What is a Claude Code Plugin?
A bundle of commands, agents, hooks, and MCP servers.
A plugin is a packaged extension — most commonly for Claude Code — that bundles multiple capabilities together: slash commands, sub-agents, hooks (automations that run at certain events), and MCP servers. Installing one plugin can set up an entire workflow in a single step.
What a plugin bundles
Plugins group related pieces so you don't have to install them one by one. A single plugin might add custom slash commands, a set of specialist sub-agents, safety/observability hooks, and the MCP servers those agents rely on — all configured to work together.
Marketplaces
Plugins are distributed through marketplaces. In Claude Code you add a marketplace and install a plugin with commands like '/plugin marketplace add owner/repo' and '/plugin install name'. A marketplace can contain dozens of plugins.
Why use them
Plugins standardize how a team works — everyone installs the same plugin and gets the same commands, agents, and guardrails, making agentic development repeatable and consistent.
Common examples
- A 'superpowers' plugin that adds a full spec-driven dev workflow
- A design plugin that adds UI/UX reasoning and commands
- A status-line plugin (HUD) showing context usage and running agents
Explore plugins
Browse the directory of plugins — all linking to GitHub.
Popular plugins
Claude HUD
Shows context usage, active tools, running agents, and more in real time.
Compound Engineering
Official Compound Engineering plugin for Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, and more.
UI UX Pro Max
Design intelligence for building professional UI/UX across many frameworks — 84 styles.
Plugin — FAQ
How do I install a plugin?+
In Claude Code: /plugin marketplace add owner/repo, then /plugin install plugin-name. Check each plugin's README for the exact names.
What's the difference between a plugin and a skill?+
A skill is a single capability. A plugin is a bundle that can contain commands, sub-agents, hooks, and MCP servers — sometimes including skills.