How to Install Claude Code Mods
Installing a Claude Code mod takes one terminal command. This guide covers what to check first, how to update and remove mods, and what the common errors mean.
by ccmods.app editors · Updated
What do you need to install a mod?
Claude Code v2.1.287 or later in the terminal. The Desktop app bundles its own Claude Code and supports mods from v2.1.286. Check your version:
$ claude --versionIf it is older, update it with the official setup guide.
Step 1: Check what the mod can access
Read a mod's access before you install it. In the words of the official docs:
Mods aren't sandboxed.
— Claude Code docs, Mods overview
Every mod page on ccmods.app lists the hooks the mod registers and the engine calls it makes, rated as an access level. To check a mod yourself, clone it and run the validator; the hooks: and calls: lines say what it does:
$ claude plugin validate ./some-modStep 2: Run the install command
Copy the command from the mod's page and run it in your terminal. When the repository has a marketplace file at its root, it looks like this:
$ claude plugin install <mod> --marketplace <owner>/<repo>Answer y to add the marketplace, then choose a scope. When you see Installed <mod>. Plugin is now active. the mod is running in that session. Inside an open session, type the same line as /plugin install … instead.
Step 3: Confirm it loaded
Run /plugin in a session. A dim line under the tabs reads like 1 mod active · <mod>.
Which scope should you pick?
| Scope | Use it when |
|---|---|
| user | The mod is for you, in every project. The Desktop app's Code tab loads it too. |
| project | You want to share it with your team through the project's settings. |
| local | Just you, just this project, not committed to the repository. |
Scopes are covered in full in the official Install plugins page.
What if the repository has no marketplace file?
Clone it and load the mod for one session with --plugin-dir. It stops loading when the session ends, which suits trying a mod out:
$ claude --plugin-dir ./path/to/modFor a mod inside a repository of several mods, such as Anthropic's samples, point --marketplace at the folder in your clone that holds the marketplace file. Moving or deleting the clone stops the mod loading.
How do you update, disable or remove a mod?
| Task | Command |
|---|---|
| Update | claude plugin update <name>, then /reload-plugins in open sessions |
| Disable | claude plugin disable <name> |
| Uninstall | claude plugin uninstall <name> |
| All mods off for one session | claude --safe-mode |
| All mods off everywhere | "disableAllHooks": true in ~/.claude/settings.json |
What do the common errors mean?
| Message | Cause and fix |
|---|---|
Marketplace file not found at … | The repository has no .claude-plugin/marketplace.json at its root. Load it with --plugin-dir, or ask the author to add one. |
Plugin "<mod>" not found in marketplace … | The name differs from the one the marketplace lists. Use the name on the mod's page. |
| The Desktop app says the command is not available | /plugin install works in a terminal only. Install there at the user scope. |
| Installed, but nothing happens | Run /plugin to confirm it loaded, then start claude --debug to see which hook was skipped and why. |
Where to go next
Pick from the best Claude Code mods, or learn how to create your own mod.
FAQ
How do I uninstall a mod?
Run claude plugin uninstall <name> in your shell, or open /plugin in a session and remove it from the Installed tab.
How do I update a mod?
Run claude plugin update <name>, then /reload-plugins in any open session.
How do I disable a mod without uninstalling it?
Run claude plugin disable <name>, or disable it in the Installed tab of /plugin.
Why does the Desktop app say the command is not available?
/plugin install is a terminal command. Install from a terminal at the user scope and the Desktop app's Code tab loads the mod too.