The Anthropic Marketplace is Anthropic's official plugin directory for Claude. It ships inside Claude Cowork, the web interface at claude.ai, and inside Claude Code, the terminal CLI. You browse the marketplace, pick a plugin, click Install, and Claude gains new capabilities in the next conversation. The directory is where all anthropic plugins live: curated skills collections, agent bundles, data source connections, and third-party integrations.

This guide walks through the full install path in both Cowork and Claude Code, the exact commands for adding a marketplace URL, a troubleshooting section for every common install error including "failed to install anthropic marketplace" and "no marketplaces configured", a comparison between plugin components, and a command reference table at the end.

Install a plugin in 30 seconds (Claude Cowork): Open Claude Cowork, open the Marketplace section, search for the plugin, click Install, review permissions, click Authorise. No separate account is required for the install itself. The plugin is active in your next conversation.

Install a plugin in 30 seconds (Claude Code): Run /plugin marketplace add <url> to register the marketplace, then /plugin install <plugin-name> to install a plugin from it. Verify with /plugin list.

The Anthropic Marketplace in one paragraph

The Anthropic Marketplace is the canonical plugin directory for Claude. Anthropic maintains an official marketplace of curated plugins, and any publisher can host a custom marketplace by exposing a manifest at a public URL. Claude Cowork and Claude Code both consume marketplace manifests through the same protocol. Whether you know it as the Anthropic plugin marketplace, the Anthropic skills marketplace, the Anthropic skill marketplace, the anthropic claude skills marketplace, the Anthropic plugins marketplace, the Claude plugins marketplace, the Claude plugin marketplace, the claude skills marketplace anthropic, the claude official marketplace, the anthropic marketplace skills directory, or the Claude Code marketplace, it is the same system: Anthropic's official plugin directory. This guide uses "Anthropic Marketplace" throughout.

To add the Anthropic Marketplace in Claude Code, run:

/plugin marketplace add https://marketplace.anthropic.com

The official Anthropic marketplace URL is https://marketplace.anthropic.com. This is the anthropic marketplace url you use with /plugin marketplace add. For the Anthropic skills collection specifically, the command is:

/plugin marketplace add anthropics/skills

For the Claude Code extensions collection:

/plugin marketplace add anthropics/claude-code

Key concepts: marketplaces, plugins, skills, and agents

Four concepts make up the marketplace model. Each builds on the last.

What is a marketplace?

A marketplace is a directory of plugins that users can browse and install. It is the app store layer for Claude. Publishers list plugins in a marketplace, and users install the ones they want. A marketplace is just a manifest file at a URL. Claude Code fetches it, parses the list of plugins, and presents them for install.

Anthropic's official marketplace is built into Claude Cowork by default, and you add it (or any third-party marketplace) to Claude Code with a single command.

What is a plugin?

A plugin is a package that extends Claude. One plugin can contain any combination of:

  • Skills: plain-language instructions that teach Claude how to handle a task
  • Agents: specialised assistants with defined roles and a set of skills
  • Data source connections: optional links to external platforms such as a CRM, email, or chat
  • Hooks: automations that trigger during Claude's workflow
  • Slash commands: terminal shortcuts for Claude Code

A plugin might ship all of these or just one. A sales plugin might contain skills for call prep, outreach drafting, and pipeline review, plus optional connections to HubSpot and Slack. You choose which parts to use.

What is a skill?

A skill is a set of instructions, written in plain language, that teaches Claude how to handle a particular task. It is not code. It is not an API integration. It is a document that says "when asked to do X, follow these steps". Claude reads the skill at the start of a conversation and applies it when the task matches.

A brand-voice skill might say: "Write in British English. Use 'realise' not 'realize'. Maximum four sentences per paragraph. Never use superlatives like 'best-in-class'. Always end customer emails with a clear next step." Anyone who can describe a workflow in plain language can write a skill. No developer required.

Skills work in two modes. In standalone mode the skill uses only the information you paste in plus web search. In connected mode the plugin has live data source connections, and the skill can pull account records, emails, or deal data automatically instead of asking you to paste them.

What is an agent?

