MCPInstall

create-plugin-scaffold

by cursorFrontend & Design

Create a new Cursor plugin scaffold with a valid manifest, component directories, and marketplace wiring. Use when starting a new plugin or adding a plugin to a multi-plugin repository.

Installs
1.2K
Last 24h
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Install

Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.

npx skills add https://github.com/cursor/plugins --skill create-plugin-scaffold
  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 create-plugin-scaffold automatically when relevant.

  3. 03

    Review the result

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

SKILL.md

The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.

Create plugin scaffold

Trigger

You need to create a new Cursor plugin from scratch and make it ready for local use or marketplace submission.

Required Inputs

  • Plugin name (lowercase kebab-case)
  • Plugin purpose and target users
  • Component set to include (rules, skills, agents, commands, hooks, mcpServers)
  • Repository style (single-plugin or multi-plugin marketplace)

Output Location

By default, create the plugin inside the user's local plugin directory:

~/.cursor/plugins/local/<plugin-name>/

This path makes the plugin immediately available to Cursor without any install step. If the user explicitly asks to create the plugin elsewhere (e.g. inside an existing repo or a specific directory), respect that choice instead.

Workflow

  1. Validate plugin name format: lowercase kebab-case, starts and ends with an alphanumeric character.
  2. Determine the target directory:
    • Default: ~/.cursor/plugins/local/<plugin-name>/
    • Override: use the path the user specifies, if any.
    • Create the directory (and parents) if it does not exist.
  3. Create base files inside the target directory:
    • .cursor-plugin/plugin.json
    • README.md
    • LICENSE
    • optional CHANGELOG.md
  4. Populate plugin.json:
    • Required: name
    • Recommended: version, description, author, license, keywords
    • Add explicit component paths only when non-default discovery is needed.
  5. Create component files with valid frontmatter:
    • Rules: .mdc with description, alwaysApply, optional globs
    • Skills: skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md with name, description
    • Agents: agents/*.md with name, description
    • Commands: commands/*.(md|txt) with name, description
  6. If repository uses .cursor-plugin/marketplace.json, add plugin entry:
    • name
    • source
    • optional metadata (description, keywords, category, tags)
  7. Ensure all manifest paths are relative, valid, and do not use absolute paths or parent traversal.

Guardrails

  • Keep the plugin focused on one use case.
  • Prefer concise, actionable skill and rule text over long prose.
  • Do not reference files that do not exist.
  • Use folder discovery defaults unless custom paths are required.
  • Always save to ~/.cursor/plugins/local/<plugin-name>/ unless the user provides a different path.

Output

  • Created file tree for the plugin (with full path to the output directory)
  • Final plugin.json
  • Marketplace entry (if applicable)
  • Short validation report of required fields and component metadata
  • Confirmation that the plugin is saved under ~/.cursor/plugins/local/ and ready for use

FAQ

What does the create-plugin-scaffold skill do?

Create a new Cursor plugin scaffold with a valid manifest, component directories, and marketplace wiring. Use when starting a new plugin or adding a plugin to a multi-plugin repository.

How do I install create-plugin-scaffold?

Run npx skills add https://github.com/cursor/plugins --skill create-plugin-scaffold 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/create-plugin-scaffold/ (personal) or .claude/skills/create-plugin-scaffold/ (project).

Which AI agents can use create-plugin-scaffold?

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 create-plugin-scaffold safe to install?

No partner security audit is available yet. Skills can run commands and scripts, so read the SKILL.md and any bundled files before installing.

Who maintains create-plugin-scaffold?

It is published by cursor in cursor/plugins. It has 1,202 recorded installs.

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