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Plugin Structure

AnthropicOfficialPublished by Anthropic

  • Skill
  • Guidelines
  • Agent tooling
  • Apache-2.0
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From the author

This skill should be used when the user asks to "create a plugin", "scaffold a plugin", "understand plugin structure", "organize plugin components", "set up plugin.json", "use ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}", "add commands/agents/skills/hooks", "configure auto-discovery", or needs guidance on plugin directory layout, manifest configuration, component organization, file naming conventions, or Claude Code plugin architecture best practices.
— the description by Anthropic

AutoGineer summary

Written by AutoGineer from the skill’s own files, not by the author

This skill provides the architectural blueprint for creating Claude Code plugins. It defines the mandatory directory structure, manifest configuration requirements, and component organization patterns (commands, agents, skills, hooks, and MCP servers) necessary for seamless integration and automatic discovery within the Claude Code environment. It emphasizes the use of portable path references and consistent naming conventions to ensure plugin maintainability and cross-system compatibility.

What it does

  • Defines the required .claude-plugin/plugin.json manifest structure
  • Outlines the standard directory layout for commands, agents, skills, and hooks
  • Explains the auto-discovery mechanism for plugin components
  • Provides guidance on using ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT} for portable file references
  • Details naming conventions and best practices for plugin organization
  • Offers patterns for scaling plugins from simple commands to complex workflows

When to use it

  • When starting the development of a new Claude Code plugin
  • When organizing plugin components to ensure they are correctly discovered
  • When configuring plugin manifests or custom component paths
  • When troubleshooting issues with component loading or path resolution
  • When seeking best practices for structuring complex plugin architectures

Advantages

  • Ensures compatibility with Claude Code's automatic discovery system
  • Promotes consistent, maintainable plugin structures
  • Prevents hardcoded path errors using environment-aware references
  • Facilitates modular development through clear component separation

Usage examples

“How should I structure my new Claude Code plugin?”
The agent provides the standard directory tree, including the .claude-plugin/ directory, and explains where to place commands, agents, and skills for automatic discovery.
“How do I reference a script inside my plugin safely?”
The agent explains the use of the ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT} variable to ensure paths remain valid regardless of where the plugin is installed.
“What are the requirements for the plugin.json manifest?”
The agent lists the required fields like 'name', explains the kebab-case naming convention, and shows how to add optional metadata and custom component paths.
“How do I add a custom command to my plugin?”
The agent guides you to create a markdown file with YAML frontmatter in the commands/ directory and explains how it will be automatically registered as a slash command.

Install

  1. Download the skill as a ZIP:

    https://mp-staging.autogineer.com/agent-skills/anthropics/plugin-structure/download
  2. Unzip it into the cross-client skills folder of your project:

    mkdir -p .agents/skills && unzip plugin-structure.zip -d .agents/skills

Documentation by Anthropic

Plugin Structure for Claude Code

Overview

Claude Code plugins follow a standardized directory structure with automatic component discovery. Understanding this structure enables creating well-organized, maintainable plugins that integrate seamlessly with Claude Code.

Key concepts:

  • Conventional directory layout for automatic discovery

  • Manifest-driven configuration in .claude-plugin/plugin.json

  • Component-based organization (commands, agents, skills, hooks)

  • Portable path references using ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}

  • Explicit vs. auto-discovered component loading

Directory Structure

Every Claude Code plugin follows this organizational pattern:

plugin-name/
├── .claude-plugin/
│   └── plugin.json          # Required: Plugin manifest
├── commands/                 # Slash commands (.md files)
├── agents/                   # Subagent definitions (.md files)
├── skills/                   # Agent skills (subdirectories)
│   └── skill-name/
│       └── SKILL.md         # Required for each skill
├── hooks/
│   └── hooks.json           # Event handler configuration
├── .mcp.json                # MCP server definitions
└── scripts/                 # Helper scripts and utilities

Critical rules:

  1. Manifest location: The plugin.json manifest MUST be in .claude-plugin/ directory

  2. Component locations: All component directories (commands, agents, skills, hooks) MUST be at plugin root level, NOT nested inside .claude-plugin/

