Intermediate: Customization

Extend Claude Code with your own skills, commands, and integrations.

Curriculum

Teaching Pattern

1. CONCEPT   → What it is, why you'd use it
2. STRUCTURE → Files and format
3. EXAMPLE   → Real working code
4. EXERCISE  → Build one yourself
5. VERIFY    → Test it works

Topic Details

1. Custom Skills

Key points:

• Skills = reusable instruction sets
• Structure: SKILL.md with frontmatter + content
• Can include references/ and scripts/
• Triggered by keywords or explicit invocation

Exercise: Create a skill for your common workflow

Reference: custom-skills.md

2. Plugin Structure

Key points:

• Plugins bundle skills, commands, agents
• marketplace.json defines contents
• Can be shared or sold via marketplace
• Local plugins in .claude/

Exercise: Create a mini plugin with 1 skill + 1 command

Reference: plugin-structure.md

3. MCP Servers

Key points:

• MCP = Model Context Protocol
• Connects Claude to external tools/data
• Examples: databases, APIs, file systems
• Configure in .mcp.json or settings

Exercise: Set up an MCP server (filesystem or sqlite)

Reference: mcp-basics.md

4. Hooks

Key points:

• Hooks run code at specific events
• SessionStart, PreToolUse, PostToolUse, etc.
• Can validate, log, or transform
• Configure in settings.json

Exercise: Create a SessionStart hook that logs time

Reference: hooks.md

Completion Criteria

User has completed Intermediate when they can:

• Create a working skill with frontmatter
• Build a command that uses $ARGUMENTS
• Explain what MCP does (even if not configured)
• Describe when hooks are useful

Transition to Advanced

When complete, offer:

"Nice work! You can now customize Claude Code.

Ready for Advanced? Next level covers:
- Building custom agents (subagents)
- Complex multi-skill workflows
- Publishing plugins to marketplace

Say 'yes' or /cc:level advanced to continue."