Anthropic opened a directory submission portal on September 25, 2026, giving developers on paid Claude plans a streamlined way to build, submit, and track plugins for Claude, the company's AI assistant. The new portal automates validation, safety scanning, and review processes, then provides usage analytics once plugins go live. This marks a significant step toward making Claude extensible through a curated marketplace of third-party integrations.

What Exactly Are Claude Plugins and How Do They Work?

Anthropic describes plugins as packages that combine one or more building blocks: Model Context Protocol (MCP) connectors, Agent Skills, or both. MCP is an open protocol that lets Claude connect to external data sources and tools using standardized JSON-RPC 2.0 messages. Once approved and published, plugins appear in the Claude directory at claude.ai/directory, where users on paid plans can discover and install them.

Plugins work across multiple Claude surfaces. Users can add a plugin once and then use it on claude.ai, in the desktop and mobile apps, in Cowork (Anthropic's collaborative workspace), and in Claude Code, the company's command-line coding tool. In Claude Code specifically, plugins can also include Language Server Protocols (LSPs), commands, hooks, and agents, giving developers more granular control over how Claude interacts with their integrations.

How to Build and Submit a Claude Plugin

• Folder Structure and Manifest: Start by laying out your plugin folder and creating a manifest file that describes your plugin's metadata, capabilities, and configuration requirements.
• Write Skills in SKILL.md Files: Define workflows and actions that teach Claude how to use your integration by documenting skills in dedicated markdown files.
• Implement and Test the MCP Server: Build the backend MCP server that handles requests from Claude, then test it locally to ensure it responds correctly to model queries.
• Add Interactive UI (Optional): If your plugin needs to display charts, forms, or other interactive elements inline within conversations, implement MCP Apps for a richer user experience.
• Test on Each Surface: Validate that your plugin works correctly on claude.ai, mobile apps, desktop, Cowork, and Claude Code before publishing.
• Publish to the Directory: Submit your plugin through the portal, which automatically validates and safety-scans it, then guides it through Anthropic's review process.
• Measure Usage: Once live, track installs by product surface and version, plus discovery analytics showing how often your listing is viewed and which searches lead users to it.

Most of the tooling for building and checking a plugin lives in Claude Code itself. Developers can use the "claude plugin validate" command to check the manifest and component files, "claude --plugin-dir" to load a plugin from a local folder for one session, and "claude plugin eval" to run developer-written test cases comparing Claude's results with and without the plugin.

What Safety and Review Protections Does Anthropic Provide?

Each submission is automatically validated and safety-scanned as soon as it is submitted, allowing developers to catch issues early. The portal shows developers where their plugin sits in the review process, the results of the safety scan, and recommended changes before final approval. Anthropic checks each submission before it is listed in the directory, and there is no separate partner program to apply for first.

Once a plugin is approved, the developer decides when to publish it in Claude. This gives creators control over their launch timing and allows them to make final adjustments based on Anthropic's feedback. The company said millions of people connect Claude to their apps, work tools, and data every day, making the plugin ecosystem a significant opportunity for developers to reach a large audience.

What Analytics and Insights Do Developers Get?

After publication, developers gain access to two types of analytics. Usage analytics show installs broken down by product surface (web, mobile, desktop, Cowork, Claude Code) and by version, helping creators understand which platforms drive adoption. Discovery analytics reveal how often a plugin listing is viewed and which search terms lead users to discover it. Anthropic said these figures are meant to help developers prioritize fixes and features and to refine their listings so they reach new users more effectively.

This data-driven approach gives plugin creators visibility into user behavior and engagement, similar to app store analytics. Developers can use these insights to iterate on their integrations, improve documentation, and understand which features resonate most with Claude users.

What Technical Standards Does Claude Support?

Anthropic said Claude supports the latest MCP specification, commonly referred to as MCP 2.0, which includes a stateless core. The specification, dated July 28, 2026, defines the Model Context Protocol as an open protocol for integration between large language model (LLM) applications and external data sources and tools. It uses JSON-RPC 2.0 messages between hosts, clients, and servers: hosts are LLM applications that initiate connections, clients are connectors within the host application, and servers are services that provide context and capabilities.

Beyond the core protocol, MCP defines optional extensions that add modular, specialized, or experimental functionality. Anthropic highlights two extensions for plugin developers: MCP Apps, which let servers display interactive elements such as charts, forms, and video players inline within conversations, and Enterprise Managed Auth, which provides zero-touch OAuth for enterprise users requiring centralized access control. Anthropic said support for more MCP features and extensions is coming soon.

What Changes Are Coming to the Plugin Ecosystem?

Over the coming weeks, one unified discovery experience will roll out across Claude and Claude Code. Skills and MCP connectors will remain as building blocks, and the Claude directory will continue to list them. In the future, developers will be able to turn an existing connector listing into a plugin without starting from scratch. Anyone with an existing skill, connector, or plugin on the Claude directory does not need to make any changes; Anthropic will handle the transition automatically.

This evolution reflects Anthropic's effort to simplify the plugin landscape and reduce friction for developers. By consolidating discovery and making it easier to upgrade existing integrations to full plugins, the company is lowering barriers to entry and encouraging more third-party developers to build for Claude.