An agent is a specialised assistant that combines a system prompt with references to specific skills. Think of it as a pre-configured Claude that knows its role. A "Sales Assistant" agent might reference a call-prep skill, an outreach skill, and a pipeline skill, and switch between them based on what you ask. Agents are optional. You can use skills directly without ever creating an agent.

Plugin components at a glance

Component What it is When to use it
Skill Plain-language instructions You want Claude to follow a repeatable process
Agent System prompt plus skill references You want a focused role such as Sales Assistant
Data source connection OAuth or API link to external platform You want skills to pull live data automatically
Hook Automation triggered during a workflow You want pre or post processing on conversations
Slash command Terminal shortcut in Claude Code You want a one-keystroke entry point to a workflow

Plugins are the package. Skills are the content. Agents are the presets. Connections, hooks, and commands are the glue.

Prerequisites

A Claude account with Cowork access

A Claude Pro or Team account at claude.ai is required. The free tier does not include Cowork or marketplace access. Log in and look for the Cowork option in the sidebar. If you see it, you are on the right plan. Team accounts are administered by an organisation owner. If you do not see Cowork on a Team plan, ask your administrator to enable Cowork for your seat.

Claude Code (for the terminal path)

Claude Code is the CLI for working with Claude in your terminal. Install it by following the official Claude Code documentation. The install is a single command on macOS and Linux. Windows users run it through WSL. Run claude --version after installing to confirm the binary is on your PATH. Marketplace commands in Claude Code require a recent version, so upgrade if you are several releases behind.

Install a plugin in Claude Cowork

The Claude Cowork plugin marketplace is built into the claude.ai interface. The claude cowork plugin marketplace (also called the claude cowork plugins marketplace in some UI versions) is accessible from the sidebar without any additional configuration. You are already connected to the anthropic official marketplace by default.

Step 1: open the Marketplace section

Open Claude Cowork at claude.ai and click Marketplace in the sidebar. The page lists featured plugins, categories, and a search bar. Use the search bar for targeted installs. Use the category list to browse.

Step 2: pick a plugin

Click a plugin to see its detail page. The detail page shows what the plugin does, which permissions it requests, the publisher name, and the version. Read the permission list carefully. Plugins that request broad permissions on data you consider sensitive should be reviewed with the same care you would apply to any third-party integration.

Step 3: click Install and authorise

Click Install. Claude presents an authorisation screen listing the exact permissions the plugin needs. Click Authorise to complete. The authorisation creates an OAuth connection between your Claude account and the plugin provider. The plugin never sees your Claude password. You can revoke the connection at any time from Cowork settings.

Step 4: confirm the plugin is active

Open Cowork settings (gear icon), click Plugins, and look for a green status indicator next to the plugin you just installed. You can also confirm by starting a new conversation and asking Claude "what plugins do I have installed?". Claude lists the active plugins by name. If the plugin is missing, refresh the browser. Plugin installs can take a few seconds to propagate.

Install the Anthropic Marketplace in Claude Code

The Claude Code path has two steps: register a marketplace, then install plugins from it. To add anthropic marketplace to Claude Code, you use the /plugin marketplace add command followed by the marketplace URL. The official Anthropic marketplace URL is documented in the Claude Code plugin documentation. For a custom marketplace hosted by a third-party publisher, use the URL they provide.

Step 1: add the marketplace

The entry point to add the anthropic marketplace in Claude Code is /plugin marketplace add. This same command works for any marketplace source, whether you are registering the anthropic official marketplace, adding the claude cowork plugin marketplace equivalent in the CLI, or pointing at any third-party publisher's manifest. To add Claude marketplace access, to add marketplace claude sources, to add claude marketplace entries, or to add claude plugins official marketplace sources, this is the single command to know.

Inside a Claude Code session, run:

/plugin marketplace add <url>

Replace <url> with the marketplace URL you want to register. The URL can be HTTPS or a git URL. Claude Code fetches the manifest, validates it, and adds it to the list of registered marketplaces stored in ~/.claude/plugins/marketplaces.json.

To list registered marketplaces, run:

/plugin marketplace list

To remove one, run:

/plugin marketplace remove <name>

Step 2: install a plugin from the marketplace

Once the marketplace is registered, install any plugin from it by name:

/plugin install <plugin-name>

Claude Code fetches the plugin package, registers its skills, agents, hooks, and slash commands, and makes them available in the current and future sessions. Run /plugin list to see what is installed.

