Plugins
Installable bundles that distribute one or more agent extensions—such as Skills, subagents, hooks, MCP servers, or application connectors—as a coherent product.
Use it when
- Several related extensions should install and update together.
- A capability needs a manifest, namespace, ownership, and release lifecycle.
- Teams need a repeatable way to enable the same approved integration.
Choose another layer when
- One short workflow used only inside a single repository.
- An API integration with no agent-facing instructions or tools.
Production path
Build it in this order
- 01
Define the installable boundary
Group only components that share a purpose, maintainer, and release lifecycle. Declare prerequisites and external access.
Quality check: A user can explain exactly what is added after installation.
- 02
Namespace and document components
Use clear component names, precise trigger descriptions, and a manifest that exposes ownership and version information.
Quality check: Installed components do not collide with project or user configuration.
- 03
Treat updates as supply-chain events
Review hooks, scripts, servers, permissions, and network destinations before publishing or accepting a new version.
Quality check: A version can be audited, pinned, upgraded, and removed predictably.
Artifacts you may see
- .codex-plugin/plugin.json
- .claude-plugin/plugin.json
- skills/*/SKILL.md
- agents/*
- hooks/*
Connected layers
Evidence ledger
Primary documentation behind this guide
Provider-specific behavior is sourced to that provider. Open standards are sourced to their specifications and official maintainers.