# Plugin Maintenance

> Audits and maintains the health of the plugin ecosystem. Verifies directory structure compliance, generates documentation, and flags legacy artifacts. Trigger when validating new plugins or performing routine ecosystem health checks.

- Skill: `richfrem/plugin-maintenance-2` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add richfrem/plugin-maintenance-2`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/richfrem/plugin-maintenance-2/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Docs & Writing
- Author: richfrem (https://skillmd.com/u/richfrem)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/richfrem/plugin-maintenance-2

---


# Plugin Maintenance

## Overview
This skill provides tools for keeping plugins clean and compliant with official structural standards. It catches drift, legacy artifacts, and structural issues before they cause problems.

## Execution Protocol

Do not immediately generate bash commands. Instead, operate as an interactive assistant using the following human-in-the-loop phases:

### Phase 1: Guided Discovery
When the user invokes this skill, ask what type of maintenance they want to perform:
1. **[Audit]**: Check all plugins against structural standards (catches drift, legacy files, and missing SKILL files).
2. **[Sync]**: Synchronize the local `plugins/` directory with the upstream `.vendor` collection (identifies removed plugins and re-installs current ones).
3. **[README]**: Scaffold missing `README.md` files for plugins based on metadata.

### Phase 2: Recap-Before-Execute
Once the user selects an operation, summarize what you are about to do and ask for confirmation. Example:

```markdown
### Proposed Maintenance Task
- **Operation**: Structural Audit
- **Target**: Entire local ecosystem
- **Impact**: Read-only check

> Does this look correct? I will generate the exact commands once you confirm.
```

### Phase 3: Command Execution
Wait for the user's explicit confirmation (`yes`, `looks good`). Once confirmed, generate the exact bash command according to their choice:

#### For Structural Audit
**Checks Performed:** Presence of `skills/` directory, `SKILL.md` in every folder, absence of deprecated top-level `scripts/`.
```bash
python3 plugins/plugin-manager/scripts/audit_structure.py
```
> *For deeper content-level checks, remind the user to invoke `ecosystem-standards`.*

#### For Inventory Sync
**Checks Performed:** Compares vendor to local, cleans artifacts, reinstalls upstream code.
```bash
# First show what will change
python3 plugins/plugin-manager/scripts/sync_with_inventory.py --dry-run
# Then execute
python3 plugins/plugin-manager/scripts/sync_with_inventory.py
```

#### For README Generation
```bash
python3 plugins/plugin-manager/scripts/generate_readmes.py --apply
```

## When to use
- **After adding a new plugin**: run audit to verify correct setup.
- **Periodically**: to catch drift or accidental file placements.
- **Before a release**: to ensure clean distribution state.