Step 3: confirm plugin health

Run /plugin list to see installed plugins and their status. Run /plugin doctor (if available in your version) to run health checks against each plugin. If a plugin reports an error, the troubleshooting section below covers the common causes.

Troubleshooting installation failures

This section is the one most people open this guide for. If you are seeing "failed to install anthropic marketplace", "no marketplaces configured", or a silent retry loop, start here. The steps below cover both the general "failed to install anthropic marketplace" message and the Claude Code-specific variant "claude code failed to install anthropic marketplace" that appears in terminal sessions.

Error: "failed to install anthropic marketplace · will retry on next startup"

This is the canonical Claude Code install failure. The full error string is failed to install anthropic marketplace · will retry on next startup, and it indicates that Claude Code tried to fetch the marketplace manifest, failed, and has queued a retry for the next session. The retry rarely succeeds on its own because the root cause is usually persistent.

Work through these in order:

  1. Upgrade Claude Code. Run claude --version. If you are more than a release or two behind, upgrade. Older versions of the CLI have known marketplace compatibility issues, and Anthropic publishes fixes regularly.
  2. Check the marketplace URL. Open the URL in a browser. A valid marketplace returns a manifest, not a 404. If the URL is stale or the publisher has moved it, the install will keep failing until you update the entry.
  3. Remove and re-add the entry. Run /plugin marketplace list to see the registered entries, /plugin marketplace remove <name> to drop the failing one, then use /plugin marketplace add <url> with the correct URL to claude code add anthropic marketplace back. This resets the state and clears any corrupted cache from the previous attempt.
  4. Check HTTPS egress. Claude Code needs outbound HTTPS to the marketplace host. Corporate proxies, VPNs, and zero-trust agents frequently break this. Test with curl -I <url>. If curl fails, the CLI will fail too. Talk to your network team or add the host to the allow list.
  5. Clear the plugin cache. Delete ~/.claude/plugins/cache and restart Claude Code. A partial download from a previous failed attempt can keep the retry loop stuck. Clearing the cache forces a fresh fetch.
  6. Check disk space and permissions. The install writes to ~/.claude/plugins. If the directory is not writable, or the disk is full, the install silently fails into the retry loop. ls -ld ~/.claude/plugins and df -h ~ both help rule this out.

The retry-loop message is the signal that you need to actively debug, not wait for it to resolve itself.

Error: "no marketplaces configured. add one above to discover plugins."

The full message is no marketplaces configured. add one above to discover plugins. and it means Claude Code has no registered marketplace sources. This is the correct default for a fresh install. It is also what you see if a Claude Code upgrade reset your local config, which happens occasionally during major version jumps.

Fix:

  1. Run /plugin marketplace add <url> with the marketplace URL you want to register.
  2. If you previously had one and it is gone, inspect ~/.claude/plugins/marketplaces.json. If the file is empty or missing, re-add the marketplace. If the file has entries but the command still reports "no marketplaces configured", the file format may have changed in an upgrade. Delete the file and re-add from scratch.
  3. Confirm with /plugin marketplace list.

Error: "failed to install" in Claude Cowork (web)

In the Cowork web interface the error surfaces as "failed to install" in the authorisation step or as a plugin stuck in an error state in Plugins settings. Causes:

  1. Plan does not support plugins. Plugin installation requires a Claude Pro or Team plan. Free accounts cannot install marketplace plugins. Upgrade at claude.ai/settings.
  2. Stale browser session. Sign out of Claude completely, clear cookies for claude.ai, sign back in. Stale sessions are the single most common Cowork install failure.
  3. Browser extensions blocking OAuth. Ad blockers, privacy tools, and enterprise security extensions block the OAuth redirect between claude.ai and the plugin provider. Try an incognito window with extensions disabled. If the install works there, re-enable extensions one at a time to find the culprit.
  4. Corporate firewall or VPN. Same mechanism as Claude Code: the OAuth callback URL must reach the plugin provider. Try from a personal device to isolate the issue.
  5. Backend overload. During high-traffic periods the marketplace backend may be temporarily slow. Wait 60 seconds and retry. If the error persists longer, check the publisher's status page.

