```bash

# Install directly by name; no separate plugin bundle required

claude plugin install a11y-fixer@claude-community

```

The skill appears immediately as `/a11y-fixer` without additional configuration.

### Using an MCP-Server Plugin

MCP-server plugins require the underlying server to be accessible. Once installed, skills interact with the remote MCP endpoint:

```bash

# The skill calls tools defined in the plugin's .mcp.json

/tres-asset-balance-validation --address 0xABC123...

```

The command internally invokes MCP tools defined in the server's configuration, such as `build_query` and `execute` operations.

## Key Configuration Files

Understanding the file structure helps developers choose the appropriate plugin type:

- **[`.claude-plugin/marketplace.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json)** – The central registry listing all community plugins, their source types, and categories.
- **[`plugin.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/plugin.json)** – Required for full plugins; defines metadata, version, author, and user-configurable settings (e.g., API keys).
- **[`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/SKILL.md)** – Defines individual skills, used standalone in skill-only plugins or bundled within full plugins.
- **[`.mcp.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/.mcp.json)** – Declares MCP server endpoints and available tools; referenced by full plugins that provide MCP capabilities.

## Summary

- **Claude plugins** from the community repository come in three architectures: full plugins (complete bundles with manifests), skill-only plugins (single-file commands), and MCP-server plugins (remote tool integrations).
- Full plugins use [`.claude-plugin/plugin.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/.claude-plugin/plugin.json) for metadata and support complex, multi-skill distributions with configurable settings.
- Skill-only plugins leverage the `git-subdir` source type to distribute lightweight [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/SKILL.md) files without manifest overhead.
- MCP-server plugins bridge external APIs through [`.mcp.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/.mcp.json) definitions, enabling remote tool execution within Claude Code.
- All types are registered in [`.claude-plugin/marketplace.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json), which Claude Code references for installation and resolution.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What is the difference between a full plugin and a skill-only plugin?

A **full plugin** is a packaged directory containing a `.claude-plugin/` folder with a [`plugin.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/plugin.json) manifest, supporting multiple skills and user configuration. A **skill-only plugin** distributes only a [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/SKILL.md) file (and optional references) without a manifest, making it lighter but limited to single-command functionality. Full plugins install as named bundles, while skill-only plugins expose commands directly.

### How does Claude Code identify which type of plugin to install?

Claude Code inspects the `source` field in [`.claude-plugin/marketplace.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json). If the source type is `"url"`, it treats the entry as a full or MCP-server plugin. If the source type is `"git-subdir"`, it extracts only the specified subdirectory as a skill-only plugin. The presence of [`.mcp.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/.mcp.json) within a full plugin further classifies it as an MCP-server type.

### Can a single plugin combine multiple types?

Yes. A **full plugin** can bundle both traditional skills and MCP server definitions. For example, the `tres-finance-plugin` includes standard skills alongside an [`.mcp.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/.mcp.json) file that configures the TRES MCP server, allowing the plugin to offer both local slash commands and remote tool invocations through a single installation.

### Where are user-configurable settings defined in Claude plugins?

User-configurable settings are defined in the [`plugin.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/plugin.json) manifest within a full plugin's `.claude-plugin/` directory. This JSON file specifies configuration keys (such as `DEBANK_API_KEY` for the `tres-finance-plugin`), their types, and descriptions. Skill-only plugins do not support manifest-based configuration since they lack a [`plugin.json`](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/plugin.json) file.