What Is the Purpose of the Source Files in phuryn/pm-skills? A Complete Guide to the PM Skills Marketplace

The source files in phuryn/pm-skills serve as structured knowledge assets that define reusable product management frameworks, expose ready-to-use workflows via slash commands, and enable automatic discovery through JSON descriptors for Claude-based AI assistants.

The phuryn/pm-skills repository functions as a marketplace of reusable product-management knowledge designed specifically for Claude-based assistants like Claude Code, Claude Cowork, Codex, and OpenCode. Unlike traditional code repositories that contain compiled binaries or scripts, this project stores pure markdown files organized into plugins, making the purpose of the source files in phuryn/pm-skills fundamentally different from conventional software development.

Repository Structure and File Types

The source files are organized into distinct components that work together to create an installable "AI operating system" for product decisions.

Skills (SKILL.md files)

Skills are plain-text knowledge blocks encoded in markdown files (e.g., SKILL.md) that capture specific PM frameworks, analysis methods, or guided workflows. Each skill file contains prompts and instructions that encode expertise in areas like SWOT analysis, Opportunity-Solution Trees, or assumption mapping.

For example, pm-product-discovery/skills/brainstorm-ideas-new/SKILL.md contains the logic for generating multiple ideation angles, while pm-product-discovery/skills/identify-assumptions-new/SKILL.md extracts risky assumptions across eight risk categories.

Commands (*.md files)

Commands are slash-style workflow files (e.g., discover.md, strategy.md) that chain one or more skills into end-to-end operations. These files define the orchestration logic for complete workflows like /discover or /pricing.

The file pm-product-discovery/commands/discover.md demonstrates this by orchestrating a sequence that calls brainstorm-ideas-new, identify-assumptions-new, prioritize-assumptions, and brainstorm-experiments-new to deliver a full discovery workflow.

Plugin Configuration (plugin.json)

Each plugin directory contains a .claude-plugin/plugin.json file that declares the plugin name, lists available skills, and registers commands. This descriptor allows Claude-based tools to expose functionality as slash commands automatically.

For instance, pm-go-to-market/.claude-plugin/plugin.json exposes GTM-specific skills and commands to the assistant.

Marketplace Manifest (marketplace.json)

The root-level .claude-plugin/marketplace.json aggregates all nine plugins into a singleinstallable marketplace. This manifest enables the "add marketplace" workflow that installs the entire suite of product management tools at once.

Three Core Purposes of the Source Files

The source files in phuryn/pm-skills serve three distinct architectural purposes that transform static markdown into executable product management workflows.

Encapsulate Frameworks as Reusable Knowledge

Each SKILL.md file captures a proven product management framework as a reusable markdown prompt. These files act as the data layer of the marketplace, containing the actual frameworks and methodologies that the AI assistant invokes.

Chain Skills into Turnkey Workflows

Command files act as orchestrators, combining multiple skills into complete user experiences. When you invoke /discover with a topic like "AI-powered meeting-summary app", the command file automatically loads the required skills, runs them in sequence, and returns a structured result including idea lists, assumption maps, and experiment plans.

Enable Automatic Discovery and Installation

The JSON descriptors (plugin.json and marketplace.json) serve as the public API, making the repository discoverable by Claude-compatible tools. These files eliminate manual configuration by declaring exactly which skills and commands each plugin provides.

Installing and Using the Marketplace

You can install and invoke these workflows directly from the command line using Claude Code syntax:

# 1️⃣ Add the marketplace (once per environment)

claude plugin marketplace add phuryn/pm-skills

# 2️⃣ Install the specific "product discovery" plugin

claude plugin install pm-product-discovery@pm-skills

# 3️⃣ Run a full discovery workflow with a specific topic

/ discover AI-powered meeting-summary app

Under the hood, Claude reads the plugin descriptor at pm-product-discovery/.claude-plugin/plugin.json, locates the /discover command definition in pm-product-discovery/commands/discover.md, and sequentially executes the skills referenced in that command file.

Key Source Files Reference

File Path	Description	Role
README.md	High-level introduction, installation steps, and plugin catalog	Project documentation
pm-product-discovery/commands/discover.md	Main discovery command that chains ideation, assumption mapping, and experiment design	Workflow orchestrator
pm-product-discovery/skills/brainstorm-ideas-new/SKILL.md	Generates multiple ideation angles for product discovery	Knowledge asset
pm-product-discovery/skills/identify-assumptions-new/SKILL.md	Extracts risky assumptions across eight risk categories	Knowledge asset
pm-toolkit/skills/review-resume/SKILL.md	Resume-review skill invoked by /review-resume	Knowledge asset
pm-product-strategy/skills/pricing-strategy/SKILL.md	Pricing strategy framework used by /pricing	Knowledge asset
pm-go-to-market/.claude-plugin/plugin.json	Declares GTM plugin capabilities and command registry	Plugin descriptor
.claude-plugin/marketplace.json	Aggregates all nine plugins for single-step installation	Marketplace manifest
LICENSE	MIT license governing the entire marketplace	Legal
CONTRIBUTING.md	Guidelines for adding new skills or commands	Contribution guide

Summary

• The phuryn/pm-skills repository is a marketplace of reusable product-management knowledge formatted as markdown files.
• Skills (SKILL.md files) encapsulate frameworks like SWOT analysis and assumption mapping as reusable knowledge blocks.
• Commands (*.md files) chain skills into complete workflows (e.g., /discover, /strategy) that run automatically.
• JSON descriptors (plugin.json, marketplace.json) enable automatic discovery and installation by Claude-based assistants.
• All source files are pure markdown, requiring no compilation and working with any AI assistant that understands the Claude skill format.

Frequently Asked Questions

What file format does phuryn/pm-skills use for its source files?

All source files use pure markdown format. Skills are stored in SKILL.md files, commands in *.md files, and configuration in JSON files. This eliminates compilation requirements and allows any Claude-compatible assistant to read and execute the knowledge directly.

How do I install a specific plugin from the phuryn/pm-skills repository?

First add the marketplace using claude plugin marketplace add phuryn/pm-skills, then install individual plugins with the syntax claude plugin install [plugin-name]@pm-skills. For example, claude plugin install pm-product-discovery@pm-skills installs the discovery workflow.

Can I use phuryn/pm-skills with AI assistants other than Claude?

Yes. Because the repository uses pure markdown and follows the Claude skill format, any AI assistant that understands this format—including Codex, Gemini, and OpenCode—can load and execute the skills and commands without modification.

How do I create a custom skill for the phuryn/pm-skills marketplace?

Create a new directory under the appropriate plugin's skills/ folder, add a SKILL.md file containing your framework's prompts and instructions, and reference it in the plugin's .claude-plugin/plugin.json file. See CONTRIBUTING.md for detailed formatting guidelines and submission procedures.

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