New: 98,000+ skills indexed from GitHub repos with 100+ stars · every skill safety-checkedBrowse top skillsTop skills
Esc to closeBrowse all skills
Submit a skillBrowse skills
Submit a skillBrowse skills

Agent skill

Plugin Creator

by zai-org in zai-org/ZCode

Create or update ZCode plugin source and a local test marketplace, then guide the user to add, install, update and try it in the app.

Apache-2.0Auto-check passedAgent Workflows

Install Plugin Creator

skills CLI
$ npx skills add zai-org/ZCode --skill plugin-creator -a claude-code

Project install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install zai-org/ZCode plugin-creator --agent claude-code

Project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

Manual copy
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/zai-org/ZCode.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/apps/zcode-cli/packages/plugin-creator-plugin/skills/plugin-creator .claude/skills/plugin-creator && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.

Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/

Facts

Skill name
plugin-creator
GitHub stars
7.7k
Token cost
~1.5k tokens
SKILL.md length
810 words
Files
8 (incl. scripts, references)
Skills in repo
5
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
Apache-2.0

At a glance

Create or update ZCode plugin source and a local test marketplace, then guide the user to add, install, update and try it in the app.

  • Works in 6 steps: Define the outcome and source → Create and implement → Check what the environment can verify → …
  • Changes to an existing plugins capabilities
  • SKILL.md covers 1. Define the outcome and source, 2. Create and implement, 3. Check what the environment… and 4. Prepare the local test…, plus 2 more sections
  • Runs JavaScript scripts from its folder

What it does

Plugin Creator is an agent skill from zai-org/ZCode. Create or update ZCode plugin source and a local test marketplace, then guide the user to add, install, update and try it in the app. Use for new plugins or changes to an existing plugin's capabilities, manifest or local distribution.

Its SKILL.md is about 1.5k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. The skill folder holds 9 other files, including scripts and reference files (for example `references/installing-and-updating.md` and `references/plugin-json-spec.md`).

It sits in Agent Workflows, covering Hooks and plugins. The repository describes itself as: Z.ai's coding agent harness. Powerful, intelligent, extensible. The licence is Apache-2.0.

When your agent uses it

  • Changes to an existing plugins capabilities
  • Local distribution

Example prompts

  • “/plugin-creator”

Requirements

  • Node.js

Workflow steps

6 steps, taken from the step headings in SKILL.md.

  1. Define the outcome and source
  2. Create and implement
  3. Check what the environment can verify
  4. Prepare the local test marketplace
  5. Guide the user's UI actions
  6. Deliver with accurate status

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit aac4755. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.

  • Tool permissions

    Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.

    From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.

  • Runs code

    Ships 5 files in scripts/ (JavaScript), which the agent can run.

    From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.

  • Network

    No URLs in SKILL.md.

    From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.

  • Credentials

    Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.

    From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.

Context cost

Plugin Creator loads about 1.5k tokens when it runs, and up to ~3.9k if it reads all its reference files. Until then it costs about 62 tokens; SKILL.md has 810 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~62
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~1.5k
With references · SKILL.md plus every file in references/, read only if the agent opens them
~3.9k

Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.

Safety

Auto-check passed

The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.

Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); the scripts in this folder are not scanned.

SKILL.md

The full file from zai-org/ZCode at commit aac4755, republished under its Apache-2.0 licence (© zai-org). 810 words, ~1,514 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/plugin-creator/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 7 other files; get the full folder from GitHub.
name
plugin-creator
description
Create or update ZCode plugin source and a local test marketplace, then guide the user to add, install, update and try it in the app. Use for new plugins or changes to an existing plugin's capabilities, manifest or local distribution.

Plugin Creator

Deliver implemented plugin source, a local dev marketplace catalog, and precise UI instructions for the user to add the market, install/update the plugin and try it. Use ZCode manifests.