  3. Optional components: Only create directories for components the plugin actually uses

  4. Naming convention: Use kebab-case for all directory and file names

Plugin Manifest (plugin.json)

The manifest defines plugin metadata and configuration. Located at .claude-plugin/plugin.json:

Required Fields
{
  "name": "plugin-name"
}

Name requirements:

  • Use kebab-case format (lowercase with hyphens)

  • Must be unique across installed plugins

  • No spaces or special characters

  • Example: code-review-assistant, test-runner, api-docs

{
  "name": "plugin-name",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "description": "Brief explanation of plugin purpose",
  "author": {
    "name": "Author Name",
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "url": "https://example.com"
  },
  "homepage": "https://docs.example.com",
  "repository": "https://github.com/user/plugin-name",
  "license": "MIT",
  "keywords": ["testing", "automation", "ci-cd"]
}

Version format: Follow semantic versioning (MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH) Keywords: Use for plugin discovery and categorization

Component Path Configuration

Specify custom paths for components (supplements default directories):

{
  "name": "plugin-name",
  "commands": "./custom-commands",
  "agents": ["./agents", "./specialized-agents"],
  "hooks": "./config/hooks.json",
  "mcpServers": "./.mcp.json"
}

Important: Custom paths supplement defaults—they don't replace them. Components in both default directories and custom paths will load.

Path rules:

  • Must be relative to plugin root

  • Must start with ./

  • Cannot use absolute paths

  • Support arrays for multiple locations

Component Organization

Commands

Location: commands/ directory Format: Markdown files with YAML frontmatter Auto-discovery: All .md files in commands/ load automatically

Example structure:

commands/
├── review.md        # /review command
├── test.md          # /test command
└── deploy.md        # /deploy command

File format:

---
name: command-name
description: Command description
---

Command implementation instructions...

Usage: Commands integrate as native slash commands in Claude Code

Agents

Location: agents/ directory Format: Markdown files with YAML frontmatter Auto-discovery: All .md files in agents/ load automatically

Example structure:

agents/
├── code-reviewer.md
├── test-generator.md
└── refactorer.md

File format:

---
description: Agent role and expertise
capabilities:
  - Specific task 1
  - Specific task 2
---

Detailed agent instructions and knowledge...

Usage: Users can invoke agents manually, or Claude Code selects them automatically based on task context

Skills

Location: skills/ directory with subdirectories per skill Format: Each skill in its own directory with SKILL.md file Auto-discovery: All SKILL.md files in skill subdirectories load automatically

Example structure:

skills/
├── api-testing/
│   ├── SKILL.md
│   ├── scripts/
│   │   └── test-runner.py
│   └── references/
│       └── api-spec.md
└── database-migrations/
    ├── SKILL.md
    └── examples/
        └── migration-template.sql

SKILL.md format:

---
name: Skill Name
description: When to use this skill
version: 1.0.0
---

Skill instructions and guidance...

Supporting files: Skills can include scripts, references, examples, or assets in subdirectories

Usage: Claude Code autonomously activates skills based on task context matching the description

Hooks

Location: hooks/hooks.json or inline in plugin.json Format: JSON configuration defining event handlers Registration: Hooks register automatically when plugin enables

Example structure:

hooks/
├── hooks.json           # Hook configuration
└── scripts/
    ├── validate.sh      # Hook script
    └── check-style.sh   # Hook script

Configuration format:

{
  "PreToolUse": [{
    "matcher": "Write|Edit",
    "hooks": [{
      "type": "command",
      "command": "bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/hooks/scripts/validate.sh",
      "timeout": 30
    }]
  }]
}

Available events: PreToolUse, PostToolUse, Stop, SubagentStop, SessionStart, SessionEnd, UserPromptSubmit, PreCompact, Notification

Usage: Hooks execute automatically in response to Claude Code events

MCP Servers

Location: .mcp.json at plugin root or inline in plugin.json Format: JSON configuration for MCP server definitions Auto-start: Servers start automatically when plugin enables

Example format:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "server-name": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/servers/server.js"],
      "env": {
        "API_KEY": "${API_KEY}"
      }
    }
  }
}

Usage: MCP servers integrate seamlessly with Claude Code's tool system

Portable Path References

${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}

Use ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT} environment variable for all intra-plugin path references:

{
  "command": "bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/run.sh"
}

Why it matters: Plugins install in different locations depending on:

  • User installation method (marketplace, local, npm)

  • Operating system conventions

  • User preferences

Where to use it:

  • Hook command paths

  • MCP server command arguments

  • Script execution references

  • Resource file paths

Never use:

  • Hardcoded absolute paths (/Users/name/plugins/...)