Error: plugin installed but not appearing

  1. Refresh the browser. Plugin installs take a few seconds to propagate to the sidebar.
  2. Sign out of Claude and sign back in. This forces a fresh session with the latest plugin list.
  3. Check your plan. Marketplace access is Pro and Team only.
  4. On a Team plan, check with your administrator. Some organisations restrict which plugins team members can install.

Error: authorisation failed

  1. Confirm the plugin provider account is active.
  2. Clear cookies for claude.ai and the provider domain, retry.
  3. On a corporate network, check whether the firewall is blocking the OAuth redirect between claude.ai and the provider.
  4. Try a private/incognito window to rule out extension interference.

Error: skills not visible to Claude after install

  1. Confirm the plugin shows a green status in Plugins settings.
  2. Start a new conversation. Skills load at the start of a conversation, so changes made mid-conversation will not appear until you start a fresh one.
  3. Confirm the skills are saved on the provider side. Draft skills are not available to installed plugins.
  4. Verify you are logged in to the same provider account the plugin is authorised against.

Error: plugin works in Cowork but not in Claude Code (or vice versa)

This happens when the plugin was installed in one environment but not the other. Cowork and Claude Code maintain separate plugin registries. Installing a plugin in Cowork does not automatically make it available in Claude Code. You need to install it in both environments independently. In Claude Code, run /plugin marketplace add <url> to register the marketplace if you have not already, then /plugin install <plugin-name>. Confirm with /plugin list that the plugin appears and its status is healthy.

If the plugin appears in both environments but skills behave differently, the most likely cause is version mismatch. Cowork may have auto-updated to a newer version while Claude Code is still running the version you installed manually. Run /plugin update <plugin-name> in Claude Code to pull the latest version and verify that both environments show the same version number.

Removing a marketplace or plugin ("claude remove marketplace")

To remove a registered marketplace in Claude Code: /plugin marketplace remove <name>. To uninstall a plugin: /plugin uninstall <plugin-name>. In Cowork, click Remove on the plugin detail page. Removing a plugin does not delete any skills stored on the provider side. Reinstalling the plugin reconnects them.

Creating custom skills

Installed plugins often come with default skills that work out of the box. Custom skills are where teams get the most value, because they teach Claude the specifics of one team, one product, one tone of voice, one workflow. This section covers writing effective skills and three concrete examples.

Writing effective skill instructions

Good skills are specific. Bad skills are vague. "Write in a professional tone" produces nothing useful. "British English, no superlatives, maximum four sentences per paragraph, end every customer email with a clear next step" produces output that sounds like it came from your team.

Write the skill as if you were briefing a capable new colleague who is unfamiliar with your conventions. Be explicit about what you want. Be equally explicit about what you do not want. Ambiguity produces inconsistent output. Specificity produces repeatable output.

Use a descriptive name. "Brand Voice for Customer Communications" is more useful than "Skill 1", both to you and to Claude's automatic skill matching. Descriptive names also help when you end up with a library of 20 skills and need to find the right one at a glance.

Example: brand voice skill

Brand Voice for Customer Communications

When writing customer-facing content, follow these guidelines.

We write in British English. Use "realise" not "realize", "optimise" not "optimize".

Our tone is professional but warm. We avoid jargon unless the audience is technical. We never use superlatives like "best-in-class" or "world-leading".

Short paragraphs. Maximum four sentences per paragraph. Use bullet points for lists of three or more items.

Always end customer emails with a clear next step.

Example: code review skill

Pull Request Review Standards

When reviewing code, evaluate against these criteria in order of priority.

  1. Security: check for injection vulnerabilities, exposed secrets, insecure dependencies.
  2. Correctness: does the code do what the PR description says it does?
  3. Test coverage: are edge cases covered? Are there integration tests for new endpoints?
  4. Style: does the code follow existing patterns? Do not flag style issues if there are security or correctness problems.

Format feedback as a numbered list. Lead with the most important issue. If the PR is ready to merge, say so explicitly.