The current handoff is manual. Do not register markets, install/update/enable plugins, or publish as part of this skill. Ordinary Desktop users are not expected to have a global zcode CLI or node command. Use existing file tools when helper runtimes are unavailable; do not ask users to install development tooling to complete the UI steps. A skill reference alone has no plugin requirements: ask what the plugin should do before generating files.

1. Define the outcome and source

Read the target workspace's instructions. Reuse the user's choices for purpose, name, components and destination. Define a representative input and observable expected result for the capability; use it for the smoke test and final trial prompt.

Default source location: <workspace>/plugins/<slug>/. An explicit directory wins. Work on the target host for remote work. For an existing plugin, inspect its manifest and edit the original source while retaining its identity.

Read the ZCode manifest reference before choosing components. This step is complete when the source location and acceptance example are concrete.

2. Create and implement

Create .zcode-plugin/plugin.json and only the components the plugin needs. The directory name and manifest name must match. Use the available file tools, or the optional bundled scripts/create-basic-plugin.mjs helper when Node is already runnable. Helper options and examples are in the manifest reference.

Implement the requested capability and replace generic scaffold descriptions with its purpose. The generated MCP server only implements a handshake and an empty tool list; implement real tools before reporting a working integration. Keep secrets in user-config/environment/credential mechanisms.

Preserve existing source. Ordinary iteration edits implemented files and increments the manifest's semantic version; it does not re-scaffold with --force. This step is complete when the requested files and behavior have been implemented, or a specific blocker is recorded.

3. Check what the environment can verify

Check manifest JSON, declared resource existence, directory/name consistency, path containment and unresolved placeholders. Run the representative capability smoke test with available tools. Report unavailable runtime or credential-dependent checks explicitly.

In an existing developer environment, scripts/validate-plugin.mjs can additionally invoke zcode plugins validate; use its --cli override only when an actual working entry is already known. This is optional developer verification, not a prerequisite or a command to give ordinary Desktop users. File inspection alone does not prove ZCode schema validation or runtime execution.

Show full SKILL.md (400 more words)Show less

4. Prepare the local test marketplace

Unless the user requested source-only delivery, create or update <workspace>/plugins/marketplace.json beside the plugin directories. Its entry uses the plugin manifest's name, version and description, a relative source path, and appropriate display/localized metadata. Preserve unrelated entries, metadata and order.

When Node is available, use scripts/upsert-dev-marketplace.mjs with the actual plugin path. It returns the marketplace ID, full plugin ID and paths; its directory-based dev ID is stable. Pass an existing chosen catalog explicitly with --marketplace-path to retain its name. Without Node, use the file tools and the reference's catalog format, choose a distinct dev- prefixed name for a new market, and retain that saved name on later edits. Resolve same-name/different-source conflicts rather than replacing another entry or market.

Read manual installation, updates and trial for every handoff. This step is complete when the catalog and plugin files exist and their IDs, versions and paths agree. Creating the catalog does not register a market or install a plugin.

5. Guide the user's UI actions

Provide the actual market root directory and instruct the user to open Plugin Marketplace → Add → Add Plugin Marketplace, paste that directory, and add it. Then use Personal → the actual market name → plugin → Install. Follow the reference for updates and failures.

Give a concrete new-task trial prompt with its expected result. For a skill, tell the user to select the installed plugin/skill from the composer picker after installation. Only provide an installed SKILL.md reference if its actual path has been observed; a source path is not an installed reference. Preserve the user's disabled choices and explain any needed manual enable/configuration step.

6. Deliver with accurate status

Reply in the user's language with:

  • Actual absolute source directory, marketplace root to paste, and catalog file path.
  • Actual marketplace name, full plugin ID and source version.
  • The manual add/install or refresh/update steps, and Settings → Plugins as the installed management entry.
  • The trial prompt and expected result, plus checks completed and checks pending.
  • Explicit status: market awaiting manual addition, plugin awaiting installation/update, and trial pending, unless completion has been observed or reported by the user. Mark an existing but unverified installation as unverified.

