MCPInstall

plugin settings

This skill should be used when the user asks about "plugin settings", "store plugin configuration", "user-configurable plugin", ".local.md files", "plugin state files", "read YAML frontmatter", "per-project plugin settings", or wants to make plugin behavior configurable. Documents the .claude/plugin-name.local.md pattern for storing plugin-specific configuration with YAML frontmatter and markdown content.

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Security
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Install

Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.

npx skills add https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code --skill plugin-settings
  1. 01

    Install

    Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.

  2. 02

    Describe the task

    Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads plugin settings automatically when relevant.

  3. 03

    Review the result

    The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.

Security audits

Independent scans of the skill's instructions and bundled files.

Gen Agent Trust Hub PassSAFE ·This skill serves as a guide for implementing project-local settings and configuration management for plugins. It prioritizes security best practices, such as path traversal prevention, input validation, and the use of .gitignore for local state files. The patterns shown help ensure that agent behavior remains predictable and secure within a project environment.
Socket PassNo alerts
Snyk PassLOW ·Risk: LOW · No issues
Runlayer FailHIGH ·4/8 files flagged
ZeroLeaks PassNONE ·Score: 93/100 · 2 sections analyzed

SKILL.md

The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.

Plugin Settings Pattern for Claude Code Plugins

Overview

Plugins can store user-configurable settings and state in .claude/plugin-name.local.md files within the project directory. This pattern uses YAML frontmatter for structured configuration and markdown content for prompts or additional context.

Key characteristics:

  • File location: .claude/plugin-name.local.md in project root
  • Structure: YAML frontmatter + markdown body
  • Purpose: Per-project plugin configuration and state
  • Usage: Read from hooks, commands, and agents
  • Lifecycle: User-managed (not in git, should be in .gitignore)

File Structure

Basic Template

---
enabled: true
setting1: value1
setting2: value2
numeric_setting: 42
list_setting: ["item1", "item2"]
---

# Additional Context

This markdown body can contain:
- Task descriptions
- Additional instructions
- Prompts to feed back to Claude
- Documentation or notes

Example: Plugin State File

.claude/my-plugin.local.md:

---
enabled: true
strict_mode: false
max_retries: 3
notification_level: info
coordinator_session: team-leader
---

# Plugin Configuration

This plugin is configured for standard validation mode.
Contact @team-lead with questions.

Reading Settings Files

From Hooks (Bash Scripts)

Pattern: Check existence and parse frontmatter

#!/bin/bash
set -euo pipefail

# Define state file path
STATE_FILE=".claude/my-plugin.local.md"

# Quick exit if file doesn't exist
if [[ ! -f "$STATE_FILE" ]]; then
  exit 0  # Plugin not configured, skip
fi

# Parse YAML frontmatter (between --- markers)
FRONTMATTER=$(sed -n '/^---$/,/^---$/{ /^---$/d; p; }' "$STATE_FILE")

# Extract individual fields
ENABLED=$(echo "$FRONTMATTER" | grep '^enabled:' | sed 's/enabled: *//' | sed 's/^"\(.*\)"$/\1/')
STRICT_MODE=$(echo "$FRONTMATTER" | grep '^strict_mode:' | sed 's/strict_mode: *//' | sed 's/^"\(.*\)"$/\1/')

# Check if enabled
if [[ "$ENABLED" != "true" ]]; then
  exit 0  # Disabled
fi

# Use configuration in hook logic
if [[ "$STRICT_MODE" == "true" ]]; then
  # Apply strict validation
  # ...
fi

See examples/read-settings-hook.sh for complete working example.

From Commands

Commands can read settings files to customize behavior:

---
description: Process data with plugin
allowed-tools: ["Read", "Bash"]
---

# Process Command

Steps:
1. Check if settings exist at `.claude/my-plugin.local.md`
2. Read configuration using Read tool
3. Parse YAML frontmatter to extract settings
4. Apply settings to processing logic
5. Execute with configured behavior

From Agents

Agents can reference settings in their instructions:

---
name: configured-agent
description: Agent that adapts to project settings
---

Check for plugin settings at `.claude/my-plugin.local.md`.
If present, parse YAML frontmatter and adapt behavior according to:
- enabled: Whether plugin is active
- mode: Processing mode (strict, standard, lenient)
- Additional configuration fields

Parsing Techniques

Extract Frontmatter

# Extract everything between --- markers
FRONTMATTER=$(sed -n '/^---$/,/^---$/{ /^---$/d; p; }' "$FILE")

Read Individual Fields

String fields:

VALUE=$(echo "$FRONTMATTER" | grep '^field_name:' | sed 's/field_name: *//' | sed 's/^"\(.*\)"$/\1/')

Boolean fields:

ENABLED=$(echo "$FRONTMATTER" | grep '^enabled:' | sed 's/enabled: *//')
# Compare: if [[ "$ENABLED" == "true" ]]; then

Numeric fields:

MAX=$(echo "$FRONTMATTER" | grep '^max_value:' | sed 's/max_value: *//')
# Use: if [[ $MAX -gt 100 ]]; then

Read Markdown Body

Extract content after second ---:

# Get everything after closing ---
BODY=$(awk '/^---$/{i++; next} i>=2' "$FILE")

Common Patterns

Pattern 1: Temporarily Active Hooks

Use settings file to control hook activation:

#!/bin/bash
STATE_FILE=".claude/security-scan.local.md"

# Quick exit if not configured
if [[ ! -f "$STATE_FILE" ]]; then
  exit 0
fi

# Read enabled flag
FRONTMATTER=$(sed -n '/^---$/,/^---$/{ /^---$/d; p; }' "$STATE_FILE")
ENABLED=$(echo "$FRONTMATTER" | grep '^enabled:' | sed 's/enabled: *//')

if [[ "$ENABLED" != "true" ]]; then
  exit 0  # Disabled
fi

# Run hook logic
# ...

Use case: Enable/disable hooks without editing hooks.json (requires restart).

Pattern 2: Agent State Management

Store agent-specific state and configuration:

.claude/multi-agent-swarm.local.md:

---
agent_name: auth-agent
task_number: 3.5
pr_number: 1234
coordinator_session: team-leader
enabled: true
dependencies: ["Task 3.4"]
---

# Task Assignment

Implement JWT authentication for the API.

**Success Criteria:**
- Authentication endpoints created
- Tests passing
- PR created and CI green

Read from hooks to coordinate agents:

AGENT_NAME=$(echo "$FRONTMATTER" | grep '^agent_name:' | sed 's/agent_name: *//')
COORDINATOR=$(echo "$FRONTMATTER" | grep '^coordinator_session:' | sed 's/coordinator_session: *//')

# Send notification to coordinator
tmux send-keys -t "$COORDINATOR" "Agent $AGENT_NAME completed task" Enter

Pattern 3: Configuration-Driven Behavior

.claude/my-plugin.local.md:

---
validation_level: strict
max_file_size: 1000000
allowed_extensions: [".js", ".ts", ".tsx"]
enable_logging: true
---

# Validation Configuration

Strict mode enabled for this project.
All writes validated against security policies.

Use in hooks or commands:

LEVEL=$(echo "$FRONTMATTER" | grep '^validation_level:' | sed 's/validation_level: *//')

case "$LEVEL" in
  strict)
    # Apply strict validation
    ;;
  standard)
    # Apply standard validation
    ;;
  lenient)
    # Apply lenient validation
    ;;
esac

Creating Settings Files

From Commands

Commands can create settings files:

# Setup Command

Steps:
1. Ask user for configuration preferences
2. Create `.claude/my-plugin.local.md` with YAML frontmatter
3. Set appropriate values based on user input
4. Inform user that settings are saved
5. Remind user to restart Claude Code for hooks to recognize changes

Template Generation

Provide template in plugin README:

## Configuration

Create `.claude/my-plugin.local.md` in your project:

\`\`\`markdown
---
enabled: true
mode: standard
max_retries: 3
---

# Plugin Configuration

Your settings are active.
\`\`\`

After creating or editing, restart Claude Code for changes to take effect.

Best Practices

File Naming

✅ DO:

  • Use .claude/plugin-name.local.md format
  • Match plugin name exactly
  • Use .local.md suffix for user-local files

❌ DON'T:

  • Use different directory (not .claude/)
  • Use inconsistent naming
  • Use .md without .local (might be committed)

Gitignore

Always add to .gitignore:

.claude/*.local.md
.claude/*.local.json

Document this in plugin README.

Defaults

Provide sensible defaults when settings file doesn't exist:

if [[ ! -f "$STATE_FILE" ]]; then
  # Use defaults
  ENABLED=true
  MODE=standard
else
  # Read from file
  # ...
fi

Validation

Validate settings values:

MAX=$(echo "$FRONTMATTER" | grep '^max_value:' | sed 's/max_value: *//')

# Validate numeric range
if ! [[ "$MAX" =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]] || [[ $MAX -lt 1 ]] || [[ $MAX -gt 100 ]]; then
  echo "⚠️  Invalid max_value in settings (must be 1-100)" >&2
  MAX=10  # Use default
fi

Restart Requirement

Important: Settings changes require Claude Code restart.

Document in your README:

## Changing Settings

After editing `.claude/my-plugin.local.md`:
1. Save the file
2. Exit Claude Code
3. Restart: `claude` or `cc`
4. New settings will be loaded

Hooks cannot be hot-swapped within a session.