  • Relative paths from working directory (./scripts/... in commands)

  • Home directory shortcuts (~/plugins/...)

Path Resolution Rules

In manifest JSON fields (hooks, MCP servers):

"command": "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/tool.sh"

In component files (commands, agents, skills):

Reference scripts at: ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/helper.py

In executed scripts:

#!/bin/bash
# ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT} available as environment variable
source "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/lib/common.sh"

File Naming Conventions

Component Files

Commands: Use kebab-case .md files

  • code-review.md → /code-review

  • run-tests.md → /run-tests

  • api-docs.md → /api-docs

Agents: Use kebab-case .md files describing role

  • test-generator.md

  • code-reviewer.md

  • performance-analyzer.md

Skills: Use kebab-case directory names

  • api-testing/

  • database-migrations/

  • error-handling/

Supporting Files

Scripts: Use descriptive kebab-case names with appropriate extensions

  • validate-input.sh

  • generate-report.py

  • process-data.js

Documentation: Use kebab-case markdown files

  • api-reference.md

  • migration-guide.md

  • best-practices.md

Configuration: Use standard names

  • hooks.json

  • .mcp.json

  • plugin.json

Auto-Discovery Mechanism

Claude Code automatically discovers and loads components:

  1. Plugin manifest: Reads .claude-plugin/plugin.json when plugin enables

  2. Commands: Scans commands/ directory for .md files

  3. Agents: Scans agents/ directory for .md files

  4. Skills: Scans skills/ for subdirectories containing SKILL.md

  5. Hooks: Loads configuration from hooks/hooks.json or manifest

  6. MCP servers: Loads configuration from .mcp.json or manifest

Discovery timing:

  • Plugin installation: Components register with Claude Code

  • Plugin enable: Components become available for use

  • No restart required: Changes take effect on next Claude Code session

Override behavior: Custom paths in plugin.json supplement (not replace) default directories

Best Practices

Organization
  1. Logical grouping: Group related components together

    • Put test-related commands, agents, and skills together

    • Create subdirectories in scripts/ for different purposes

  2. Minimal manifest: Keep plugin.json lean

    • Only specify custom paths when necessary

    • Rely on auto-discovery for standard layouts

    • Use inline configuration only for simple cases

  3. Documentation: Include README files

    • Plugin root: Overall purpose and usage

    • Component directories: Specific guidance

    • Script directories: Usage and requirements

Naming
  1. Consistency: Use consistent naming across components

    • If command is test-runner, name related agent test-runner-agent

    • Match skill directory names to their purpose

  2. Clarity: Use descriptive names that indicate purpose

    • Good: api-integration-testing/, code-quality-checker.md

    • Avoid: utils/, misc.md, temp.sh

  3. Length: Balance brevity with clarity

    • Commands: 2-3 words (review-pr, run-ci)

    • Agents: Describe role clearly (code-reviewer, test-generator)

    • Skills: Topic-focused (error-handling, api-design)

Portability
  1. Always use ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}: Never hardcode paths

  2. Test on multiple systems: Verify on macOS, Linux, Windows

  3. Document dependencies: List required tools and versions

  4. Avoid system-specific features: Use portable bash/Python constructs

Maintenance
  1. Version consistently: Update version in plugin.json for releases

  2. Deprecate gracefully: Mark old components clearly before removal

  3. Document breaking changes: Note changes affecting existing users

  4. Test thoroughly: Verify all components work after changes

Common Patterns

Minimal Plugin

Single command with no dependencies:

my-plugin/
├── .claude-plugin/
│   └── plugin.json    # Just name field
└── commands/
    └── hello.md       # Single command