If the user has not completed the UI steps, stop with a usable handoff rather than performing them automatically or claiming success. For a reported error, keep the source, inspect the error and correct the relevant source/catalog issue. Public release remains separate from local testing.

© zai-org, Apache-2.0. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file

Files

SKILL.md and 7 other files (scripts, references) in apps/zcode-cli/packages/plugin-creator-plugin/skills/plugin-creator of zai-org/ZCode.

  • SKILL.md
  • references/installing-and-updating.md
  • references/plugin-json-spec.md
  • scripts/create-basic-plugin.mjs
  • scripts/marketplace-files.mjs
  • scripts/scaffold-files.mjs
  • scripts/upsert-dev-marketplace.mjs
  • scripts/validate-plugin.mjs

Open the folder on GitHubat commit aac4755

Compare with similar skills

Plugin Creator next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.

Plugin Creator compared with similar skills
SkillStarsUsed inTokensAuto-checkLicenceRepo updated
Plugin Creator this skillzai-org/ZCode7.7k—~1.5kAutomated safety check: PassApache-2.0
Hook Development for Claude Code Pluginsanthropics/claude-plugins-official38k10 repos~4.1kAutomated safety check: NotesApache-2.0
Claude Code Agent Developmentanthropics/claude-plugins-official38k7 repos~2.8kAutomated safety check: PassApache-2.0
Claude Code Skill Developer Guidediet103/claude-code-infrastructure-showcase10k11 repos~3.5kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Plugin Settings Patternanthropics/claude-plugins-official38k7 repos~3kAutomated safety check: PassApache-2.0
MCP Integration for Pluginsanthropics/claude-plugins-official38k11 repos~3.1kAutomated safety check: PassApache-2.0

Similar skills

  • Hook Development for Claude Code Plugins

    anthropics/claude-plugins-official

    Official

    Explains how to write Claude Code plugin hooks, both prompt-based checks and bash commands, for events such as PreToolUse, Stop and SessionStart.

    38k GitHub starsUsed in 10 repos~4.1k tokens
    Agent WorkflowsAuto-check: notes

  • Claude Code Agent Development

    anthropics/claude-plugins-official

    Official

    Explains how to write agents for Claude Code plugins: the markdown file with YAML frontmatter, trigger descriptions, model and color settings, and system prompt design.

    38k GitHub starsUsed in 7 repos~2.8k tokens
    Agent WorkflowsAuto-check passed

  • Claude Code Skill Developer Guide

    diet103/claude-code-infrastructure-showcase

    A guide to creating and managing Claude Code skills with auto-activation: skill-rules.json triggers, hooks, enforcement levels, YAML frontmatter and progressive disclosure.

    10k GitHub starsUsed in 11 repos~3.5k tokens
    Agent WorkflowsAuto-check passed

  • Plugin Settings Pattern

    anthropics/claude-plugins-official

    Official

    Shows how Claude Code plugins keep per-project settings and state in .claude/plugin-name.local.md files with YAML frontmatter and a markdown body.

    38k GitHub starsUsed in 7 repos~3k tokens
    Agent WorkflowsAuto-check passed

  • MCP Integration for Plugins

    anthropics/claude-plugins-official

    Official

    Explains how to bundle Model Context Protocol servers in a Claude Code plugin, covering config files, stdio, SSE, HTTP and WebSocket server types, and authentication.

    38k GitHub starsUsed in 11 repos~3.1k tokens
    Agent WorkflowsAuto-check passed

  • Claude Code Command Development

    anthropics/claude-plugins-official

    Official

    Explains how to write Claude Code slash commands: Markdown files with YAML frontmatter, arguments, file references, bash context and interactive prompts.

    38k GitHub starsUsed in 10 repos~4.8k tokens
    Agent WorkflowsAuto-check passed

More from zai-org/ZCode

All 25 skills in this repo

  • DOCX

    zai-org/ZCode

    Complete DOCX document creation, editing, and analysis capabilities with support for revisions, comments, formatting preservation, and text extraction.

