docs(plugin-dev): deprecate commands/ in favor of skills/<name>/SKILL.md

P0 follow-up for EA-471. Updates plugin-dev teaching materials to stop
recommending the commands/ directory layout for new plugins:

- command-development/SKILL.md: add legacy banner at top pointing to
  skills/ format
- create-plugin.md: update scaffolding to create skills/<name>/SKILL.md
  instead of commands/; mark commands/ as acceptable legacy alternative;
  update all examples, tables, and testing instructions
- example-plugin: migrate example-command to skills/example-command/SKILL.md;
  keep commands/example-command.md with a legacy-format note; update README
  to reflect new preferred structure

Both formats remain loaded identically — this is a documentation change only.

Refs: anthropics/apps#26827
This commit is contained in:
Henry Shi
2026-03-08 15:56:20 -07:00
parent 205b6e0b30
commit 58ad5cbb02
5 changed files with 190 additions and 58 deletions

View File

@@ -7,32 +7,24 @@ A comprehensive example plugin demonstrating Claude Code extension options.
```
example-plugin/
├── .claude-plugin/
│ └── plugin.json # Plugin metadata
├── .mcp.json # MCP server configuration
├── commands/
── example-command.md # Slash command definition
└── skills/
└── example-skill/
└── SKILL.md # Skill definition
│ └── plugin.json # Plugin metadata
├── .mcp.json # MCP server configuration
├── skills/
── example-skill/
│ │ └── SKILL.md # Model-invoked skill (contextual guidance)
└── example-command/
└── SKILL.md # User-invoked skill (slash command)
└── commands/
└── example-command.md # Legacy slash command format (see note below)
```
## Extension Options
### Commands (`commands/`)
Slash commands are user-invoked via `/command-name`. Define them as markdown files with frontmatter:
```yaml
---
description: Short description for /help
argument-hint: <arg1> [optional-arg]
allowed-tools: [Read, Glob, Grep]
---
```
### Skills (`skills/`)
Skills are model-invoked capabilities. Create a `SKILL.md` in a subdirectory:
Skills are the preferred format for both model-invoked capabilities and user-invoked slash commands. Create a `SKILL.md` in a subdirectory:
**Model-invoked skill** (activated by task context):
```yaml
---
@@ -42,6 +34,21 @@ version: 1.0.0
---
```
**User-invoked skill** (slash command — `/skill-name`):
```yaml
---
name: skill-name
description: Short description for /help
argument-hint: <arg1> [optional-arg]
allowed-tools: [Read, Glob, Grep]
---
```
### Commands (`commands/`) — legacy
> **Note:** The `commands/*.md` layout is a legacy format. It is loaded identically to `skills/<name>/SKILL.md` — the only difference is file layout. For new plugins, prefer the `skills/` directory format. This plugin keeps `commands/example-command.md` as a reference for the legacy layout.
### MCP Servers (`.mcp.json`)
Configure external tool integration via Model Context Protocol:

View File

@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
---
description: An example slash command that demonstrates command frontmatter options
description: An example slash command that demonstrates command frontmatter options (legacy format)
argument-hint: <required-arg> [optional-arg]
allowed-tools: [Read, Glob, Grep, Bash]
---
# Example Command
# Example Command (Legacy `commands/` Format)
> **Note:** This demonstrates the legacy `commands/*.md` layout. For new plugins, prefer the `skills/<name>/SKILL.md` directory format (see `skills/example-command/SKILL.md` in this plugin). Both are loaded identically — the only difference is file layout.
This command demonstrates slash command structure and frontmatter options.

View File

@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
---
name: example-command
description: An example user-invoked skill that demonstrates frontmatter options and the skills/<name>/SKILL.md layout
argument-hint: <required-arg> [optional-arg]
allowed-tools: [Read, Glob, Grep, Bash]
---
# Example Command (Skill Format)
This demonstrates the `skills/<name>/SKILL.md` layout for user-invoked slash commands. It is functionally identical to the legacy `commands/example-command.md` format — both are loaded the same way; only the file layout differs.
## Arguments
The user invoked this with: $ARGUMENTS
## Instructions
When this skill is invoked:
1. Parse the arguments provided by the user
2. Perform the requested action using allowed tools
3. Report results back to the user
## Frontmatter Options Reference
Skills in this layout support these frontmatter fields:
- **name**: Skill identifier (matches directory name)
- **description**: Short description shown in /help
- **argument-hint**: Hints for command arguments shown to user
- **allowed-tools**: Pre-approved tools for this skill (reduces permission prompts)
- **model**: Override the model (e.g., "haiku", "sonnet", "opus")
## Example Usage
```
/example-command my-argument
/example-command arg1 arg2
```