Package Plugin

Package a plugin into a distributable .zip archive suitable for importing into Claude Code or sharing with other teams.

When to Use

• Exporting a plugin for Claude Code import (claude --plugin-dir)
• Sharing a plugin with another developer or repository
• Creating a release artifact for distribution

Execution Steps

1. Validate the Plugin

Before packaging, verify the plugin has a valid manifest:

python3 plugins/plugin-manager/skills/package-plugin/scripts/package.py \
  --validate-only --plugin <path-to-plugin>

This checks:

• .claude-plugin/plugin.json exists and is valid JSON
• name is kebab-case
• version is semver
• author is an object (not a string)
• At least one skills/*/SKILL.md exists

2. Package the Plugin

python3 plugins/plugin-manager/skills/package-plugin/scripts/package.py \
  --plugin <path-to-plugin> --output <destination>

Default output: ~/Desktop/<plugin-name>-v<version>.zip

3. Verify the Package (Optional)

python3 plugins/plugin-manager/skills/package-plugin/scripts/package.py \
  --verify <path-to-zip>

Extracts to /tmp/package-verify/ and confirms the structure is intact.

What the Packager Does

1. Preserves symlinks (--symlinks flag) for agents/ and commands/ directories
2. Excludes: .DS_Store, __pycache__, .history/, node_modules/, *.pyc, .git/
3. Names output as <plugin-name>-v<version>.zip
4. Validates plugin.json schema before packaging

Rules

• Always validate before packaging. Catch manifest issues before they reach consumers.
• Never manually zip a plugin. Always use this script to ensure correct flags.
• Source Transparency Declaration: state which plugin was packaged and the output path.