New Plugin

new-plugin

Scaffold a new language/framework plugin for the alphabetsoup marketplace.

Step 1 — Get the language/framework

If not already stated, ask: "Which language or framework is this plugin for?"

Step 2 — Suggest names

Suggest 3–4 gender-neutral names sharing the language's first letter, via AskUserQuestion. Also offer a free-text option so the user can provide their own.

Check existing plugins to avoid duplicates:

ls plugins/

Examples of the naming pattern: Go → gale; Python → pat; Vue → vic; React → randy; Rust → river/robin/reese; Java → jules/jade; TypeScript → taylor/tatum.

Step 3 — Create the plugin

Once a name is confirmed, scaffold:

mkdir -p plugins/<name>/.claude-plugin plugins/<name>/agents

Create plugins/<name>/.claude-plugin/plugin.json:

{
  "name": "<name>",
  "description": "<Language/Framework> engineer agent. Implements <language> code in <directory>/ from specs/.",
  "author": { "name": "Austin Howard" }
}

Create plugins/<name>/agents/<name>.md modeled on an existing engineer agent (e.g. plugins/gale/agents/gale.md). Customize: language/framework name, working directory. The agent prompt only points to CONVENTIONS.md — language-specific opinions live there, not inline.

Create plugins/<name>/CONVENTIONS.md — a real file, never symlinked — using this template:

# <Language> Conventions

## Tooling
- ...

## Libraries (default picks)
- <purpose> → <library>

## Patterns to enforce
- ...

## Anti-patterns
- ...

Create symlinks (use Bash, not Write):

cd plugins/<name>
ln -s ../../shared/GROUND_RULES.md GROUND_RULES.md
ln -s ../../shared/INTERACTION.md INTERACTION.md

Step 4 — Register in marketplace catalog

Append to the plugins[] array in .claude-plugin/marketplace.json:

{
  "name": "<name>",
  "source": "./plugins/<name>",
  "description": "<Language/Framework> engineer agent. Implements <language> code in <directory>/ from specs/."
}

Step 5 — Update the landing page

The public site at docs/index.html lists every agent. Follow docs/CLAUDE.md → "Adding a plugin" to keep it in sync. In short, edit docs/index.html:

1. Add a --<name> hue var in :root (a color from the language's identity).
2. Bind it: add .t-<name> and .agent.t-<name> to the hue-class lines.
3. Add a hero .tile for the agent to .roster.
4. Add an .agent row to the matching .domain in the Plugins section (new .domain card if the domain is new), with a .tags block of 3–5 opinionated picks from the new CONVENTIONS.md (specific libraries and negations like "no ORM" — not generic advice). Class each tag lib, rule, or anti (see docs/CLAUDE.md).

Preview with open docs/index.html and confirm no filesystem paths leaked outside the Install section.

Step 6 — Validate

Run:

claude plugin validate .
claude plugin validate ./plugins/<name>

Fix any reported errors before finishing.

Summary

• Scaffolded plugins/<name>/ with plugin.json, agent, and shared-rule symlinks.
• Registered in marketplace.json.
• Updated docs/index.html landing page (per docs/CLAUDE.md).
• Ran claude plugin validate.