Prerequisites for Running Commands in PM Skills: Complete Setup Guide

Before you can execute any slash command in the PM Skills marketplace, you must install the Claude Cowork or Claude Code client, register the phuryn/pm-skills repository as a plugin marketplace, and install the specific domain plugins that contain the commands you want to run.

The PM Skills repository (phuryn/pm-skills) ships as a collection of Claude-specific plugins that expose product management skills through slash commands like /discover and /write-prd. Understanding the prerequisites for running commands is essential because these commands are not standalone scripts but integrations that rely on Anthropic's Claude ecosystem to parse, load, and execute the underlying logic defined in markdown files.

Claude Client Requirements

The commands are Claude-specific "slash commands" that require either the Claude Cowork UI or Claude Code CLI to parse and execute them.

Claude Cowork (UI)

For the graphical interface, navigate to Customize → Browse plugins → Personal → + and select Add marketplace from GitHub with the repository phuryn/pm-skills. According to the README.md (lines 50-61), this registers the marketplace in the Cowork environment.

Claude Code (CLI)

For command-line usage, install the Claude Code CLI and ensure you have Python 3.9+ available, as the supporting validate_plugins.py script and CLI tooling are written in Python. You can install Python via pyenv or your system package manager.

Marketplace Registration

Before installing individual plugins, you must register the repository as a plugin marketplace so Claude knows where to fetch the plugin definitions.

Run the following command from your terminal:

claude plugin marketplace add phuryn/pm-skills

This step is documented in README.md lines 63-68. Once registered, the CLI can resolve plugin references against the phuryn/pm-skills repository.

Plugin Installation

Each domain (toolkit, strategy, discovery, etc.) is packaged as a separate plugin. Commands live inside these plugins, so they must be installed before the slash commands are recognized.

Install a specific plugin using the marketplace reference:

claude plugin install pm-toolkit@pm-skills

As noted in README.md (lines 70-78), you must install the specific plugin that contains the commands you intend to use. For example, to run /discover, you need the pm-product-discovery plugin; for /write-prd, you need pm-execution.

Network and API Requirements

GitHub Access

The CLI fetches the plugin manifest (.claude-plugin/plugin.json) from the remote repository during installation. Ensure outbound HTTPS to GitHub is allowed through your firewall.

Optional: OpenAI API for Codex CLI

If you prefer using the Codex CLI instead of Claude Code, you need an OpenAI API key and the codex binary installed. The repository provides only the plugin manifest; it does not bundle the Codex CLI itself.

How Commands Execute

Once the prerequisites for running commands are satisfied, the CLI parses the slash command, loads the appropriate plugin, and invokes the underlying skills defined in markdown files.

For example, when you run:

claude /discover "AI-powered meeting summarizer for remote teams"

The CLI:

1. Parses the /discover slash command
2. Loads the pm-product-discovery plugin (source: pm-product-discovery/commands/discover.md)
3. Sequentially invokes the four underlying skills: brainstorm-ideas, identify-assumptions, prioritize-assumptions, and brainstorm-experiments

Common Command Examples

After completing setup, you can invoke any command defined under pm-*/commands/*.md:

Run a full discovery cycle:

claude /discover "AI-powered meeting summarizer"

Chains skills defined in pm-product-discovery/commands/discover.md.

Create a PRD:

claude /write-prd "Smart notification system"

Generates an 8-section Product Requirements Document via pm-execution/commands/write-prd.md.

Generate a North Star metric:

claude /north-star "Two-sided marketplace connecting freelancers"

Returns metrics defined in pm-marketing-growth/commands/north-star.md.

Key Configuration Files

Understanding these source files helps troubleshoot setup issues:

• README.md (lines 50-78): Contains step-by-step installation instructions for marketplace registration and plugin installation.
• pm-toolkit/.claude-plugin/plugin.json: The plugin manifest required by Claude Code for registration and validation.
• pm-toolkit/commands/*.md: Concrete slash-command definitions (e.g., /tailor-resume).
• pm-product-discovery/commands/discover.md: Defines the /discover workflow.
• pm-execution/commands/write-prd.md: Defines the /write-prd command structure.
• pm-marketing-growth/commands/north-star.md: Contains the /north-star command logic.

Summary

• Prerequisites for running commands in PM Skills require the Claude Cowork or Claude Code client, Python 3.9+, and network access to GitHub.
• You must register the marketplace with claude plugin marketplace add phuryn/pm-skills before installing individual plugins.
• Install specific domain plugins (e.g., pm-toolkit@pm-skills) to enable their respective slash commands.
• Commands are defined in markdown files under pm-*/commands/ directories and parsed by the Claude client at runtime.
• Optional Codex CLI usage requires separate OpenAI API credentials.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to install all plugins to use one command?

No. You only need to install the specific plugin that contains the command you want to run. For example, to use /discover, install only the pm-product-discovery plugin using claude plugin install pm-product-discovery@pm-skills.

Can I run these commands without the Claude Code CLI?

Yes. If you use Claude Cowork (the UI), you can add the marketplace through the interface at Customize → Browse plugins → Personal → + and skip the CLI registration steps, though you still need to install the individual plugins through the UI.

What Python version is required and why?

Python 3.9 or higher is required because the validate_plugins.py script and Claude Code CLI tooling rely on Python features introduced in 3.9+. The CLI uses Python to parse plugin manifests and validate command structures before execution.

Where are the actual command definitions stored?

Command definitions live in markdown files within each plugin's commands/ directory. For example, the /write-prd command is defined in pm-execution/commands/write-prd.md, while the /north-star command resides in pm-marketing-growth/commands/north-star.md.

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