Skills vs plugins in Claude Cowork
Plugins contain skills. Skills are what actually do the work. Here’s the short explainer, the FAQ, and every skill currently available.
Plugin
A package you install. Contains slash commands, skills, and connector requirements. Think: an app bundle.
- • Has a name and a category
- • Ships skills and slash commands
- • Declares connectors it needs
- • Installable from the Cowork plugin marketplace
Skill
A single capability inside a plugin. Claude decides when to apply it. Think: a function the plugin exposes to Claude’s brain.
- • Triggered automatically or manually
- • Has a description Claude reads to decide when to use it
- • Can have example prompts
- • Lives inside a plugin (you install the plugin to get it)
Frequently asked questions
+ What's the difference between a skill and a plugin in Claude Cowork?
A plugin is a package that bundles slash commands, skills, and connectors together. A skill is a single capability inside a plugin — like 'draft a sales call prep brief' — that Claude applies when the context triggers it.
+ When does Claude use a skill automatically vs when do I have to run it manually?
Skills with trigger type 'auto' are invoked by Claude when your request matches the skill's description. Manual skills are invoked through slash commands or direct requests. Auto skills are ideal for things that should 'just happen'; manual skills are better for irreversible actions.
+ Can I use a skill without installing the plugin?
No — skills ship inside plugins. Install the plugin to get its skills, slash commands and connectors together.
+ Do skills count against my Claude message limit?
Skills run inside a single Claude turn. A skill-driven response counts as one message, like any other reply.
+ Can I build my own skill?
Yes. You can build a plugin from scratch and define custom skills inside it. See our guide at /how-to/build-a-plugin/.