---
title: Agent Plugins
description: A portable package format for reusable components that extend AI agents.
---

# Agent Plugins



Agent Plugins is an open, vendor-neutral specification for packaging reusable components that extend AI agents into distributable plugins. Its portable contract builds on two existing standards: [Agent Skills](https://agentskills.io/specification) and the [Model Context Protocol](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/specification).

## The portable package [#the-portable-package]

An Agent Plugin is a directory with a required manifest and optional components in fixed locations:

```text
my-plugin/
├── plugin.json
├── skills/
│   └── summarize/
│       ├── SKILL.md
│       ├── scripts/
│       └── references/
├── mcp.json
└── com.example.client/
    └── hooks/
```

* `plugin.json` identifies the plugin and the Agent Plugins version it targets.
* `skills/` contains Agent Skills in the format defined by the Agent Skills specification.
* `mcp.json` describes stdio, Streamable HTTP, or legacy HTTP+SSE MCP servers.
* Reverse-domain extension namespaces let individual clients add behavior without changing the portable core.

Agent Plugins intentionally leaves distribution, marketplaces, installation workflows, permissions, and client UX outside the portable contract.

## Choose your path [#choose-your-path]

<Cards>
  <Card title="Build a plugin" href="/plugin-authors" description="Create a portable package with skills and MCP servers." />

  <Card title="Implement a client" href="/client-implementers" description="Load, validate, and run Agent Plugins safely." />

  <Card title="Read the specification" href="/specification" description="Consult the complete normative specification." />

  <Card title="Browse the schemas" href="/schemas" description="Use the canonical plugin and MCP JSON Schemas." />
</Cards>

## Source and governance [#source-and-governance]

The versioned specification is authoritative. Project governance, contribution guidance, schemas, and release history live in the [Agent Plugins specification repository](https://github.com/agentplugins/agent-plugins-spec).


---

For a semantic overview of all documentation, see [/sitemap.md](/sitemap.md)

For an index of all available documentation, see [/llms.txt](/llms.txt)