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Build a personal Claude Code marketplace by placing a .claude-plugin/marketplace.json catalog beside one or more plugins, registering that catalog with Claude Code, and installing a listed plugin to verify the setup. Claude Code calls this a plugin marketplace: it is a catalog for distributing plugins, not a separate agent runtime. Plugins can bundle capabilities such as skills, agents, hooks, MCP servers, or LSP servers.
What a Claude Code marketplace contains
A marketplace is a catalog that tells Claude Code which plugins are available and where their files come from. The marketplace manifest lives at .claude-plugin/marketplace.json in the marketplace directory or repository. Each plugin has its own directory or source, while the manifest gives it a name and source location. The official Claude Code marketplace guide documents the format and workflow.
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Keep a plugin’s required files within its own directory. Claude Code copies plugins into a cache during installation, so a plugin that depends on files elsewhere in the marketplace may not have access to them after installation.
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| Approach | Useful for | Sharing and access | Update workflow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local directory | Private experiments or a marketplace used on one machine | Register the directory containing the manifest; no shared remote source is required. | Edit the local marketplace and test the changes in Claude Code. |
| Hosted repository or manifest URL | Sharing a catalog with collaborators | Anthropic describes hosting via a Git repository, GitHub repository, or URL containing a correctly formatted manifest. Users register the hosted marketplace. | Update the hosted source; collaborators use that shared source. Check the installed Claude Code version for current supported sources and behavior. |
Anthropic’s Claude Code plugins announcement describes the hosted option. Neither approach is universally better: choose based on whether you need collaborators to access a shared catalog or only want to experiment locally.
#1 Best Overall
Create the marketplace directory and manifest
-
Create a directory for the marketplace and add at least one plugin directory. For example, the layout can be
my-marketplace/.claude-plugin/marketplace.jsonandmy-marketplace/plugins/quality-review-plugin/. -
Inside the marketplace directory, create
.claude-plugin/marketplace.jsonwith a marketplace name, an owner object, and a plugins array. Each plugin entry needs a name and source; description and version are optional fields in the documented format. -
For a plugin stored in the same marketplace, use a relative source path such as
./plugins/quality-review-plugin. A plugin can also use a GitHub source object; confirm the exact supported source form in the documentation for your installed version.Free tools Windows power users keep installed
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{
"name": "my-plugins",
"owner": { "name": "Your Name" },
"plugins": [
{
"name": "quality-review-plugin",
"source": "./plugins/quality-review-plugin",
"description": "Adds a quality-review skill for quick code reviews"
}
]
}This example uses a kebab-case marketplace name. The name is visible during installation, and the marketplace guide warns that adding another marketplace with the same name replaces the existing one. Avoid names reserved for Anthropic’s official marketplaces.
Register and install a local plugin
Run these commands from Claude Code’s command interface. Replace the example directory, plugin name, and marketplace name with the values in your manifest.
-
Register the directory that contains
.claude-plugin/marketplace.json:Rank #4
/plugin marketplace add ./my-marketplace -
Install the plugin using its manifest name and the marketplace name, separated by
@:Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy./plugin install quality-review-plugin@my-plugins -
When prompted, select the installation scope that fits your use. If the installation summary requests
/reload-plugins, run that command to activate the plugin.
For a hosted marketplace, the documented registration form is /plugin marketplace add user-or-org/repo-name. After adding it, users can browse and install its plugins through the /plugin menu. Because commands and supported sources may change between Claude Code versions, consult the documentation that matches the version you have installed.
Validate before sharing
Validate the marketplace and test an installation before distributing it. The marketplace guide documents both the CLI and Claude Code command forms:
claude plugin validate ./plugin validate .
Run validation from the marketplace directory, then add the marketplace and install a test plugin. These checks are a practical minimum for catching manifest or installation issues; a valid manifest alone does not establish that every plugin works as intended.
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Common setup problems to check
- Wrong directory registered: Add the directory that contains
.claude-plugin/marketplace.json, not a plugin’s directory. - Plugin not found: Check that the install command’s plugin name matches the manifest entry and that the marketplace name after
@matches the registered marketplace. - Broken relative source: Confirm that the relative path points to the plugin directory from the marketplace location.
- Files missing after installation: Move dependencies into the plugin directory rather than relying on neighboring files outside it.
- Unexpected marketplace replacement: Check for duplicate marketplace names; the documented behavior is that adding a second marketplace with the same name replaces the first.
- Plugin changes do not appear active: Follow the install summary and run
/reload-pluginsif Claude Code requests it.
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