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

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 manifest and optionally an 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 manifest. For example, the tres-finance-plugin stores its manifest at 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:

{
  "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 file (plus optional reference files) without a 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:

{
  "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 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 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:

# 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:

# 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:

# 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 – The central registry listing all community plugins, their source types, and categories.
• plugin.json – Required for full plugins; defines metadata, version, author, and user-configurable settings (e.g., API keys).
• SKILL.md – Defines individual skills, used standalone in skill-only plugins or bundled within full plugins.
• .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 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 files without manifest overhead.
• MCP-server plugins bridge external APIs through .mcp.json definitions, enabling remote tool execution within Claude Code.
• All types are registered in .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 manifest, supporting multiple skills and user configuration. A skill-only plugin distributes only a 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. 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 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 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 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 file.

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