install-github-plugin

name

install-github-plugin

description

Installs Claude Code plugins from GitHub repos that lack a marketplace manifest. Use this skill whenever a `claude plugin install` fails due to SSH key errors, missing `.claude-plugin/marketplace.json`, or a GitHub repo that wasn't designed as a Claude plugin marketplace. Also use when the user says "install plugin from GitHub", "add skills from a repo", or "the plugin install failed". Handles the full workflow: cloning via gh CLI, inspecting repo structure, generating the marketplace manifest, and running the install.

Install GitHub Plugin

Overview

claude plugin install clones repos via SSH. If SSH auth isn't configured, or if the repo has no .claude-plugin/marketplace.json manifest, the install fails. This skill works around both problems.

Workflow

1. Clone the repo via gh CLI (bypasses SSH)

gh repo clone <owner>/<repo> "~/.claude/plugins/marketplaces/<marketplace-name>"

Use the same directory the marketplace manager would have used (check known_marketplaces.json if the marketplace was already added).

2. Check for an existing manifest

ls "~/.claude/plugins/marketplaces/<name>/.claude-plugin/"

If marketplace.json exists, skip to step 4.

3. Inspect the repo structure and generate manifest

Common layouts to look for:

• skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md — skill collection
• agents/ — agent personas
• hooks/ — session lifecycle hooks
• .claude/commands/ — slash commands

Read one or two SKILL.md files to understand the content, then write .claude-plugin/marketplace.json:

{
  "name": "<marketplace-name>",
  "owner": { "name": "<author>", "email": "" },
  "metadata": {
    "description": "<one-line description>",
    "version": "1.0.0"
  },
  "plugins": [
    {
      "name": "<plugin-name>",
      "description": "<what the plugin does>",
      "source": "./",
      "strict": false,
      "skills": [
        "./skills/<skill-1>",
        "./skills/<skill-2>"
      ]
    }
  ]
}

List every skill directory under skills/ in the skills array.

4. Install the plugin

claude plugin install <plugin-name>@<marketplace-name>

5. Verify

claude plugin list

Confirm the plugin shows as ✔ enabled.

Notes

• If the marketplace was added via claude plugin marketplace add but the clone failed, the marketplace entry exists in known_marketplaces.json but the directory is empty or missing. Re-clone manually into the installLocation path shown there.
• Skills with only SKILL.md (no plugin.json) are bundled via the marketplace manifest's skills array — no per-skill plugin.json is needed.
• After install, a Claude restart is required for new skills to appear in the available-skills list.