validate-manifest

Validates plugin.json syntax, required fields, and consistency with actual plugin contents.

1|Updated Mar 22, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/JaviMontano/mao-plugin-qa --skill validate-manifest-javimontano
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: validate-manifest
Source: https://github.com/JaviMontano/mao-plugin-qa/tree/main/skills/validate-manifest
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/JaviMontano/mao-plugin-qa --skill validate-manifest-javimontano

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve? Plugin manifests often contain JSON syntax errors, missing required fields, or declared counts that do not match the actual plugin contents, causing plugins to fail loading or behave unexpectedly. This Skill audits plugin.json against the official Claude Code plugin spec and reports every issue with severity levels. ## Core Features & Use Cases - JSON Syntax Diagnostics: Detects trailing commas, comments, single quotes, and BOM issues with exact line numbers before parsing fails silently. - Field Validation: Checks required fields (name in kebab-case), recommended fields (version as semver, description, author, license, keywords), and forbidden fields (scripts, hooks, settings) per the official spec. - Consistency Checks: Compares declared skill, command, and agent counts against actual directory contents and flags mismatches. - Use Case: Before publishing a Claude Code plugin, run this Skill to produce a findings table with a completeness percentage score, catching a missing license field or a v-prefixed version string before submission. ## Quick Start Validate the plugin.json manifest in my plugin directory and report any missing fields, syntax errors, or count mismatches with severity levels.

Frequently Asked Questions about validate-manifest

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I validate a plugin.json manifest for Claude Code?▼

Run the validation procedure against plugin.json at the plugin root or .claude-plugin path. It checks JSON syntax, required fields like name, recommended fields like version and license, and produces a findings table with CRITICAL, WARNING, and INFO severities.

What fields are required in a Claude Code plugin.json?▼

Per the official spec, only the name field is strictly required, and it must be kebab-case ASCII. Version, description, author, license, and keywords are strongly recommended and reported as warnings when missing.

Why does my plugin.json fail to parse as valid JSON?▼

Common causes are trailing commas after the last array or object element, JavaScript-style comments, single quotes instead of double quotes, or a byte order mark at the file start. The validator reports each issue with its line number.

Can plugin.json contain scripts or hooks fields?▼

No. Fields like scripts, hooks, settings, and dependencies are forbidden in plugin.json and belong in separate files such as hooks.json, settings.json, or package.json. Their presence is reported as CRITICAL or WARNING.

Does manifest validation modify my plugin.json file?▼

No. The validation is strictly read-only and never modifies plugin.json. It only inspects the file and directory contents, then reports findings with severity levels and a completeness percentage score.