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how-plugins-work

Diagnose and build Claude Code and Codex plugins, skills, and marketplaces.

4|Updated Jun 9, 2026
Search Tags:#claude code#codex#plugin#marketplace#skill#frontmatter#adapter
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/laicluse/agent-fieldkit --skill how-plugins-work-laicluse
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: how-plugins-work
Source: https://github.com/laicluse/agent-fieldkit/tree/main/.agents/plugins/generated/how-plugins-work/skills/how-plugins-work
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/laicluse/agent-fieldkit --skill how-plugins-work-laicluse

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? Plugin and skill names flow through Claude Code and Codex in confusing, inconsistent ways, causing slash-command misses, Unknown command errors, marketplace sync failures, and broken cross-agent adapters. This Skill documents the empirically verified naming, manifest, and caching rules so you can build or debug plugins correctly the first time. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Name resolution reference: Maps where plugin names, skill names, and marketplace names appear across Claude Code and Codex (plugin list, settings.json, caches, autocomplete, Skill tool invocation). - Frontmatter and manifest guidance: Explains SKILL.md frontmatter fields (name, description, user-invocable, disable-model-invocation), strict YAML requirements, and adapter generation for Codex via Circus. - Cross-agent sync contract: Defines source vs. generated target roles, build/check/diff verbs, and multi-agent runtime closeout rules for safe delivery. - Use Case: You create a new marketplace plugin and your skill does not appear in autocomplete. This Skill tells you to set user-invocable explicitly, verify the directory name matches the frontmatter name, and check the plugin cache path. ## Quick Start Ask the agent to explain why your plugin skill is not resolving as a slash command, or to scaffold a new Claude Code and Codex compatible plugin following the naming and manifest rules.

Frequently Asked Questions about how-plugins-work

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
Why is my Claude Code skill not showing up in autocomplete?▼

Skills without an explicit user-invocable field do not always appear in autocomplete despite the documented default of true. Set user-invocable: true explicitly in the SKILL.md frontmatter, and confirm the frontmatter name matches the skill directory name.

How do plugin, skill, and marketplace names differ in Claude Code?▼

The plugin name from plugin.json sets the namespace, the skill directory name sets the identity, and the marketplace name sets the source. Claude Code combines them as plugin@marketplace for installs and plugin:skill for invocation, and the three names are fully independent.

How do I invoke a skill in Codex CLI versus Claude Code?▼

Codex CLI uses the $ prefix, such as $how-plugins-work, or the /skills picker; the slash prefix is reserved for built-in commands. Claude Code supports /plugin:skill and bare /skill when the name is unique.

Why does my SKILL.md description break the Codex plugin build?▼

Codex uses a strict YAML parser that rejects plain scalars containing colon-space, leading quotes, or other YAML-special punctuation. Wrap such descriptions in a folded block scalar using description: >- so both Claude and Codex parse the file identically.

Can a skill change the session model in Claude Code?▼

No, a skill cannot change the session model; outputting /model as text is unreliable and corrupts the session. Use the Agent or Task tool with a model parameter to run subagents on a different model instead.

When should I use skills add instead of building a Codex plugin?▼

Use the skills CLI (npx skills add) for instruction-only skills where the agent already has the tools it needs. Choose a Codex plugin when the workflow requires plugin runtime payload such as MCP registration, hooks, or bundled helper binaries.

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