---
title: "Claude Code Plugin Marketplace Install Pattern"
aliases: [claude-code-plugin-install, plugin-marketplace-add, claude-plugin-github]
tags: [claude-code, plugins, marketplace, skills]
sources:
  - "daily/2026-04-29.md"
created: 2026-04-29
updated: 2026-04-29
---

# Claude Code Plugin Marketplace Install Pattern

Installing plugins from GitHub into Claude Code requires a two-step process: first register the marketplace source with `/plugin marketplace add <user>/<repo>`, then install the specific plugin from that marketplace with `/plugin install <name>@<marketplace-name>`. Using `/plugin add` (without `marketplace`) only works for local file paths — it does not resolve GitHub repositories.

## Key Points

- `/plugin add` = local file path install only — does NOT work for GitHub repos
- `/plugin marketplace add <user>/<repo>` = registers a GitHub repo as a marketplace source
- `/plugin install <name>@<marketplace-name>` = installs a specific plugin from a registered marketplace
- The `<marketplace-name>` defaults to the repo name part of `<user>/<repo>`
- Plugins installed this way persist across sessions and are available globally

## Details

### Two-Step Install Process

```bash
# Step 1: Register the marketplace (GitHub repo)
/plugin marketplace add kepano/obsidian-skills
# → Registers as marketplace named "obsidian-skills"

# Step 2: Install a specific skill/plugin from it
/plugin install obsidian-markdown@obsidian-skills
# → Installs the obsidian-markdown plugin

# Install another plugin from the same marketplace
/plugin install obsidian-cli@obsidian-skills
```

### What Does NOT Work

```bash
# ❌ Does not resolve GitHub repos
/plugin add kepano/obsidian-skills

# ❌ Cannot use GitHub URL directly
/plugin add https://github.com/kepano/obsidian-skills
```

### What /plugin add IS for

```bash
# ✅ Local file path only
/plugin add /Users/me/.claude/plugins/my-local-plugin
/plugin add ./my-plugin-dir
```

### Listing and Managing

```bash
# List registered marketplaces
/plugin marketplace list

# List installed plugins
/plugin list

# Remove a plugin
/plugin remove obsidian-markdown

# Remove a marketplace
/plugin marketplace remove obsidian-skills
```

### Plugin Directory Structure

Plugins installed via marketplace are stored in:
```
~/.claude/plugins/marketplaces/<marketplace-name>/
```

Individual skills within a marketplace plugin are invoked as:
```bash
/skill <marketplace-name>:<skill-name>
# e.g.:
/skill obsidian-skills:obsidian-markdown
```

## Related Concepts

- [[wiki/claude-code/_index]] — Claude Code product docs including MCP, hooks, plugins
- [[wiki/concepts/claude-code-schedule-skill-account-type]] — related Claude Code feature constraint

## Sources

- [[daily/2026-04-29.md]] — Documented while setting up obsidian-skills and other marketplace plugins
