[DOCS] Plugin validation docs omit frontmatter and `hooks/hooks.json` coverage

Documentation Type

Incorrect/outdated documentation

Documentation Location

https://code.claude.com/docs/en/plugin-marketplaces

Section/Topic

claude plugin validate / validation and testing

Current Documentation

The marketplace docs currently frame the command as JSON validation:

Validate your marketplace JSON syntax: claude plugin validate .

The troubleshooting section also says:

Ensure JSON syntax is valid using claude plugin validate or /plugin validate

The plugins reference similarly says:

Plugin not loading | Invalid plugin.json | Validate JSON syntax with claude plugin validate or /plugin validate

What's Wrong or Missing?

Claude Code v2.1.77 expanded claude plugin validate to check skill, agent, and command frontmatter plus hooks/hooks.json, including YAML parse errors and schema violations.

Current docs still describe the command mostly as JSON or manifest validation, so plugin authors do not get an accurate picture of what the validator covers.

Suggested Improvement

Update the validation docs to enumerate all of the surfaces checked by claude plugin validate.

Suggested coverage:

• plugin.json and marketplace JSON validation
• skill, agent, and command frontmatter validation
• hooks/hooks.json validation
• representative YAML parse errors and schema validation failures
• whether a given finding is an error or a warning

Impact

Medium - Makes feature difficult to understand

Additional Context

Affected Pages:

| Page | Context |
|------|---------|
| https://code.claude.com/docs/en/plugin-marketplaces | Validation section describes claude plugin validate mainly as marketplace JSON validation |
| https://code.claude.com/docs/en/plugins-reference | Debugging section only mentions invalid plugin.json / JSON syntax |
| https://code.claude.com/docs/en/plugins | Plugin structure page documents frontmatter and hooks/hooks.json, so it is a natural cross-reference for validator coverage |

Total scope: 3 pages affected

Source: Claude Code v2.1.77 release notes

Exact release entry:

Improved claude plugin validate to check skill, agent, and command frontmatter plus hooks/hooks.json, catching YAML parse errors and schema violations