How do I add the anthropics/skills marketplace and install a plugin?

Two steps in Claude Code: add the marketplace (catalog), then install a plugin (package). Register Anthropic’s skills repo with /plugin marketplace add anthropics/skills. The marketplace id is anthropic-agent-skills - not the GitHub path. Example install: /plugin install document-skills@anthropic-agent-skills. This is not the auto-added curated marketplace claude-plugins-official. Checked 2026-09-14 against the anthropics/skills README and Discover plugins.

When to use / when not

Use when you have Claude Code and want Anthropic’s example, document, API, Academy, or discernment skills from the anthropics/skills catalog.

Not for:

• Building your own marketplace (see Anthropic’s plugin-marketplaces docs; out of scope here)
• Choosing which marketing or SEO skills first - use marketing skills to install first and SEO skills to install first
• Claude.ai-only skill upload paths (different surface)

Prerequisites

• Claude Code with interactive /plugin (or shell claude plugin … per official docs)
• Trust the source before install - docs: Anthropic doesn’t control third-party marketplace contents; only install from sources you trust
• Org policy may block adds (strictKnownMarketplaces / managed marketplace restrictions). If add fails, check with your admin and the discover-plugins docs - don’t invent policy details

Workflow - add the marketplace, then install a plugin

Catalog first, package second.

1. Add the marketplace

/plugin marketplace add anthropics/skills

Shell equivalent (docs):

claude plugin marketplace add anthropics/skills

2. Verify

/plugin marketplace list

Or open /plugin - Marketplaces and confirm anthropic-agent-skills is registered. Name map:

3. Install one plugin

Direct (README):

/plugin install document-skills@anthropic-agent-skills

or

/plugin install example-skills@anthropic-agent-skills

UI (README): /plugin - Browse and install plugins - select anthropic-agent-skills - pick document-skills or example-skills - Install now.

Shell pattern (docs): claude plugin install <plugin-name>@<marketplace-name> (user scope unless you pass --scope).

4. Choose scope if prompted

Discover-plugins: user (you, all projects), project (repo collaborators via settings), or local (you, this repo only). Don’t invent other scopes.

5. Activate

If the install summary says Run /reload-plugins to activate., Claude Code often runs that for you. If reload warns that the next message would re-read the conversation (prompt cache), use /reload-plugins --force only when you accept that cost - same wording as official docs.

6. Try it

README example after document-skills: ask Claude to use a skill by name, e.g. Use the PDF skill to extract the form fields from path/to/some-file.pdf.

7. Optional - refresh the catalog

Docs pattern:

/plugin marketplace update anthropic-agent-skills

Plugins in this marketplace (dated 2026-09-14)

From marketplace.json - five plugins that day; names only, no invented features:

Install any with /plugin install <name>@anthropic-agent-skills.

Stack - where this sits

• Claude Code plugin marketplaces register catalogs; plugins ship skills (namespaced) plus optional agents/hooks/MCP
• Separate from personal/project folders under ~/.claude/skills/ or .claude/skills/
• Claude.ai / Cowork skills are another surface - one sentence: paid Claude.ai already exposes many of these examples; this page is the Code marketplace path
• After install, evaluate plugins with How do I run claude plugin eval

Growth map (optional): Claude for marketing.

Pitfalls + quality bar

• Wrong @ suffix - @claude-plugins-official ≠ @anthropic-agent-skills. Official curated marketplace is separate and often auto-added.
• Install before add - named installs need the marketplace registered (docs: “Marketplace … not found” - add, then retry).
• Third-party directories - skills.sh / plugin listicles are not Anthropic product truth for these commands.
• Install everything day one - prefer one plugin; pick-order lives on the marketing/SEO install-first pages linked above.
• Trust - only install from sources you trust (discover-plugins security note).

Prompts (copy-paste)

1 - Verify marketplaces

List my Claude Code plugin marketplaces and show whether `anthropic-agent-skills` is registered.

2 - Confirm plugin

I just installed `document-skills@anthropic-agent-skills`. Confirm it’s enabled and what skills it exposes.

3 - Invoke a document skill (README-aligned)

Using the PDF skill from document-skills, extract the form fields from `path/to/file.pdf`.

More copies in prompts.md next to this draft.

FAQ

What is the marketplace name for anthropics/skills?
anthropic-agent-skills - from marketplace.json name, not the GitHub slug.

Is this the same as claude-plugins-official?
No. claude-plugins-official is Anthropic’s curated marketplace (often auto-added). anthropics/skills is an additional catalog you add yourself.

Which plugin should I install first from anthropic-agent-skills?
Depends on the job: documents - document-skills; learning patterns / skill-creator examples - example-skills; otherwise browse the five-plugin list. This page is not a marketing pick-order guide.

Do I need /reload-plugins?
Only when the install summary says so (or when changes happened outside the /plugin menu). Use --force only if reload warns about prompt cache.

Can I use the shell instead of slash commands?
Yes: claude plugin marketplace add / claude plugin install per Discover plugins.

Conclusion

• Add anthropics/skills - marketplace id anthropic-agent-skills
• Install with @anthropic-agent-skills, not @claude-plugins-official
• Try one skill, then eval or pick-order as needed

Next: run plugin eval · marketing skills first · SEO skills first

Sources (checked 2026-09-14)

• anthropics/skills README - marketplace add + install commands
• marketplace.json - name anthropic-agent-skills; five plugins
• Discover and install plugins - add/install pattern; claude-plugins-official vs community; scope; /reload-plugins