Catalog, package, component
The marketplace’s .claude-plugin/marketplace.json lists packages and where to fetch them. A plugin is the installed package. Its skills, agents, hooks and MCP servers are components of that package. Those three layers explain why a skill can be available after installing a plugin.
ClaudeStack is an independent directory of source reviews. It is not a marketplace you add to Claude Code, and does not distribute or run the listed extensions.
The website at claude.com/marketplace is also distinct from a Claude Code repository marketplace. A web directory and a catalog you add with the CLI serve different purposes.
Anthropic’s official marketplace
Current documentation says Claude Code adds the official marketplace during the first interactive terminal session unless managed policy blocks it. Open /plugin to inspect its Discover tab. If you need to add the repository explicitly, the documented CLI form is:
claude plugin marketplace add anthropics/claude-plugins-officialInternal packages in the repository’s plugins/ directory are maintained by Anthropic. external_plugins/ holds partner and community integrations. A marketplace location does not make the upstream integration an Anthropic-authored product.
Add a marketplace to Claude Code
In a session, use /plugin marketplace add; in your shell, use claude plugin marketplace add. Both accept a GitHub repository, a full git URL, a local path or a hosted marketplace JSON URL. Add a catalog once, then select its package.
claude plugin marketplace listFor the playground catalog, clone the source and register its Mods directory. These commands add the catalog; they do not install or load a sample.
git clone https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code-playground.git
claude plugin marketplace add ./claude-code-playground/claude-code/modsRead the samples before installing. Start a relative local path with ./; bare owner/repo is GitHub shorthand. See the official source-format instructions.
How to check a marketplace source
Open .claude-plugin/marketplace.json before relying on a display name. It requires name, owner and plugins. Each plugin entry has a name and source. The marketplace name is the part after @ in the install ID.
- Identify the maintainer: compare the repository owner with the catalog’s owner record.
- Resolve the package source: a relative path starts at the marketplace root, outside
.claude-plugin/. A remote source can fetch a different repository. - Inspect the package: read its manifest, components, prerequisites and license.
The playground manifest names claude-code-playground-mods and resolves Token Weather from ./token-weather. These identify a catalog and package path. The marketplace reference explains other source forms.
Official, local and third-party marketplaces
| Source | Useful when | Check first |
|---|---|---|
| Official catalog | You want packages listed by Anthropic. | Each package’s publisher and external dependencies. |
| Local directory | You are inspecting samples or editing a marketplace. | Keep the directory available. Relative sources may be read directly from it. |
| Third-party catalog | A publisher distributes its package through its own catalog. | The owner, actual source, license and update practices. |
“Local” describes registration, not authorship. A local clone can contain official or third-party packages. Adding an unfamiliar catalog requires your own trust decision.
The local Mods sample marketplace
The playground repository contains a marketplace at claude-code/mods/. Its three sample packages are Token Weather, Blast Radius and Replay Theater. The documented workflow adds that directory from your local clone. Moving or deleting the clone can prevent a locally sourced package from loading.
These samples are published by Claude Code DevRel and shared as-is. Read their requirements and limitations in the Mods section; do not treat this sample marketplace as a supported product catalog.
Inspect the source behind the name
- Check the repository owner, plugin manifest and component files.
- Read the license of the actual package and any external server it uses.
- Inspect hooks and MCP tools, including file, network and repository writes.
- Confirm the package name and marketplace name in the install command.
- Choose a scope deliberately; use local scope when evaluating a package in one repository.
A marketplace entry can change where future updates come from. Trust the publisher and the source, and review changes when updating. No directory badge is a safety guarantee.
Next step: pick a package
Find an editor pick for your task, or use the comparison tool to compare requirements. The installation guide walks through scope and loading checks.