Complete plugin with all component types:

my-plugin/
├── .claude-plugin/
│   └── plugin.json
├── commands/          # User-facing commands
├── agents/            # Specialized subagents
├── skills/            # Auto-activating skills
├── hooks/             # Event handlers
│   ├── hooks.json
│   └── scripts/
├── .mcp.json          # External integrations
└── scripts/           # Shared utilities
Skill-Focused Plugin

Plugin providing only skills:

my-plugin/
├── .claude-plugin/
│   └── plugin.json
└── skills/
    ├── skill-one/
    │   └── SKILL.md
    └── skill-two/
        └── SKILL.md

Troubleshooting

Component not loading:

  • Verify file is in correct directory with correct extension

  • Check YAML frontmatter syntax (commands, agents, skills)

  • Ensure skill has SKILL.md (not README.md or other name)

  • Confirm plugin is enabled in Claude Code settings

Path resolution errors:

  • Replace all hardcoded paths with ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}

  • Verify paths are relative and start with ./ in manifest

  • Check that referenced files exist at specified paths

  • Test with echo $CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT in hook scripts

Auto-discovery not working:

  • Confirm directories are at plugin root (not in .claude-plugin/)

  • Check file naming follows conventions (kebab-case, correct extensions)

  • Verify custom paths in manifest are correct

  • Restart Claude Code to reload plugin configuration

Conflicts between plugins:

  • Use unique, descriptive component names

  • Namespace commands with plugin name if needed

  • Document potential conflicts in plugin README

  • Consider command prefixes for related functionality


For detailed examples and advanced patterns, see files in references/ and examples/ directories.

Files

examples/advanced-plugin.md

Advanced Plugin Example

A complex, enterprise-grade plugin with MCP integration and advanced organization.

Directory Structure

enterprise-devops/
├── .claude-plugin/
│   └── plugin.json
├── commands/
│   ├── ci/
│   │   ├── build.md
│   │   ├── test.md
│   │   └── deploy.md
│   ├── monitoring/
│   │   ├── status.md
│   │   └── logs.md
│   └── admin/
│       ├── configure.md
│       └── manage.md
├── agents/
│   ├── orchestration/
│   │   ├── deployment-orchestrator.md
│   │   └── rollback-manager.md
│   └── specialized/
│       ├── kubernetes-expert.md
│       ├── terraform-expert.md
│       └── security-auditor.md
├── skills/
│   ├── kubernetes-ops/
│   │   ├── SKILL.md
│   │   ├── references/
│   │   │   ├── deployment-patterns.md
│   │   │   ├── troubleshooting.md
│   │   │   └── security.md
│   │   ├── examples/
│   │   │   ├── basic-deployment.yaml
│   │   │   ├── stateful-set.yaml
│   │   │   └── ingress-config.yaml
│   │   └── scripts/
│   │       ├── validate-manifest.sh
│   │       └── health-check.sh
│   ├── terraform-iac/
│   │   ├── SKILL.md
│   │   ├── references/
│   │   │   └── best-practices.md
│   │   └── examples/
│   │       └── module-template/
│   └── ci-cd-pipelines/
│       ├── SKILL.md
│       └── references/
│           └── pipeline-patterns.md
├── hooks/
│   ├── hooks.json
│   └── scripts/
│       ├── security/
│       │   ├── scan-secrets.sh
│       │   ├── validate-permissions.sh
│       │   └── audit-changes.sh
│       ├── quality/
│       │   ├── check-config.sh
│       │   └── verify-tests.sh
│       └── workflow/
│           ├── notify-team.sh
│           └── update-status.sh
├── .mcp.json
├── servers/
│   ├── kubernetes-mcp/
│   │   ├── index.js
│   │   ├── package.json
│   │   └── lib/
│   ├── terraform-mcp/
│   │   ├── main.py
│   │   └── requirements.txt
│   └── github-actions-mcp/
│       ├── server.js
│       └── package.json
├── lib/
│   ├── core/
│   │   ├── logger.js
│   │   ├── config.js
│   │   └── auth.js
│   ├── integrations/
│   │   ├── slack.js
│   │   ├── pagerduty.js
│   │   └── datadog.js
│   └── utils/
│       ├── retry.js
│       └── validation.js
└── config/
    ├── environments/
    │   ├── production.json
    │   ├── staging.json
    │   └── development.json
    └── templates/
        ├── deployment.yaml
        └── service.yaml

