Plugins
A plugin packages skills, slash commands, agents, hooks, MCP servers, language servers, output styles and background monitors into one installable unit. Install a plugin and everything in it is ready to use. Turn it off and it all goes away together.
What a plugin adds to your sessions
| Component | Shows up as |
|---|---|
| Skills | Skills the agent can use, and /name commands you can type |
| Commands | /plugin-name:command |
| Agents | Helper agents named plugin-name:agent |
| Hooks | Commands that run on session and tool events |
| MCP servers | New tools, connected as plugin:<plugin>:<server> |
| Language servers | Precise code navigation through the Lsp tool |
| Output styles | Extra choices in /output-style |
| Monitors | Background watchers that stream into the session |
Plugin components describes each one.
Plugin or plain configuration?
For something only you need in one project, a skill, a hook or an MCP server in your own settings is simpler. Reach for a plugin once a set of pieces needs sharing, version it and let people install, update and remove it in one step.
Get plugins from a marketplace
Plugins come from marketplaces: catalogs (marketplace.json) that list plugins and where to fetch each one. A marketplace can live in a GitHub or other git repository, a folder, a URL or an npm package. Save one, then install from it:
syntic plugin marketplace add acme/syntic-plugins
syntic plugin install formatter@acmeOr, in a session, open the manager with /plugin and use its Installed, Discover and Marketplaces tabs.
The Syntic Code source repository includes a small marketplace, syntic-official, with code review, commit and security plugins. Create a marketplace explains how to add it.
Install scopes
--scope user (the default), project or local labels an install so you can tell why it is there. Every enabled plugin loads in every session; use enable and disable to choose what is active. See Install plugins.
A plugin runs code with your user rights. Install plugins only from sources you trust. Plugin safety explains what to check.
Where plugins live
Everything is kept under ~/.syntic/plugins/:
| Path | Holds |
|---|---|
installed.json | Installed plugins, their versions, scope and on/off state |
marketplaces.json | Saved marketplaces and their listings |
<plugin>/ | Each installed plugin’s files |
data/<id>/ | Each plugin’s private data, kept across updates |
.options/<id>.json | Plugin option values (secrets go to the system credential store) |
dependency-installs.json | Plugins installed only as dependencies |
policy.json | Your own trusted list and lockdown switch |
Find your way
Use plugins
- Install plugins: add marketplaces, install, configure, update and remove.
- Code intelligence: give the agent a language server.
- Plugin safety: what plugins can do and the checks that protect you.
Create plugins
- Create a plugin: from
syntic plugin initto a working plugin. - Plugin components: skills, commands, agents, hooks, servers, monitors and options.
- Dependencies: build on other plugins.
- Test a plugin: score real answers with
syntic plugin eval. - Release a plugin: version, tag and distribute.
- Measure a plugin: what a plugin costs on every request.
Mods
- Mods: small programs that change the session screen itself, such as a status line, a band or a side pane.
Marketplaces
- Create a marketplace and host it.
- Plugins for your organization: suggest, allow or block plugins and marketplaces.