Security Considerations

Sanitize User Input

When writing settings files from user input:

# Escape quotes in user input
SAFE_VALUE=$(echo "$USER_INPUT" | sed 's/"/\\"/g')

# Write to file
cat > "$STATE_FILE" <<EOF
---
user_setting: "$SAFE_VALUE"
---
EOF

Validate File Paths

If settings contain file paths:

FILE_PATH=$(echo "$FRONTMATTER" | grep '^data_file:' | sed 's/data_file: *//')

# Check for path traversal
if [[ "$FILE_PATH" == *".."* ]]; then
  echo "⚠️  Invalid path in settings (path traversal)" >&2
  exit 2
fi

Permissions

Settings files should be:

  • Readable by user only (chmod 600)
  • Not committed to git
  • Not shared between users

Real-World Examples

multi-agent-swarm Plugin

.claude/multi-agent-swarm.local.md:

---
agent_name: auth-implementation
task_number: 3.5
pr_number: 1234
coordinator_session: team-leader
enabled: true
dependencies: ["Task 3.4"]
additional_instructions: Use JWT tokens, not sessions
---

# Task: Implement Authentication

Build JWT-based authentication for the REST API.
Coordinate with auth-agent on shared types.

Hook usage (agent-stop-notification.sh):

  • Checks if file exists (line 15-18: quick exit if not)
  • Parses frontmatter to get coordinator_session, agent_name, enabled
  • Sends notifications to coordinator if enabled
  • Allows quick activation/deactivation via enabled: true/false

ralph-wiggum Plugin

.claude/ralph-loop.local.md:

---
iteration: 1
max_iterations: 10
completion_promise: "All tests passing and build successful"
---

Fix all the linting errors in the project.
Make sure tests pass after each fix.

Hook usage (stop-hook.sh):

  • Checks if file exists (line 15-18: quick exit if not active)
  • Reads iteration count and max_iterations
  • Extracts completion_promise for loop termination
  • Reads body as the prompt to feed back
  • Updates iteration count on each loop

Quick Reference

File Location

project-root/
└── .claude/
    └── plugin-name.local.md

Frontmatter Parsing

# Extract frontmatter
FRONTMATTER=$(sed -n '/^---$/,/^---$/{ /^---$/d; p; }' "$FILE")

# Read field
VALUE=$(echo "$FRONTMATTER" | grep '^field:' | sed 's/field: *//' | sed 's/^"\(.*\)"$/\1/')

Body Parsing

# Extract body (after second ---)
BODY=$(awk '/^---$/{i++; next} i>=2' "$FILE")

Quick Exit Pattern

if [[ ! -f ".claude/my-plugin.local.md" ]]; then
  exit 0  # Not configured
fi

Additional Resources

Reference Files

For detailed implementation patterns:

  • references/parsing-techniques.md - Complete guide to parsing YAML frontmatter and markdown bodies
  • references/real-world-examples.md - Deep dive into multi-agent-swarm and ralph-wiggum implementations

Example Files

Working examples in examples/:

  • read-settings-hook.sh - Hook that reads and uses settings
  • create-settings-command.md - Command that creates settings file
  • example-settings.md - Template settings file

Utility Scripts

Development tools in scripts/:

  • validate-settings.sh - Validate settings file structure
  • parse-frontmatter.sh - Extract frontmatter fields

Implementation Workflow

To add settings to a plugin:

  1. Design settings schema (which fields, types, defaults)
  2. Create template file in plugin documentation
  3. Add gitignore entry for .claude/*.local.md
  4. Implement settings parsing in hooks/commands
  5. Use quick-exit pattern (check file exists, check enabled field)
  6. Document settings in plugin README with template
  7. Remind users that changes require Claude Code restart

Focus on keeping settings simple and providing good defaults when settings file doesn't exist.

FAQ

What does the plugin settings skill do?

This skill should be used when the user asks about "plugin settings", "store plugin configuration", "user-configurable plugin", ".local.md files", "plugin state files", "read YAML frontmatter", "per-project plugin settings", or wants to make plugin behavior configurable. Documents the .claude/plugin-name.local.md pattern for storing plugin-specific configuration with YAML frontmatter and markdown content.

How do I install plugin settings?

Run npx skills add https://github.com/anthropics/claude-code --skill plugin-settings in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/plugin-settings/ (personal) or .claude/skills/plugin-settings/ (project).

Which AI agents can use plugin settings?

Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.

Is plugin settings safe to install?

Security partners have reviewed it: Gen Agent Trust Hub passed; Socket passed; Snyk passed; Runlayer flagged risks; ZeroLeaks passed. As with any skill, read the SKILL.md and bundled scripts before installing.

Who maintains plugin settings?

It is published by anthropics in anthropics/claude-code, and it is an official skill from the maker of the technology it covers. It has 13,671 recorded installs.

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