Plugins add new capabilities to Claude Code. A plugin can contribute tools, slash commands, output styles, hooks, and MCP server definitions. Plugins are distributed as DXT (Declarative Extension Toolkit) packages.
Installing plugins
From the plugin marketplace
/plugin install <plugin-name>
From a local file
/plugin install /path/to/plugin.dxt
Managing installed plugins
| Command | Description |
|---|
/plugin list | Show all installed plugins and their status |
/plugin remove <name> | Remove an installed plugin |
/reload-plugins | Reload all plugins without restarting Claude Code |
Built-in plugins
Claude Code ships with a set of built-in plugins. These appear in the /plugin interface under a Built-in section and can be enabled or disabled per user.
Built-in plugins that are available by default include:
- GitHub — tools for interacting with GitHub repositories (issues, pull requests, code search)
- Slack — tools for reading and sending Slack messages
Built-in plugin state is stored in your user settings (~/.claude/).
To enable or disable a built-in plugin, open:
Select the plugin from the list and toggle its state.
Plugin marketplace
The official plugin marketplace is hosted and maintained by Anthropic. Marketplace plugins are versioned, reviewed, and automatically updated (for official marketplace sources).
Claude Code fetches the marketplace catalog at startup. To browse available plugins, run /plugin and navigate to the Marketplace tab.
Third-party marketplace sources can be registered, but they do not receive automatic updates by default.
Automatic updates and orphan cleanup
Plugins installed from official marketplace sources are updated automatically when a newer version is available. Claude Code checks for updates at startup and applies them in the background.
Orphaned plugins — plugins whose marketplace source is no longer registered — are detected at startup and flagged for removal. Claude Code will prompt you before removing anything.
To trigger a manual refresh:
Plugin security
Plugins run with the same operating system permissions as Claude Code itself. Before installing a third-party plugin, verify the source.
Only install plugins from sources you trust. A plugin has access to the same tools and file system paths that Claude Code can reach.
A DXT plugin is a directory (or .dxt zip archive) with a manifest.json at its root.
Minimal manifest
{
"name": "my-plugin",
"version": "1.0.0",
"description": "A minimal example plugin",
"tools": [
{
"name": "say_hello",
"description": "Returns a greeting",
"input_schema": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"name": {
"type": "string",
"description": "The name to greet"
}
},
"required": ["name"]
}
}
]
}
Manifest fields
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|
name | Yes | Unique plugin identifier |
version | Yes | Semver version string |
description | Yes | Short description shown in the plugin UI |
tools | No | Array of tool definitions (JSON Schema) |
commands | No | Array of slash command definitions |
hooks | No | Hook event handlers |
mcpServers | No | MCP server configurations bundled with the plugin |
Installing a local plugin for development
/plugin install ./my-plugin
/reload-plugins to pick up updates without restarting.