File Contents

.claude-plugin/plugin.json
{
  "name": "enterprise-devops",
  "version": "2.3.1",
  "description": "Comprehensive DevOps automation for enterprise CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure management, and monitoring",
  "author": {
    "name": "DevOps Platform Team",
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "url": "https://company.com/teams/devops"
  },
  "homepage": "https://docs.company.com/plugins/devops",
  "repository": {
    "type": "git",
    "url": "https://github.com/company/devops-plugin.git"
  },
  "license": "Apache-2.0",
  "keywords": [
    "devops",
    "ci-cd",
    "kubernetes",
    "terraform",
    "automation",
    "infrastructure",
    "deployment",
    "monitoring"
  ],
  "commands": [
    "./commands/ci",
    "./commands/monitoring",
    "./commands/admin"
  ],
  "agents": [
    "./agents/orchestration",
    "./agents/specialized"
  ],
  "hooks": "./hooks/hooks.json",
  "mcpServers": "./.mcp.json"
}
.mcp.json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kubernetes": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/servers/kubernetes-mcp/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "KUBECONFIG": "${KUBECONFIG}",
        "K8S_NAMESPACE": "${K8S_NAMESPACE:-default}"
      }
    },
    "terraform": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/servers/terraform-mcp/main.py"],
      "env": {
        "TF_STATE_BUCKET": "${TF_STATE_BUCKET}",
        "AWS_REGION": "${AWS_REGION}"
      }
    },
    "github-actions": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/servers/github-actions-mcp/server.js"],
      "env": {
        "GITHUB_TOKEN": "${GITHUB_TOKEN}",
        "GITHUB_ORG": "${GITHUB_ORG}"
      }
    }
  }
}
commands/ci/build.md
---
name: build
description: Trigger and monitor CI build pipeline
---

# Build Command

Trigger CI/CD build pipeline and monitor progress in real-time.

## Process

1. **Validation**: Check prerequisites
   - Verify branch status
   - Check for uncommitted changes
   - Validate configuration files

2. **Trigger**: Start build via MCP server
   \`\`\`javascript
   // Uses github-actions MCP server
   const build = await tools.github_actions_trigger_workflow({
     workflow: 'build.yml',
     ref: currentBranch
   })
   \`\`\`

3. **Monitor**: Track build progress
   - Display real-time logs
   - Show test results as they complete
   - Alert on failures

4. **Report**: Summarize results
   - Build status
   - Test coverage
   - Performance metrics
   - Deploy readiness

## Integration

After successful build:
- Offer to deploy to staging
- Suggest performance optimizations
- Generate deployment checklist
agents/orchestration/deployment-orchestrator.md
---
description: Orchestrates complex multi-environment deployments with rollback capabilities and health monitoring
capabilities:
  - Plan and execute multi-stage deployments
  - Coordinate service dependencies
  - Monitor deployment health
  - Execute automated rollbacks
  - Manage deployment approvals
---

# Deployment Orchestrator Agent

Specialized agent for orchestrating complex deployments across multiple environments.

## Expertise

- **Deployment strategies**: Blue-green, canary, rolling updates
- **Dependency management**: Service startup ordering, dependency injection
- **Health monitoring**: Service health checks, metric validation
- **Rollback automation**: Automatic rollback on failure detection
- **Approval workflows**: Multi-stage approval processes

## Orchestration Process

1. **Planning Phase**
   - Analyze deployment requirements
   - Identify service dependencies
   - Generate deployment plan
   - Calculate rollback strategy

2. **Validation Phase**
   - Verify environment readiness
   - Check resource availability
   - Validate configurations
   - Run pre-deployment tests

3. **Execution Phase**
   - Deploy services in dependency order
   - Monitor health after each stage
   - Validate metrics and logs
   - Proceed to next stage on success

4. **Verification Phase**
   - Run smoke tests
   - Validate service integration
   - Check performance metrics
   - Confirm deployment success

