Context Course

0. Welcome to the Context Course

1. Skills: Portable Knowledge for Code Agents

2. MCP: The Model Context Protocol

3. Plugins: Bundling Tools for Distribution

Unit 3: Plugins Plugin Anatomy Building Your Own Plugin Quiz 1: Plugin Fundamentals Using Plugins Quiz 2: Building and Distributing Plugins

4. Subagents: Orchestrating Multi-Agent Workflows

5. Hooks: Observing and Guarding the Agent Lifecycle

6. Bonus: Nano Harness — Build Your Own Agent

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Quiz 2: Building and Distributing Plugins

Test your understanding of plugin development, distribution, and best practices.

Question 1: Where does plugin.json belong?

Claude Code and Codex use the same plugin.json schema OpenCode also uses plugin.json to load local plugins In Claude Code and Codex, plugin.json defines the plugin's identity and tells the agent where to find bundled components The plugin.json should be placed at the root of the plugin directory

Question 2: What does the manifest-first plugin structure look like?

A directory with .claude-plugin/ or .codex-plugin/ manifest directory, skills/ folder, optional .mcp.json, and README Just a skills/ folder with SKILL.md files — no manifest needed A single file named manifest.json containing everything A root manifest.json with an openapi.json spec defining all endpoints

Question 3: How should plugin permissions be designed?

Request only the permissions you actually need; document why each is needed; follow the principle of least privilege Request all possible permissions upfront to maximize future flexibility Hide permission details in the README so users don't worry about them Permissions don't matter much; focus only on functionality

Question 4: How do you test plugins locally?

Test with claude --plugin-dir for Claude Code; create a local marketplace.json entry for Codex You must publish to the marketplace before you can test your plugin Run /plugin validate to check your plugin structure Testing isn't necessary; just publish and fix issues later

Question 5: How should secrets be handled?

Always hardcode API keys in the manifest for convenience Use environment variables for secrets, reference them from plugin or MCP config when supported, and document how to set them Prompt users for API keys at runtime Store API keys in a config file that users commit to git

Summary

If you got 4-5 correct, you’re ready to build and distribute plugins responsibly. If not, review the build and usage lessons before publishing anything.

Key Takeaways

Keep plugin structure explicit: manifest, bundled components, and documentation each have a clear place
Ask for the minimum permissions you need and explain why
Test locally before publishing, and keep secrets in environment variables rather than plugin files

Next Steps

You’ve finished Unit 3: Plugins. You now know how to package reusable agent behavior and distribute it safely. Next up is Unit 4, where those components become building blocks for multi-agent workflows.

Update on GitHub

←Using Plugins Unit 4: Subagents→

Quiz 2: Building and Distributing Plugins Question 1: Where does plugin.json belong?Question 2: What does the manifest-first plugin structure look like?Question 3: How should plugin permissions be designed?Question 4: How do you test plugins locally?Question 5: How should secrets be handled?Summary Key Takeaways Next Steps