How to Install Google Skills for Claude Code: Complete Setup Guide

TLDR: To install Google Skills for Claude Code, run claude plugin marketplace add google/skills to register the marketplace, then use claude plugin install <skill-name>@google-plugins to activate individual tools from the catalog.

The Google Skills repository (google/skills) hosts a collection of ready-to-use plugins containing code snippets, templates, and reference documentation for Claude Code. Installing Google Skills for Claude Code requires registering the marketplace source in your local environment and selectively enabling the utilities you need for your development workflow.

Add the Google Skills Marketplace

Before installing individual tools, you must register the google/skills repository as a valid marketplace source. This step writes the marketplace definition to Claude Code's local configuration, allowing the IDE to discover available skills.

Run the following command to add the marketplace:

claude plugin marketplace add google/skills

This command registers the marketplace by reading the .claude-plugin/marketplace.json file located in the repository root, which defines the available skill categories and update endpoints.

Install Individual Google Skills

Once the marketplace is registered, view available options before selecting specific tools:

claude plugin list --source google-plugins

Install a specific skill, such as the Firebase basics utility, using the @google-plugins suffix to distinguish it from other sources:

claude plugin install firebase-basics@google-plugins

Verify the installation by displaying the skill metadata:

claude plugin show firebase-basics

The plugin manager stores installation records and references the local manifest at ~/.claude-plugin/marketplace/google-plugins/manifest.json, which maps skill names to their entrypoints in the skills/**/SKILL.md files within the repository.

Install All Google Skills in One Command

If you want to install the complete catalog without selecting individual items, script the installation using the marketplace manifest. The following bash command parses the local JSON file and installs every available skill:

for skill in $(jq -r '.skills[].name' ~/.claude-plugin/marketplace/google-plugins/manifest.json); do
    claude plugin install "${skill}@google-plugins"
done

This approach requires jq to parse the skills array in the manifest, iterating through each entry and invoking the install command automatically.

Key Repository Files

Understanding the repository structure helps troubleshoot installation issues and locate skill documentation. The google/skills repository organizes content through these critical paths:

• README.md – Contains the official installation instructions and overview of the skill catalog.
• .claude-plugin/marketplace.json – Defines the marketplace metadata that Claude Code reads to discover available skill groups.
• plugins/google-plugins/manifest.json – Stores the authoritative inventory of individual skills, including names, descriptions, and version information used during installation.
• skills/**/SKILL.md – Houses individual skill documentation (for example, skills/cloud/firebase-basics/SKILL.md) detailing usage, prerequisites, and code examples.

Summary

• Register the marketplace first using claude plugin marketplace add google/skills to enable discovery of the Google Skills catalog.
• Install individual skills with the @google-plugins suffix, such as claude plugin install firebase-basics@google-plugins.
• Bulk install all skills by parsing ~/.claude-plugin/marketplace/google-plugins/manifest.json and looping through the available entries.
• Reference README.md and individual SKILL.md files in the google/skills repository for detailed usage instructions and prerequisites.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Google Skills for Claude Code?

Google Skills are a collection of ready-to-use plugins containing code snippets, templates, and reference documentation that Claude Code invokes through its built-in marketplace architecture. They provide specialized assistance for Google Cloud services and development workflows directly within the IDE interface.

Where does Claude Code store the Google Skills manifest locally?

Claude Code stores the marketplace configuration in ~/.claude-plugin/marketplace/google-plugins/manifest.json, which contains the full inventory of skill names, descriptions, and entrypoints. This local cache is created when you run claude plugin marketplace add google/skills and enables the plugin manager to resolve skill locations.

How do I install every Google Skill at once instead of individually?

You can bulk install all skills by parsing the local manifest with jq and looping through the entries: for skill in $(jq -r '.skills[].name' ~/.claude-plugin/marketplace/google-plugins/manifest.json); do claude plugin install "${skill}@google-plugins"; done. This automates the installation of the complete catalog without manual selection.

Which repository files contain the skill definitions and documentation?

The plugins/google-plugins/manifest.json file in the repository defines the authoritative list of available skills, while individual documentation resides in skills/**/SKILL.md files (for example, skills/cloud/firebase-basics/SKILL.md). The .claude-plugin/marketplace.json file provides the marketplace metadata required for initial registration.

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