5. **Rollback Phase** (if needed)
   - Detect failure conditions
   - Execute rollback plan
   - Restore previous state
   - Notify stakeholders

## MCP Integration

Uses multiple MCP servers:
- `kubernetes`: Deploy and manage containers
- `terraform`: Provision infrastructure
- `github-actions`: Trigger deployment pipelines

## Monitoring Integration

Integrates with monitoring tools via lib:
\`\`\`javascript
const { DatadogClient } = require('${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/lib/integrations/datadog')
const metrics = await DatadogClient.getMetrics(service, timeRange)
\`\`\`

## Notification Integration

Sends updates via Slack and PagerDuty:
\`\`\`javascript
const { SlackClient } = require('${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/lib/integrations/slack')
await SlackClient.notify({
  channel: '#deployments',
  message: 'Deployment started',
  metadata: deploymentPlan
})
\`\`\`
skills/kubernetes-ops/SKILL.md
---
name: Kubernetes Operations
description: This skill should be used when deploying to Kubernetes, managing K8s resources, troubleshooting cluster issues, configuring ingress/services, scaling deployments, or working with Kubernetes manifests. Provides comprehensive Kubernetes operational knowledge and best practices.
version: 2.0.0
---

# Kubernetes Operations

Comprehensive operational knowledge for managing Kubernetes clusters and workloads.

## Overview

Manage Kubernetes infrastructure effectively through:
- Deployment strategies and patterns
- Resource configuration and optimization
- Troubleshooting and debugging
- Security best practices
- Performance tuning

## Core Concepts

### Resource Management

**Deployments**: Use for stateless applications
- Rolling updates for zero-downtime deployments
- Rollback capabilities for failed deployments
- Replica management for scaling

**StatefulSets**: Use for stateful applications
- Stable network identities
- Persistent storage
- Ordered deployment and scaling

**DaemonSets**: Use for node-level services
- Log collectors
- Monitoring agents
- Network plugins

### Configuration

**ConfigMaps**: Store non-sensitive configuration
- Environment-specific settings
- Application configuration files
- Feature flags

**Secrets**: Store sensitive data
- API keys and tokens
- Database credentials
- TLS certificates

Use external secret management (Vault, AWS Secrets Manager) for production.

### Networking

**Services**: Expose applications internally
- ClusterIP for internal communication
- NodePort for external access (non-production)
- LoadBalancer for external access (production)

**Ingress**: HTTP/HTTPS routing
- Path-based routing
- Host-based routing
- TLS termination
- Load balancing

## Deployment Strategies

### Rolling Update

Default strategy, gradual replacement:
\`\`\`yaml
strategy:
  type: RollingUpdate
  rollingUpdate:
    maxSurge: 1
    maxUnavailable: 0
\`\`\`

**When to use**: Standard deployments, minor updates

### Recreate

Stop all pods, then create new ones:
\`\`\`yaml
strategy:
  type: Recreate
\`\`\`

**When to use**: Stateful apps that can't run multiple versions

### Blue-Green

Run two complete environments, switch traffic:
1. Deploy new version (green)
2. Test green environment
3. Switch traffic to green
4. Keep blue for quick rollback

**When to use**: Critical services, need instant rollback

### Canary

Gradually roll out to subset of users:
1. Deploy canary version (10% traffic)
2. Monitor metrics and errors
3. Increase traffic gradually
4. Complete rollout or rollback

**When to use**: High-risk changes, want gradual validation

## Resource Configuration

### Resource Requests and Limits

Always set for production workloads:
\`\`\`yaml
resources:
  requests:
    memory: "256Mi"
    cpu: "250m"
  limits:
    memory: "512Mi"
    cpu: "500m"
\`\`\`

**Requests**: Guaranteed resources
**Limits**: Maximum allowed resources

### Health Checks

Essential for reliability:
\`\`\`yaml
livenessProbe:
  httpGet:
    path: /health
    port: 8080
  initialDelaySeconds: 30
  periodSeconds: 10

readinessProbe:
  httpGet:
    path: /ready
    port: 8080
  initialDelaySeconds: 5
  periodSeconds: 5
\`\`\`

