Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Atlas Plugin Creator agent skill (plugin-creator)
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
Plugin Creator is an agent skill for Atlas Agent that scaffolds new plugins: it generates a standard folder with a plugin.json manifest, optional companion folders, a marketplace entry so the plugin appears in the app, and a validation check. It is for developers who build personal or team plugins in the Atlas plugin format. After this guide you will know what the skill does, how to install it, how to phrase requests so the agent triggers it, and which safety checks to run before trusting its output.
Atlas Plugin Creatorpacifio/atlas · Apache-2.0 Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download and unzip. Download the plugin-creator ZIP from the directory page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ or a project's .claude/skills/ folder.
- 2Install prerequisites. Confirm Python 3 is available and install PyYAML, which the validate script needs.
- 3Ask for a plugin. Describe the plugin in plain language, naming it and any companion folders you need.
- 4Check the scaffold. Confirm the plugin folder exists at ~/plugins/<plugin-name> with .atlas_engine-plugin/plugin.json and no [TODO: ...] placeholders.
- 5Register in marketplace. Use the marketplace option if the plugin should appear in Atlas Agent's list, and check the entry in ~/.agents/plugins/marketplace.json.
- 6Validate. Run validate_plugin.py on the plugin path before using the result.
What is an agent skill, and what does plugin-creator do?
An agent skill is a folder with a SKILL.md file and optional scripts and reference files. When a request matches the skill's description, the agent reads its instructions and runs the bundled tools instead of improvising.
Plugin Creator covers the plugin-building work. When asked to create a plugin, the agent runs bundled Python scripts that generate a plugin folder with a required .atlas_engine-plugin/plugin.json manifest. It can add optional folders for skills, hooks, scripts, assets, MCP and app config, register the plugin in a marketplace.json file so it shows up in the app's list, and validate the result. For plugins already under development, it can also bump the version with a cachebuster suffix so changes reinstall.
- Creates ~/plugins/<plugin-name>/ by default, with the manifest inside .atlas_engine-plugin/
- Normalizes names to lower-case hyphen-case, up to 64 characters
- Adds entries to ~/.agents/plugins/marketplace.json when asked
- Runs a validation script before handing back a plugin
Install the plugin-creator skill
You can install the skill by copying its folder into a skills directory, or by uploading it in the Claude apps. Download the ZIP from the directory page and unzip it into one of these locations:
- Personal: ~/.claude/skills/
- Single project: the .claude/skills/ folder inside your project
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills, then upload the skill
Check the requirements before you start
The skill runs Python scripts on your machine. It needs Python 3 and the PyYAML package, because the validate script imports yaml. It also needs write access to ~/plugins and to ~/.agents/plugins/marketplace.json, since that is where generated files and marketplace entries go. The skill does not use the network.
- Python 3
- PyYAML
- Write access to ~/plugins and ~/.agents/plugins/marketplace.json
Trigger the skill with a natural request
You do not need to name a script. Ask for a plugin in plain language and the agent should pick up the skill from its description. The skill description covers creating a new personal plugin, adding optional structure, generating marketplace entries, and updating an existing local plugin during development.
Be specific about metadata and destination when you have it. If you do not name a repo or team marketplace, the skill defaults to the personal marketplace.
- "Create a personal Atlas plugin called Invoice Tools and add it to my marketplace."
- "Scaffold a plugin named meeting notes with skills and scripts folders."
- "Bump the version of my local plugin so my changes reinstall."
- "Validate the plugin at ~/plugins/invoice-tools before I hand it back."
Run the scaffold and marketplace steps yourself
The skill's Quick Start runs the scaffold script from the skill root. By default it creates the plugin in ~/plugins/<plugin-name>. Add --with-marketplace to register it in the personal marketplace at ~/.agents/plugins/marketplace.json. Add companion folder flags only when you need them.
- Use --marketplace-name only when the default personal name is already taken.
- Use --path and --marketplace-path together only for a repo or team marketplace you specifically want.
- After a repo marketplace is used, install it with atlas_engine plugin marketplace add before reinstalling from it.
python3 scripts/create_basic_plugin.py my-plugin --with-marketplaceValidate and update during development
Before you hand a generated plugin back, run the validation script on the plugin folder. When you are iterating on a plugin that already exists and is already in a marketplace entry, use the cachebuster script instead of editing marketplace files by hand. The reference installing-and-updating.md describes the expected reinstall flow.
- Validate: run validate_plugin.py on the plugin path
- Update: run update_plugin_cachebuster.py on the plugin path; the helper default cachebuster is preferred
python3 scripts/validate_plugin.py <plugin-path>Safety notes: scripts and files it writes
The skill runs scripts and writes to user files. Treat its output as something to check, not something to trust blindly. Scripts write to your plugin folder and to the marketplace file, and an incorrect --force flag or path can overwrite an existing marketplace entry. Use --force only when you mean to replace an entry for the same plugin name.
The skill does not use the network, but it can run code on your machine, so read the scripts in the scripts/ folder if you need to confirm what they do.
- Check ~/.agents/plugins/marketplace.json before and after running with --with-marketplace
- Do not edit an existing marketplace.json by hand without checking the script output
- Do not use --marketplace-name to rename an existing marketplace file
What people use it for
- Scaffolding a personal plugin with a manifest and a skills folder
- Creating a plugin with MCP or app config files for a team shared repo marketplace
- Adding a new entry to an existing personal marketplace without changing other entries
- Bumping a local plugin's version so edits reinstall during development
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the plugin-creator skill?
Download the ZIP from the directory page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder. You can also upload it in the Claude apps under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
What do I need to run plugin-creator?
You need Python 3, the PyYAML package because the validate script imports yaml, and write access to ~/plugins and ~/.agents/plugins/marketplace.json. The skill does not use the network.
Is plugin-creator free to use?
The source is licensed under Apache-2.0. The listing does not state any price, so check the directory page for current terms before relying on it.
Does plugin-creator work for other plugin formats?
No. It only applies to the Atlas Agent plugin format, with a .atlas_engine-plugin/plugin.json manifest. It is not for users who are not building Atlas Agent plugins.
Why won't my plugin show up in Atlas Agent?
The plugin appears in the app's list through a marketplace entry. Make sure you used the marketplace option so the entry was added to ~/.agents/plugins/marketplace.json, and that the entry's source path points to ./plugins/<plugin-name>. If you used a repo marketplace, install it with atlas_engine plugin marketplace add first.
Can I edit marketplace.json by hand instead?
You can, but the skill guidance says not to edit an existing marketplace.json by hand without checking the script output. Incorrect paths or --force can overwrite an existing entry, so back up the file first.
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Our verdict
Plugin Creator is worth using if you build Atlas Agent plugins and want consistent scaffolds, valid manifests and marketplace entries without writing the boilerplate yourself. Skip it if you are not building this plugin format, or if you prefer to write marketplace files by hand and do not want scripts writing to your user folders.
Download the skill