gh-nathanvale-side-quest-marketplace-plugins-plugin-template/skills/plugin-creator/SKILL.md

name, description

name	description
plugin-creator	Generate new Claude Code plugin scaffolds with configurable components. Use when users want to create a new plugin, start a plugin project, or scaffold plugin components.

Plugin Creator

Generate well-structured Claude Code plugins following SideQuest marketplace patterns.

When to Use This Skill

• User wants to create a new plugin
• User asks about plugin structure or scaffolding
• User mentions "new plugin", "create plugin", "plugin template"
• User wants to add components (commands, MCP server, hooks, skills) to a project

Plugin Components

Component	Purpose	Files Created
commands	Slash commands users invoke	commands/*.md
mcp-server	Tools Claude can call	mcp-servers/{name}/index.ts
hooks	Event handlers	hooks/hooks.json
skills	Autonomous capabilities	skills/{name}/SKILL.md

Implementation Types

Type	Use Case	Structure
Markdown only	Commands/skills are just prompts	No src/, stub scripts
TypeScript	CLI tools, utilities, testable logic	src/, full scripts

Note: MCP server component auto-selects TypeScript (code required).

Quick Reference

Create Plugin

/plugin-template:create my-plugin

Then select:

1. Components (commands, mcp-server, hooks, skills)
2. Implementation type (markdown or typescript)

Strip TypeScript

/plugin-template:strip my-plugin

Converts TypeScript plugin to markdown-only.

Upgrade to TypeScript

/plugin-template:upgrade my-plugin

Adds TypeScript setup to markdown-only plugin.

Plugin Naming

• Use kebab-case: my-awesome-plugin
• Lowercase letters, numbers, hyphens
• Must start with a letter

Standard Structures

Markdown Only:

plugins/{name}/
├── .claude-plugin/plugin.json
├── package.json       ←(stub scripts)
├── commands/
└── skills/{name}/

TypeScript:

plugins/{name}/
├── .claude-plugin/plugin.json
├── package.json       ←(full scripts)
├── tsconfig.json
├── src/
│   ├── index.ts
│   └── index.test.ts
├── commands/
├── mcp-servers/{name}/
├── hooks/
└── skills/{name}/

Generation Workflow

1. Validate plugin name (kebab-case, no conflicts)
2. Ask which components to include
3. Create directory structure
4. Generate files from templates
5. Register in marketplace.json
6. Install dependencies with bun
7. Verify with tests

Template Patterns

package.json

• Namespace: @sidequest/{name}
• Scripts: test, typecheck, format, lint, check
• Uses Biome for formatting/linting

MCP Server

• Uses mcpez library
• Export types for testing
• Zod schemas for input validation

Commands

• YAML frontmatter with description
• argument-hint for usage hints
• allowed-tools for security

Skills

• YAML frontmatter with name, description
• When to use section
• Quick reference table

Post-Generation Steps

After generating a plugin:

1. Navigate: cd plugins/{name}
2. Install: bun install
3. Test: bun test
4. Develop: Add your logic to the generated files

Examples

Example 1: Create Simple Command Plugin

User: I want to create a plugin for managing todo lists
Assistant: I'll create a todo-manager plugin for you.
[Uses /plugin-template:create todo-manager]
[Selects commands component]
[Generates scaffold]

Example 2: Create Full Plugin with MCP

User: Create a plugin that provides git statistics
Assistant: I'll scaffold a git-stats plugin with an MCP server.
[Uses /plugin-template:create git-stats]
[Selects commands, mcp-server, skills]
[Generates full structure]

Example 3: Add Components to Existing Plugin

User: My plugin needs an MCP server now
Assistant: I'll add an MCP server to your existing plugin.
[Creates mcp-servers/{name}/ directory]
[Generates index.ts and package.json]
[Updates .mcp.json]

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
Name conflict	Choose different name or remove existing
Invalid name	Use kebab-case (lowercase, hyphens)
Bun install fails	Check network, run manually
Tests fail	Check generated code, fix issues

Related Commands

• /plugin-template:create [name] - Create new plugin
• /plugin-template:strip [name] - Remove TypeScript, convert to markdown-only
• /plugin-template:upgrade [name] - Add TypeScript to markdown-only plugin
• /git:commit - Commit your plugin changes
• /para-brain:capture - Document plugin ideas