Can I use custom paths for plugin components?

Yes, you can specify custom paths in the plugin.json manifest, which will supplement the default auto-discovery locations.

What is the required location for the plugin manifest?

The manifest must be named plugin.json and located within the .claude-plugin/ directory at the root of your plugin.

Why should I use ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}?

Using this environment variable ensures your plugin paths remain portable across different operating systems, user home directories, and installation methods.

How does Claude Code discover plugin components?

It automatically scans specific root-level directories like commands/, agents/, skills/, and hooks/ for relevant configuration and markdown files.

Claude Code Plugin Structure

Name: Claude Code Plugin Structure
Author: jawhnycooke

byjawhnycooke

Developer Tools

Guides developers through the standardized directory layout and manifest configuration for building Claude Code plugins.

About

This skill provides comprehensive guidance on organizing Claude Code plugins, ensuring seamless integration through automatic component discovery. It covers the essential .claude-plugin/plugin.json manifest, the standardized directory structure for commands, agents, and hooks, and the use of the ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT} variable for portable pathing. Whether you are scaffolding a new project or optimizing an existing one, this skill helps you implement architecture best practices and component-based organization for maintainable, high-quality plugins.

Key Features

Component-based organization for agents and skills
0 GitHub stars
Automatic component discovery setup
Manifest configuration guidance for plugin.json
Portable pathing with ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}
Standardized directory layout conventions

Use Cases

Scaffolding a new Claude Code plugin from scratch
Migrating existing developer utilities to the official plugin format
Implementing portable file paths for cross-platform plugin support

About

Key Features

Component-based organization for agents and skills
0 GitHub stars
Automatic component discovery setup
Manifest configuration guidance for plugin.json
Portable pathing with ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}
Standardized directory layout conventions

Use Cases

Scaffolding a new Claude Code plugin from scratch
Migrating existing developer utilities to the official plugin format
Implementing portable file paths for cross-platform plugin support