    7.7k GitHub stars~4.9k tokensUpdated yesterday
    Auto-check: notes

  • Visualize

    zai-org/ZCode

    Create visualizations and interactive tools directly in conversation.

    7.7k GitHub stars~8.7k tokensUpdated yesterday
    Auto-check passed

  • PDF

    zai-org/ZCode

    Professional PDF toolkit covering four production workflows: reports, creative visuals, academic LaTeX, and existing PDF processing.

    7.7k GitHub stars~18k tokensUpdated yesterday
    Auto-check: notes

  • Restore Legacy Sessions

    zai-org/ZCode

    A skill your agent uses when ZCode needs to inspect, plan, or execute restoration of old ACP-era ZCode sessions from ~/.zcode/v2/sessions into the new ZCode task/session stores.

    7.7k GitHub stars~1.2k tokensUpdated yesterday
    Auto-check passed

  • Zcode Large Task Fixture

    zai-org/ZCode

    Generate, verify, or remove large synthetic ZCode task fixtures in local ~/.zcode persistence for UI/session performance testing.

    7.7k GitHub stars~698 tokensUpdated yesterday
    Auto-check passed

  • Architecture Governance

    zai-org/ZCode

    Check ZCode module and layer boundaries for code changes. An agent skill from zai-org/ZCode.

    7.7k GitHub stars~1.3k tokensUpdated yesterday
    Auto-check passed

Categories

Questions about Plugin Creator

What does Plugin Creator do?

Create or update ZCode plugin source and a local test marketplace, then guide the user to add, install, update and try it in the app. Plugin Creator is an agent skill from zai-org/ZCode. Create or update ZCode plugin source and a local test marketplace, then guide the user to add, install, update and try it in the app.

When should I use Plugin Creator?

Plugin Creator fits situations like: changes to an existing plugins capabilities; local distribution.

How do I install Plugin Creator in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add zai-org/ZCode --skill plugin-creator -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (apps/zcode-cli/packages/plugin-creator-plugin/skills/plugin-creator in zai-org/ZCode) into .claude/skills/plugin-creator in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Plugin Creator in Codex?

Run `npx skills add zai-org/ZCode --skill plugin-creator -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (apps/zcode-cli/packages/plugin-creator-plugin/skills/plugin-creator in zai-org/ZCode) into .agents/skills/plugin-creator in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Plugin Creator in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?

Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add zai-org/ZCode --skill plugin-creator -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/plugin-creator, .gemini/skills/plugin-creator, .github/skills/plugin-creator and .opencode/skills/plugin-creator in your project.

What does Plugin Creator need to run?

Going by SKILL.md and its folder, Plugin Creator needs JavaScript for the scripts in its folder. Our summary lists: Node.js.

Does Plugin Creator access the network?

SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is Plugin Creator safe to install?

Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. The check reads SKILL.md only: the scripts in the folder are not scanned, so read them before running anything.

What licence does Plugin Creator use?

Plugin Creator is published under the Apache-2.0 licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.

How many tokens does Plugin Creator use?

About 1.5k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 6.1k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full. Its references folder adds about 2.4k tokens, read only when the agent opens those files.

What are the alternatives to Plugin Creator?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Plugin Creator: Hook Development for Claude Code Plugins (anthropics/claude-plugins-official, 38k stars), Claude Code Agent Development (anthropics/claude-plugins-official, 38k stars), Claude Code Skill Developer Guide (diet103/claude-code-infrastructure-showcase, 10k stars) and Plugin Settings Pattern (anthropics/claude-plugins-official, 38k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Plugin Creator?

zai-org (a GitHub organization) maintains it in zai-org/ZCode, which has 7,659 GitHub stars. The repository holds 5 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on October 10, 2026.

Source: zai-org/ZCode on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.