Where to Find the Claude Community Plugins Manifest File

The canonical community plugins manifest file is located at /.claude-plugin/marketplace.json in the root of the anthropics/claude-plugins-community repository.

The anthropics/claude-plugins-community repository hosts community-built plugins for Claude Code, with manifest files serving as the source of truth for plugin metadata and marketplace validation. Understanding where these community plugins manifest files reside is essential for developers contributing plugins or integrating with the Claude ecosystem.

Root-Level Community Plugins Manifest

The master marketplace.json aggregates every community plugin for the Claude Code marketplace validation process.

File Path and Structure

According to the source code, the community plugins manifest file lives in a hidden directory at the repository root:

• Path: /.claude-plugin/marketplace.json
• GitHub: [.claude-plugin/marketplace.json](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/.claude-plugin/marketplace.json)

This JSON file contains the aggregated metadata for all plugins approved for the community marketplace.

Validation Pipeline

The repository validates this manifest through automated CI. The workflow file .github/workflows/validate-plugins.yml triggers validation checks on every pull request, while .github/actions/validate-plugins/lib/common.sh contains helper functions that resolve plugin manifests—handling both existing entries and synthesized configurations during reviews.

Individual Plugin Manifest Files

Each plugin directory contains its own manifest describing specific capabilities, entry points, and versioning.

Per-Plugin Structure

Every community plugin ships with a plugin.json file located inside its respective .claude-plugin folder. For example, the Tres Finance plugin stores its manifest at:

• Path: tres-finance-plugin/.claude-plugin/plugin.json
• GitHub: [tres-finance-plugin/.claude-plugin/plugin.json](https://github.com/anthropics/claude-plugins-community/blob/main/tres-finance-plugin/.claude-plugin/plugin.json)

These per-plugin manifests describe the plugin's name, version, capabilities, and entry points, while the root marketplace.json aggregates them for distribution.

How to Access and Inspect Manifest Files

Use standard command-line tools to inspect manifest contents locally or validate them using the Claude CLI.

Viewing the Master Manifest

# View the full marketplace manifest (pretty-printed)

jq '.' .claude-plugin/marketplace.json | less

Listing All Community Plugins

# List the names of all plugins in the marketplace

jq -r '.plugins[].name' .claude-plugin/marketplace.json

Inspecting Individual Plugin Metadata

# Inspect a single plugin's manifest (e.g., the Tres Finance plugin)

jq '.' tres-finance-plugin/.claude-plugin/plugin.json

Validating Manifest Files

# Validate the marketplace manifest using the Claude CLI (requires the CLI)

claude plugin validate .claude-plugin/marketplace.json

Summary

• The community plugins manifest file is located at /.claude-plugin/marketplace.json in the repository root.
• Individual plugins store their metadata in plugin.json files within their respective .claude-plugin subdirectories.
• The Tres Finance plugin exemplifies this structure at tres-finance-plugin/.claude-plugin/plugin.json.
• CI automation in .github/workflows/validate-plugins.yml ensures manifest integrity alongside helper scripts in .github/actions/validate-plugins/lib/common.sh.

Frequently Asked Questions

What format does the community plugins manifest use?

The community plugins manifest uses standard JSON format. The root marketplace.json follows a schema that aggregates multiple plugin definitions, while individual plugin.json files contain plugin-specific metadata including names, versions, and capability declarations.

Can I validate a plugin manifest before submitting a PR?

Yes. Install the Claude CLI and run claude plugin validate .claude-plugin/marketplace.json to check your manifest against the required schema. The repository's CI pipeline, defined in .github/workflows/validate-plugins.yml, automatically runs similar checks on every pull request using validation logic from .github/actions/validate-plugins/lib/common.sh.

How do I add my plugin to the community marketplace?

Create a new plugin directory containing a .claude-plugin/plugin.json manifest file with your plugin's metadata, then submit a pull request. The validation system will check your plugin.json structure and update the root marketplace.json accordingly upon approval.

Are the manifest file paths consistent across all community plugins?

Yes. According to the repository structure, every plugin must place its manifest in a .claude-plugin subdirectory using the filename plugin.json. The root marketplace.json references these paths to build the unified plugin registry.

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