Skip to content
Patterson Academy

A plugin-creation workflow

The plugin-dev toolkit ships a /plugin-dev:create-plugin command — a 439-line workflow prompt that walks a plugin from concept to tested implementation in 8 phases. It's a masterclass in long-form command design:

  1. Discovery — what problem, who uses it, what should it do
  2. Prior-art discovery (mandatory) — walk a reuse ladder before generating anything
  3. Component planning — skills? commands? agents? hooks? MCP? settings?
  4. Detailed design — clarifying questions per component, wait for answers
  5. Structure creation — directories + manifest
  6. Implementation — using AI-assisted generator agents
  7. Validation — plugin-validator agent + schema scripts
  8. Testing & docs — verify in Claude Code, finalize README
commands/create-plugin.md (frontmatter + opening)
---
description: Guided end-to-end plugin creation workflow with component design, implementation, and validation
argument-hint: Optional plugin description
allowed-tools: ["Read", "Write", "Grep", "Glob", "Bash", "TodoWrite", "AskUserQuestion", "Skill", "Task"]
---


# Plugin Creation Workflow


Guide the user through creating a complete, high-quality Claude Code
plugin from initial concept to tested implementation.


## Core Principles


- **Reuse before generating**: Search installed plugins, first-party
  plugins, community catalogs, and the user's own orgs before
  scaffolding anything. Generate only the glue.
- **Ask clarifying questions**: Identify all ambiguities about purpose,
  triggering, scope, and components. Wait for answers.
- **Load relevant skills**: Use the Skill tool to load plugin-dev
  skills when needed.
- **Use TodoWrite**: Track all progress throughout all phases.


**Initial request:** $ARGUMENTS

Note the techniques: allowed-tools scopes the command's power; $ARGUMENTS seeds phase 1; every phase declares a goal, actions, and output; and mandatory gates ("DO NOT SKIP", "wait for answers") keep the model honest. The full prompt is in the Prompt Library.

Check your understanding

Section titled “Check your understanding”

Question 1What does the workflow require before generating any component?

Question 2What does allowed-tools in command frontmatter do?