[FEATURE] --plugin-dir support for Claude Desktop (Cowork)

Preflight Checklist

• [x] I have searched existing requests and this feature hasn't been requested yet
• [x] This is a single feature request (not multiple features)

Problem Statement

I am creating a Claude plugin with Claude Cowork (plugin creation skill). The result is a ready .plugin file.
If I want to keep improving the plugin after the first draft I would have to create more and more .plugin files and install them every time. There is currently no good way for Claude (Cowork) to modify an installed plugin.

Proposed Solution

Claude Code has a --plugin-dir parameter exactly for this purpose. A .plugin file is just a zip archive, with a --plugin-dir ./ argument I can point Claude Code to the unzipped directory and it's being loaded as regular plugin. With this dev-mode I can then use the plugin and have Claude Code make changes on the individual plugin files, then restart Claude Code to try the improved version without having to package and re-install it.

A similar commandline argument for the Desktop version would be appreciated. In the longer term a proper UI solution would be the most idiomatic of course.

Alternative Solutions

Current workaround is to use Claude Code, but Claude Cowork has been invented to be more UI-friendly and accessible and it's UI is advertising openly that it can create plugins for you. The continous plugin development workflow just hasn't gotten enough attention yet in Claude Desktop Cowork.

Priority

Medium - Would be very helpful

Feature Category

CLI commands and flags

Use Case Example

_No response_

Additional Context

_No response_