# Create Paperclip Plugin

Scaffolds, iterates on and installs an external Paperclip plugin with the CLI.

- Repository: https://github.com/paperclipai/paperclip (109885 stars)
- Category: Engineering
- License: MIT
- Last updated: 2026-11-01
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add paperclipai/paperclip --skill paperclip-create-plugin -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add paperclipai/paperclip --skill paperclip-create-plugin -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add paperclipai/paperclip --skill paperclip-create-plugin -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add paperclipai/paperclip --skill paperclip-create-plugin -g -a gemini-cli -y`

## Description

Create and develop external Paperclip plugins with the CLI-first workflow. Use when scaffolding a plugin, iterating on a local plugin, installing it into Paperclip, or updating plugin authoring docs.

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# Create and develop a Paperclip plugin

Use this skill when the task is to create, scaffold, or iterate on a Paperclip plugin against a local Paperclip instance.

## 1. Default: build the plugin OUTSIDE Paperclip core

Plugins are their own packages. Unless the task **explicitly** asks for a bundled in-repo example, do not add plugin source under `packages/plugins/` in this repo.

- Scaffold the plugin into a directory outside the Paperclip checkout (e.g. `~/dev/paperclip-plugins/<name>`).
- Install it into the running Paperclip instance by local absolute path.
- Edit code in the external package; let Paperclip pick up rebuilt output.

Only edit Paperclip core itself when the user asks to surface a plugin as a bundled example (`server/src/routes/plugins.ts`, in-repo example lists, docs).

## 2. Ground rules

Reference docs when you need detail:

1. `doc/plugins/PLUGIN_AUTHORING_GUIDE.md`
2. `packages/plugins/sdk/README.md`
3. `doc/plugins/PLUGIN_SPEC.md`, future-looking context only

Current runtime assumptions:

- plugin workers are trusted code
- plugin UI is trusted same-origin host code
- worker APIs are capability-gated
- plugin UI is not sandboxed by manifest capabilities
- no host-provided shared plugin UI component kit yet
- `ctx.assets` is not supported in the current runtime

## 3. CLI-first scaffold workflow

Use `paperclipai plugin init`. Do not invoke the scaffold package node entrypoint by hand unless the CLI command is unavailable in the environment.

```bash
paperclipai plugin init @acme/my-plugin --output ~/dev/paperclip-plugins
```

Useful flags (all optional):

The rest: https://github.com/paperclipai/paperclip/blob/HEAD/.agents/skills/paperclip-create-plugin/SKILL.md