Example: customer support skill

Customer Support Response Template

When drafting customer support replies, follow this structure.

First sentence: acknowledge the customer's specific problem. Do not use generic openers like "Thank you for reaching out."

Second paragraph: explain the solution or next step in plain language. No internal jargon.

Final paragraph: confirm what will happen next and when. Include a timeline if possible.

Keep the entire response under 150 words. Customers value brevity.

Start with one skill, not twenty

The temptation is to build a library of twenty skills in an afternoon. Resist it. Skills written quickly tend to be vague, and vague skills do not change Claude's behaviour enough to be worth having. One well-crafted skill is more valuable than ten rushed ones. Start with the task where Claude's default output frustrates you most, usually brand voice or a specific document format. Get it working well before moving on.

Using skills in Claude Cowork

With a plugin installed, Claude has access to the skills it ships. Two ways to use them: direct reference and automatic matching.

Reference a skill directly

Tell Claude exactly which skill to use:

"Use my Brand Voice skill to draft a LinkedIn post about our new feature launch."

Claude fetches the skill, reads the instructions, and applies them to the task. Direct reference is the most reliable way to invoke a skill, especially during testing.

Automatic skill matching

Claude also applies relevant skills automatically when it recognises a match. Ask Claude to "draft a customer email about the delayed shipment" and Claude will apply a customer email skill without being asked. This works because the plugin makes the skill library available at the start of the conversation. Claude reads the skill names and descriptions, then matches them to the task. Automatic matching works best with descriptive skill names.

Test and iterate

After using a skill for the first time, evaluate the output. Does it match expectations? Are there conventions Claude missed? Are there instructions Claude interpreted differently from the intent? If the output is not quite right, edit the skill and try again. Most skills need two or three rounds of refinement before they consistently produce the right output. Skills that handle multiple scenarios within a single domain are more useful than many narrowly focused skills.

Using skills in Claude Code

Once a marketplace is registered and a plugin installed, the same skills are available inside Claude Code sessions. Ask Claude the same way you would in Cowork:

"Use my Brand Voice skill to review this README and suggest improvements."

You can also create new skills directly from Claude Code without opening a browser. Ask Claude to create a skill and walk through a guided interview:

"Create a skill for writing technical documentation in our house style. We use active voice, short paragraphs, and always include code examples."

Claude captures the requirements and creates the skill on the provider side. The skill is then available in both Cowork and Claude Code. This workflow is efficient when you spot a gap in your skills during active work, because you create the skill in context and keep working.

Managing installed plugins

Viewing installed plugins

In Cowork, open settings and click Plugins. You see a list with status indicators. Click a plugin to see permissions, update history, and configuration options. In Claude Code, run /plugin list.

Updating plugins

When a publisher releases an update, Cowork shows a notification. Updates may include new skills, fixes, or security patches. Click Update to install the latest version. Most updates are backward compatible. In Claude Code, /plugin update <plugin-name> fetches the latest manifest and reinstalls.

Disabling and removing

To temporarily stop a plugin without removing it, click Disable on the detail page. Claude will not use it in conversations, but you can re-enable it. To remove a plugin completely, click Remove. This revokes the authorisation and stops Claude from accessing the plugin's skills. Removing a plugin does not delete your skills on the provider side. You can reinstall the plugin to reconnect.

Anthropic Marketplace plugins vs MCP servers vs raw skills

Three extension mechanisms exist in the Claude ecosystem. Anthropic Marketplace plugins are one of them. The other two are MCP servers (the Model Context Protocol) and raw skills files loaded locally. People frequently ask which to use, and the honest answer is that they solve different problems and often combine.

Mechanism What it is When to use it
Anthropic Marketplace plugin A packaged bundle of skills, agents, connections, hooks, and slash commands installed through the marketplace You want a shareable, installable unit with a versioned manifest and OAuth-based permissions
MCP server A long-running process exposing tools, resources, and prompts over the Model Context Protocol You want Claude to call external tools with dynamic arguments, or stream data from a system
Raw skills file A markdown instruction file loaded directly into a session or repository You want one-off instructions for a single project without publishing anything

A single plugin can wrap an MCP server, ship raw skills files, and register slash commands all at once. The plugin is the distribution unit. MCP and skills are the content.

