Choose what fits your workflow.
Compare up to three entries by their documented purpose, requirements and limitations. A different type often means a different job.
| Consideration | Skill Development | Hook Development |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Skill | Skill |
| Publisher | Anthropic | Anthropic |
| Status | Anthropic plugin | Anthropic plugin |
| Best for | Packaging repeatable expertise into a SKILL.md file. | Adding event-triggered workflow automation to a plugin. |
| Requirements | Install the containing Plugin Dev package | Install the containing Plugin Dev package |
| Limitations | A skill can contain instructions to use tools or run scripts; Review generated skill instructions before sharing | This is an authoring skill, not a ready-to-run hook; Validate generated examples against your installed Claude Code version |
| Install package | plugin-dev | plugin-dev |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Source reviewed | 2026-10-05 | 2026-10-05 |
Bundled components may share an install package. Installing that package once provides its components.
Source review: October 5, 2026. Listings are documentation reviews, not runtime tests or security audits. Our editorial method