To create a personal marketplace for Claude Code, make a catalog file at .claude-plugin/marketplace.json, list one or more plugins in it, then register the catalog with Claude Code and install a plugin to check the setup. Claude Code calls this a plugin marketplace: it distributes plugins rather than creating a separate agent runtime. Plugins can bundle skills, agents, hooks, MCP servers, or LSP servers.
Choose where to keep the marketplace
A marketplace is a catalog that points Claude Code to plugins. You can start with a local directory for private experimentation, then host it if you want other people to register the same catalog. Anthropic says a marketplace can be hosted as a Git repository, GitHub repository, or URL containing a properly formatted manifest: Claude Code plugins announcement.
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| Option | Best fit | What to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Local directory | Testing on your own machine | Register the directory that contains .claude-plugin/marketplace.json. Other people will need access to that directory to use it. |
| Hosted repository or manifest URL | Sharing a catalog with collaborators | Users register the hosted source; access and updates depend on how you host and maintain it. Confirm supported source formats and command behavior in your installed Claude Code version. |
Create a marketplace manifest
At the marketplace directory or repository root, create .claude-plugin/marketplace.json. The manifest identifies the marketplace, its owner, and the plugins it offers. Each plugin entry needs a name and source; description and version fields can also be included.
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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"
}
]
}Here, the plugin source is a path relative to the marketplace. The documented format also supports a GitHub source object when the plugin is stored separately. Check the current marketplace documentation for the exact object fields and supported source forms: Claude Code plugin marketplaces.
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- Use a kebab-case marketplace name. It is shown during installation.
- A second marketplace with the same name replaces the first, so choose a distinctive name and avoid names reserved for Anthropic’s official marketplaces.
- Keep a plugin’s dependencies inside its own directory. Installation copies the plugin into a cache, so references to files outside that directory may not be available afterward.
Register and install the local marketplace
Open Claude Code from the environment where you want to test the catalog. These commands follow the documented workflow; CLI labels and behavior may change across versions.
- Add the marketplace directory:
/plugin marketplace add ./my-marketplace. Replace the path with the directory that contains.claude-plugin/marketplace.json. - Install the listed plugin by its plugin name and marketplace name:
/plugin install quality-review-plugin@my-plugins. - When prompted, select the installation scope that suits your use. If the install summary asks you to run
/reload-plugins, run it to activate the plugin.
For a hosted marketplace, Anthropic’s announcement documents registration in the form /plugin marketplace add user-or-org/repo-name; users can then browse and install through the /plugin menu. Consult the current instructions for the version you use before relying on a particular hosted-source syntax: Anthropic’s plugin announcement.
Validate before sharing
Run one of the documented validation commands from the marketplace directory:
- CLI:
claude plugin validate . - Inside Claude Code:
/plugin validate .
Then add the marketplace and install a test plugin. Validation checks the catalog format; a test installation also helps catch source paths or plugin contents that do not work as expected. These are release checks, not a guarantee that every plugin behavior is correct.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Keep the catalog maintainable
For a small personal catalog, keep the marketplace manifest and its plugin directories together so relative paths remain easy to understand. If a plugin lives in a separate repository, use a documented external source form and verify it against the Claude Code version that will consume it. When you change the manifest or plugin files, validate and test the updated catalog before sharing the change.
The marketplace schema and CLI workflow are version-sensitive. The steps above reflect Anthropic’s documented plugin-marketplace approach; check the live documentation or your installed Claude Code version when an exact field or command matters.
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