Plugin Packaging Knowledge
Domain knowledge for packaging marketplace items as Cowork-compatible plugins for distribution.
Use For
- Exporting marketplace items as standalone plugin ZIPs
- Preparing plugins for Claude Desktop private marketplace upload
- Understanding Cowork plugin format requirements
- Validating plugin packages before distribution
Cowork Plugin Format
Claude Desktop Cowork uses the same plugin format as Claude Code:
plugin-name/
├── .claude-plugin/
│ └── plugin.json # Required: manifest
├── .mcp.json # Optional: MCP server connections
├── commands/
│ ├── command-name.md # Slash commands
│ └── index.json # Command index
├── skills/
│ └── skill-name/
│ └── SKILL.md # Domain knowledge
├── agents/
│ └── agent-name.md # Sub-agent definitions
├── CLAUDE.md # Plugin-level instructions
└── README.md # User documentationManifest Format (plugin.json)
{
"name": "plugin-name",
"version": "1.0.0",
"description": "One-line description",
"author": {
"name": "Author Name",
"email": "email@example.com"
},
"license": "MIT",
"keywords": ["keyword1", "keyword2"]
}Rules:
- Name must be lowercase kebab-case
- Version follows semver
- Description should be under 100 characters
Export Process
When exporting a marketplace item:
- Collect source files from bound plugins:
For each pluginBinding: agents/ → copy referenced agent.md files skills/ → copy referenced skill directories commands/ → copy referenced command.md files - Generate manifest with item metadata:
- Name: item name (kebab-case) - Version: item version - Description: item description - Keywords: item tags + plugin names
- Generate CLAUDE.md with:
- Item overview and purpose - Available commands list - Agent descriptions - Configuration options
- Create ZIP under 50 MB (Cowork limit)
- Validate the package:
- plugin.json exists and is valid JSON - All referenced files exist - No secrets or.env files included - ZIP is under 50 MB
Distribution Channels
Claude Desktop Private Marketplace
- Go to Organization Settings > Plugins
- Click "Add plugins" > "Upload to a new marketplace"
- Upload the ZIP file
- Assign to users/teams
GitHub Repository
- Push plugin to a GitHub repo
- Add marketplace:
claude plugin marketplace add org/repo - Install:
claude plugin install name@marketplace
Direct Share
Share the ZIP file directly. Recipients install via:
- Claude Desktop: drag into Plugins settings
- CLI:
claude plugin install./path/to/plugin.zip
Validation Checklist
Before distributing:
- plugin.json has valid name, version, description
- All command.md files have proper YAML frontmatter
- All skill SKILL.md files have triggers defined
- All agent.md files specify model and allowed-tools
- No hardcoded secrets, API keys, or credentials
- ZIP is under 50 MB
- README.md exists with usage instructions