**Liveness**: Restart unhealthy pods
**Readiness**: Remove unready pods from service

## Troubleshooting

### Common Issues

1. **Pods not starting**
   - Check: `kubectl describe pod <name>`
   - Look for: Image pull errors, resource constraints
   - Fix: Verify image name, increase resources

2. **Service not reachable**
   - Check: `kubectl get svc`, `kubectl get endpoints`
   - Look for: No endpoints, wrong selector
   - Fix: Verify pod labels match service selector

3. **High memory usage**
   - Check: `kubectl top pods`
   - Look for: Pods near memory limit
   - Fix: Increase limits, optimize application

4. **Frequent restarts**
   - Check: `kubectl get pods`, `kubectl logs <name>`
   - Look for: Liveness probe failures, OOMKilled
   - Fix: Adjust health checks, increase memory

### Debugging Commands

Get pod details:
\`\`\`bash
kubectl describe pod <name>
kubectl logs <name>
kubectl logs <name> --previous  # logs from crashed container
\`\`\`

Execute commands in pod:
\`\`\`bash
kubectl exec -it <name> -- /bin/sh
kubectl exec <name> -- env
\`\`\`

Check resource usage:
\`\`\`bash
kubectl top nodes
kubectl top pods
\`\`\`

## Security Best Practices

### Pod Security

- Run as non-root user
- Use read-only root filesystem
- Drop unnecessary capabilities
- Use security contexts

Example:
\`\`\`yaml
securityContext:
  runAsNonRoot: true
  runAsUser: 1000
  readOnlyRootFilesystem: true
  capabilities:
    drop:
      - ALL
\`\`\`

### Network Policies

Restrict pod communication:
\`\`\`yaml
apiVersion: networking.k8s.io/v1
kind: NetworkPolicy
metadata:
  name: api-allow
spec:
  podSelector:
    matchLabels:
      app: api
  ingress:
    - from:
      - podSelector:
          matchLabels:
            app: frontend
\`\`\`

### Secrets Management

- Never commit secrets to git
- Use external secret managers
- Rotate secrets regularly
- Limit secret access with RBAC

## Performance Optimization

### Resource Tuning

1. **Start conservative**: Set low limits initially
2. **Monitor usage**: Track actual resource consumption
3. **Adjust gradually**: Increase based on metrics
4. **Set appropriate requests**: Match typical usage
5. **Set safe limits**: 2x requests for headroom

### Horizontal Pod Autoscaling

Automatically scale based on metrics:
\`\`\`yaml
apiVersion: autoscaling/v2
kind: HorizontalPodAutoscaler
metadata:
  name: api-hpa
spec:
  scaleTargetRef:
    apiVersion: apps/v1
    kind: Deployment
    name: api
  minReplicas: 2
  maxReplicas: 10
  metrics:
    - type: Resource
      resource:
        name: cpu
        target:
          type: Utilization
          averageUtilization: 70
\`\`\`

## MCP Server Integration

This skill works with the kubernetes MCP server for operations:

**List pods**:
\`\`\`javascript
const pods = await tools.k8s_list_pods({ namespace: 'default' })
\`\`\`

**Get pod logs**:
\`\`\`javascript
const logs = await tools.k8s_get_logs({ pod: 'api-xyz', container: 'app' })
\`\`\`

**Apply manifests**:
\`\`\`javascript
const result = await tools.k8s_apply_manifest({ file: 'deployment.yaml' })
\`\`\`

## Detailed References

For in-depth information:
- **Deployment patterns**: `references/deployment-patterns.md`
- **Troubleshooting guide**: `references/troubleshooting.md`
- **Security hardening**: `references/security.md`

## Example Manifests

For copy-paste examples:
- **Basic deployment**: `examples/basic-deployment.yaml`
- **StatefulSet**: `examples/stateful-set.yaml`
- **Ingress config**: `examples/ingress-config.yaml`

