| name | cowork-plugin-customizer |
| description | Customize or personalize a Codex plugin for a specific organization's tools and workflows by replacing placeholders and configuring MCP servers. |
| type | reference |
| version | 1.0.0 |
| category | development |
| last_updated | "2026-02-03T00:00:00.000Z" |
| source | https://github.com/anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins |
| related_skills | [] |
| capabilities | [] |
| requires | [] |
| see_also | [] |
| tags | [] |
Cowork Plugin Customization
Adapt a generic plugin template to a specific organization by replacing customization points with actual tool names, configuring MCP servers, and applying organization-specific customizations.
Finding the plugin: To find the plugin's source files, run find mnt/.local-plugins mnt/.plugins -type d -name "*<plugin-name>*" to locate the plugin directory, then read its files to understand its structure before making changes. If you cannot find the plugin directory, the user is likely running this conversation in a remote container. Abort and let them know: "Customizing plugins is currently only available in the desktop app's Cowork mode."
Overview
Generic plugins mark customization points with a ~~ prefix. Any line or value starting with ~~ is a placeholder that should be replaced during customization (e.g., ~~Jira -> Asana, ~~your-team-channel -> #engineering). To find all customization points in a plugin, use:
grep -rn '~~\w' /path/to/plugin --include='*.md' --include='*.json'
Important: Never change the name of the plugin or skill being customized. Only replace ~~-prefixed placeholder values and update content -- do not rename directories, files, or the plugin/skill name fields.
Nontechnical output: All user-facing output (todo list items, questions, summaries) must be written in plain, nontechnical language. Never mention ~~ prefixes, placeholders, or customization points to the user. Frame everything in terms of learning about the organization and its tools.
The process:
- Gather context -- use knowledge MCPs to learn what tools and processes the organization uses
- Create todo list -- grep for
~~\w to find all customization points and build a todo list
- Complete todo items -- apply gathered context, falling back to user questions when unclear
- Search for useful MCPs -- find and connect MCPs for identified tools
If an answer cannot be found via knowledge MCPs or user input, leave the customization point unchanged for a future customization cycle.
Customization Workflow
Phase 1: Gather Context from Knowledge MCPs