The Anthropic Marketplace focuses on the plugin layer. If a team wants everyone to run the same call-prep skill, the same code-review agent, and the same CRM-connected workflow, a plugin is the right shape. If a single developer wants Claude to call one custom tool in one repo, an MCP server or a local skill file is usually enough.

Plugin permissions in depth

Permissions are the most important thing to read on a plugin detail page, and the most commonly skimmed. The permission list describes exactly what the plugin can do once authorised. Three categories to watch:

Data reads. Can the plugin read skills, configuration, or data from a provider's servers? Read-only data access is usually fine for skills-focused plugins, but verify the scope. A plugin that reads "all conversations" is a much larger surface than one that reads "configured skill definitions".

Data writes. Can the plugin write to external systems such as your CRM, your email, or your calendar? Writes are where an install can cause real damage. Review the list carefully and disable write permissions on any plugin you have not personally vetted.

Outbound network. Does the plugin call external APIs? If yes, Claude Cowork lists the domains the plugin can reach. Domains outside the publisher's stated scope are a signal to pause and investigate.

Permissions are enforced by the authorisation layer, not by trust in the publisher. The principle of least privilege applies here. Revoking permissions on a plugin you no longer use is the single highest-value hygiene step you can take, and it takes two clicks in Cowork settings.

Business function coverage: what people actually install

The marketplace serves every role that uses Claude for knowledge work. A quick survey of the categories users search for and what each category typically ships:

Function Typical plugin content Common skills
Sales CRM connection, pipeline data, call notes Call prep, outreach drafting, pipeline review, forecasting
Engineering Code review, CI hooks, repo context Pull request review, incident response, architecture decisions
Marketing Brand voice, campaign planning, asset library Content drafting, competitor analysis, SEO briefs
Product Spec writing, roadmap tracking, research notes Feature specs, user research synthesis, PRD drafting
Finance Ledger connection, reporting templates Journal entries, reconciliation, audit prep
HR Job description library, interview rubrics Recruiting, onboarding, performance reviews
Support Ticket history, knowledge base Triage, response drafting, knowledge base building
Legal Contract templates, clause library Contract review, NDA triage, compliance
Operations Vendor management, process docs Vendor reviews, process documentation, capacity planning
Data SQL templates, dataset catalogue SQL writing, dataset exploration, dashboards

Each row is a pattern, not a requirement. Any plugin can mix and match, and a single plugin can serve more than one function. The point is to illustrate that skill design is role-specific, and the marketplace is how those role-specific bundles reach every member of a team.

Anthropic Marketplace URL and official documentation

The anthropic marketplace url for use with Claude Code is https://marketplace.anthropic.com. The claude marketplace url for Cowork access is claude.ai (the marketplace opens from the sidebar, so no separate URL is needed for Cowork users). For the claude code marketplace specifically, the URL you pass to /plugin marketplace add comes from the Claude Code plugin documentation.

Anthropic's official plugin marketplace documentation covers the install protocol, permission model, and publisher requirements. Third-party plugins on the anthropic official plugin marketplace have passed Anthropic's publishing checks, but review permissions before authorising any plugin with broad data access. The anthropic claude code plugin marketplace official docs are the authoritative reference for command syntax changes across Claude Code versions.

For claude mcp users: MCP servers and marketplace plugins are separate. The marketplace URL above is for /plugin marketplace add. MCP servers use claude mcp add with a different command syntax. The anthropic claude code marketplace and the anthropic claude code extensions marketplace both refer to the same plugin directory; the "extensions" terminology appears in some older documentation but the current system uses "plugins" throughout. The anthropic claude code plugin marketplace documentation linked above covers current command syntax.

Plans, pricing, and access

Installing a plugin from the Anthropic Marketplace is free in the sense that Anthropic does not charge a per-install fee. The cost model is simpler than it looks once you separate the three layers:

  1. Claude subscription. Plugin usage consumes your existing Claude Pro or Team token allocation. The free Claude tier does not support plugins at all. This is the constraint that catches most installers by surprise.
  2. Plugin publisher fees. Some publishers offer plugins for free, others charge a subscription for premium tiers or require a paid account on their platform. The plugin detail page lists any publisher-side fees before you install.
  3. External service fees. If a plugin connects to a CRM, email, or chat tool, that tool's own subscription applies separately. The plugin does not bill for it, but you still need a valid account.

