Where to Submit a New Claude Plugin: Complete Guide to the Anthropic Directory

Submit your Claude plugin through Anthropic's official web portal at clau.de/plugin-directory-submission rather than opening a pull request. The anthropics/claude-plugins-community repository does not accept external contributions directly; instead, an automated security and compatibility pipeline processes submissions and updates the marketplace index on behalf of approved plugins.

The anthropics/claude-plugins-community repository serves as the public registry for community-contributed Claude plugins, but it operates differently from typical open-source projects. Instead of accepting direct code contributions, the repository maintains a curated marketplace managed entirely through Anthropic's internal review infrastructure. Understanding the correct submission workflow ensures your plugin reaches the directory without unnecessary delays.

Submitting Through the Official Portal

The Web Form Workflow

All submissions must go through the dedicated portal at clau.de/plugin-directory-submission. This form initiates the automated security screening that every community plugin must pass before publication. After you submit your package, the internal pipeline validates the manifest structure and function definitions against the repository's compliance rules.

Why Direct Pull Requests Are Rejected

According to the repository's README.md (lines 24-27), pull requests opened directly against this repository are automatically closed. The documentation explicitly states: "Pull requests opened directly against this repo are closed automatically … all changes flow from the internal review pipeline." This policy ensures that every plugin undergoes uniform security validation before appearing in .claude-plugin/marketplace.json.

Required Plugin Structure and Manifest Files

Every submission must include a .claude-plugin/ directory containing a valid plugin manifest (plugin.json). This file defines your plugin's metadata, entrypoint, and exposed functions.

Minimal Plugin Manifest Example

Your plugin.json must follow this structure:

{
  "name": "my-awesome-plugin",
  "version": "0.1.0",
  "description": "A short description of what the plugin does.",
  "author": "Your Name <you@example.com>",
  "license": "MIT",
  "entrypoint": "my_plugin.py",
  "functions": [
    {
      "name": "do_something",
      "description": "Performs the core task."
    }
  ]
}

The Internal Review Pipeline Process

Once submitted, your plugin enters a validation workflow defined in .github/workflows/validate-plugins.yml. This continuous integration pipeline checks for security vulnerabilities, validates the manifest schema, and ensures compatibility with Claude's plugin architecture.

Marketplace Integration

After passing validation, the internal system automatically generates an entry in .claude-plugin/marketplace.json. This file serves as the source of truth for the community plugin directory. An approved entry appears as:

{
  "plugin_id": "my-awesome-plugin",
  "repo": "anthropics/claude-plugins-community",
  "path": "my-awesome-plugin",
  "version": "0.1.0",
  "description": "A short description of what the plugin does."
}

Installing Your Plugin After Approval

Once the pipeline merges your metadata into the repository, users can install your plugin using the Claude CLI:

claude plugin marketplace add anthropics/claude-plugins-community
claude plugin install my-awesome-plugin@claude-community

Summary

• Use the submission portal: Navigate to clau.de/plugin-directory-submission rather than creating a GitHub pull request.
• Include required manifest: Every submission needs a .claude-plugin/plugin.json file with complete metadata and function definitions.
• Expect automatic PR closure: The anthropics/claude-plugins-community repository automatically closes external PRs per README.md policy (lines 24-27).
• Undergo pipeline validation: The .github/workflows/validate-plugins.yml CI workflow handles all security and compatibility checks.
• Marketplace generation: Approved plugins appear automatically in .claude-plugin/marketplace.json through the internal update process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I submit a Claude plugin via GitHub pull request?

No. The repository's README.md explicitly states that pull requests opened directly against the repo are closed automatically. All submissions must go through the clau.de/plugin-directory-submission web form to ensure proper security screening through the internal pipeline.

What files are required in the plugin package?

You must include a .claude-plugin/ directory containing a valid plugin.json manifest file. This JSON file must specify the plugin name, version, description, author, license, entrypoint script, and an array of exposed functions with their descriptions.

How does the review pipeline validate my submission?

The repository uses a GitHub Actions workflow defined in .github/workflows/validate-plugins.yml to automatically check your plugin's security posture, manifest schema compliance, and functional compatibility. Only after passing these automated checks does the internal team merge your plugin into .claude-plugin/marketplace.json.

Where will my plugin appear after approval?

Once approved, your plugin metadata is added to .claude-plugin/marketplace.json in the anthropics/claude-plugins-community repository. Users can then discover and install it using the Claude CLI commands to add the marketplace and install your specific plugin.

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