## Validation Scripts

For manifest validation:
\`\`\`bash
bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/kubernetes-ops/scripts/validate-manifest.sh deployment.yaml
\`\`\`
hooks/hooks.json
{
  "PreToolUse": [
    {
      "matcher": "Write|Edit",
      "hooks": [
        {
          "type": "command",
          "command": "bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/hooks/scripts/security/scan-secrets.sh",
          "timeout": 30
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "matcher": "Bash",
      "hooks": [
        {
          "type": "prompt",
          "prompt": "Evaluate if this bash command is safe for production environment. Check for destructive operations, missing safeguards, and potential security issues. Commands should be idempotent and reversible.",
          "timeout": 20
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "PostToolUse": [
    {
      "matcher": "Bash",
      "hooks": [
        {
          "type": "command",
          "command": "bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/hooks/scripts/workflow/update-status.sh",
          "timeout": 15
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "Stop": [
    {
      "matcher": ".*",
      "hooks": [
        {
          "type": "command",
          "command": "bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/hooks/scripts/quality/check-config.sh",
          "timeout": 45
        },
        {
          "type": "command",
          "command": "bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/hooks/scripts/workflow/notify-team.sh",
          "timeout": 30
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "SessionStart": [
    {
      "matcher": ".*",
      "hooks": [
        {
          "type": "command",
          "command": "bash ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/hooks/scripts/security/validate-permissions.sh",
          "timeout": 20
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Key Features

Multi-Level Organization

Commands: Organized by function (CI, monitoring, admin) Agents: Separated by role (orchestration vs. specialized) Skills: Rich resources (references, examples, scripts)

MCP Integration

Three custom MCP servers:

  • Kubernetes: Cluster operations

  • Terraform: Infrastructure provisioning

  • GitHub Actions: CI/CD automation

Shared Libraries

Reusable code in lib/:

  • Core: Common utilities (logging, config, auth)

  • Integrations: External services (Slack, Datadog)

  • Utils: Helper functions (retry, validation)

Configuration Management

Environment-specific configs in config/:

  • Environments: Per-environment settings

  • Templates: Reusable deployment templates

Security Automation

Multiple security hooks:

  • Secret scanning before writes

  • Permission validation on session start

  • Configuration auditing on completion

Monitoring Integration

Built-in monitoring via lib integrations:

  • Datadog for metrics

  • PagerDuty for alerts

  • Slack for notifications

Use Cases

  1. Multi-environment deployments: Orchestrated rollouts across dev/staging/prod

  2. Infrastructure as code: Terraform automation with state management

  3. CI/CD automation: Build, test, deploy pipelines

  4. Monitoring and observability: Integrated metrics and alerting

  5. Security enforcement: Automated security scanning and validation

  6. Team collaboration: Slack notifications and status updates

When to Use This Pattern

  • Large-scale enterprise deployments

  • Multiple environment management

  • Complex CI/CD workflows

  • Integrated monitoring requirements

  • Security-critical infrastructure

  • Team collaboration needs

Scaling Considerations

  • Performance: Separate MCP servers for parallel operations

  • Organization: Multi-level directories for scalability

  • Maintainability: Shared libraries reduce duplication

  • Flexibility: Environment configs enable customization

  • Security: Layered security hooks and validation

Requirements and compatibility

Written for: Claude Code, Claude apps

Works with: Claude Code, Claude apps, OpenAI Codex, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Kiro, OpenCode, Goose, Amp, Roo Code, JetBrains Junie, Factory Droid, Devin (ex-Windsurf), Mistral Vibe, OpenHands, Letta

“Works with” means the tool reads the open Agent Skills format; a skill written for one tool may use features others lack.

Needs: Needs an MCP server, Needs an API key, Needs Node.js

Security

No issues found by our static scan· No issues found

A static scan is not a guarantee. Skills are third-party content: review a skill before you let an agent use it.

Attribution and licence

Published by
Anthropic
Publisher
Anthropic (Official)
Source
anthropics/claude-plugins-official · plugins/plugin-dev/skills/plugin-structure · commit 0412be7
Licence
Apache License 2.0 (redistribution allowed)
  • LICENSE (added by AutoGineer from plugins/plugin-dev/LICENSE)
  • ATTRIBUTION.md (written by AutoGineer)
Synced

AutoGineer is not affiliated with or endorsed by Anthropic.

Download ZIP

The ZIP holds the skill’s files, its licence files and an ATTRIBUTION.md. Download plugin-structure.zip