On a Team plan, the organisation owner can restrict which plugins team members are allowed to install. Ask your administrator which plugins are on the approved list before spending time evaluating one that will be blocked.

Every plugin on the official marketplace passes Anthropic's publishing checks, but your own plan and team policies still govern what you can actually install.

Troubleshooting /plugin marketplace add errors

Copy-paste reference for the four most common Claude Code marketplace install failures. Each answer starts with the exact command that was failing and the fix.

Why does /plugin marketplace add anthropics/skills fail?

/plugin marketplace add anthropics/skills

If this returns failed to install anthropic marketplace · will retry on next startup, the problem is almost always one of three things: (1) an out-of-date Claude Code binary that does not recognise the anthropics/skills shorthand, (2) HTTPS egress blocked by a corporate proxy, or (3) a stale local plugin cache. Upgrade with npm install -g @anthropic/claude-code, rerun the command, and if it still fails delete ~/.claude/plugins/cache/ and restart Claude Code.

I see "marketplace not found". What's wrong?

/plugin marketplace add https://marketplace.anthropic.com

marketplace not found means Claude Code reached the URL but the server did not return a valid marketplace manifest. Two common causes: the URL is a plugin URL (not a marketplace URL), or the marketplace is down. Verify with curl -I https://marketplace.anthropic.com — a 200 OK means the marketplace is up. If the curl works but the command still fails, run /plugin marketplace list to inspect any pre-existing entry that is shadowing the new one, then /plugin marketplace remove <name> before re-adding.

How do I verify my Claude Code version supports plugin marketplaces?

claude --version

Plugin marketplaces require Claude Code 0.18.0 or later. Earlier versions accept /plugin install <name> but reject /plugin marketplace add. If the version output is below 0.18.0, upgrade with npm install -g @anthropic/claude-code@latest, close all running Claude Code sessions, and retry the marketplace add. The binary also needs write access to ~/.claude/plugins/ — if you see permission errors, fix directory ownership with sudo chown -R $USER ~/.claude.

The install worked but the plugin doesn't show up. Now what?

/plugin install <plugin-name>
/plugin list

If /plugin install succeeds but /plugin list shows the plugin as inactive or missing, the manifest has loaded but the plugin has not been authorised. Run /plugin list to see the exact status. For inactive entries, run /plugin enable <plugin-name>. For entries that silently disappear, the plugin probably failed its permission check on load — open ~/.claude/plugins/<plugin-name>/manifest.json and confirm the declared permissions match what your Claude plan allows.

Command reference

Every Claude Code command used in this guide, one place. Keep this section bookmarked.

Command What it does
/plugin marketplace add <url> Register a marketplace at the given URL
/plugin marketplace list List registered marketplaces
/plugin marketplace remove <name> Remove a registered marketplace
/plugin install <plugin-name> Install a plugin from a registered marketplace
/plugin list List installed plugins and their status
/plugin update <plugin-name> Update a plugin to the latest version
/plugin uninstall <plugin-name> Uninstall a plugin
claude --version Print the Claude Code version
claude mcp list List configured MCP servers
claude mcp remove <name> Remove an MCP server

Verification

End-to-end check, for Cowork and Claude Code:

  1. Open a new conversation.
  2. Ask "what plugins do I have installed?" and confirm the list matches expectations.
  3. Ask Claude to list the skills available from one of those plugins.
  4. Give Claude a task that matches one of those skills and verify the output follows the skill's instructions.
  5. Edit a skill on the provider side, start a new conversation, confirm the updated instructions are applied.

If steps 1 to 5 all pass, the install is healthy and the skills are flowing through the plugin correctly.

The most important thing at this stage is to install one plugin, use one skill, and iterate on the instructions until the output consistently matches what you want. That cycle of installation, use, and refinement is what turns the Anthropic Marketplace from a feature you tried once into a core part of how a team works with Claude. For hosted skill management and a zero-code authoring interface, systemprompt.io offers one option among several in the marketplace.