test-mp-symlink

Test Marketplace: Symlink-to-Cache Live Editing

This is a test fixture used to validate whether symlinking the Claude Code plugin cache to source enables live editing without reinstalling plugins.

Conclusion: IT WORKS

Replacing the plugin cache directory with a symlink to your source directory enables live editing. Changes are picked up on the next claude session without reinstalling the plugin.

Test Results

Test	Result
Symlink created	~/.claude/plugins/cache/.../1.0.0 → source dir
Source modified V1→V2	Without reinstall
Fresh claude process	Sees V2 changes
Symlink survives	Still intact after test

Caveats

• Don't bump version: If you change plugin.json version, CC creates a new cache directory
• Reinstall overwrites: Running claude plugin install again would overwrite the symlink
• Session-based reload: Changes appear on next CC session, not hot-reload in same session

Validated Workflow

# 1. Install plugin normally
claude plugin marketplace add ~/path/to/marketplace
claude plugin install plugin-name@marketplace

# 2. Replace cache with symlink
rm -rf ~/.claude/plugins/cache/<marketplace>/<plugin>/<version>
ln -s ~/path/to/source/plugin ~/.claude/plugins/cache/<marketplace>/<plugin>/<version>

# 3. Edit source files - changes are live on next CC session

Re-Running This Test

Prerequisites

• Claude Code installed
• This repo cloned to ~/projects/jasonkuhrt/experiment-symlink-claude-marketplace/

Step-by-Step

1. Clean up any previous test state

   claude plugin uninstall hello-world@experiment-symlink-claude-marketplace 2>/dev/null
   rm -rf ~/.claude/plugins/cache/experiment-symlink-claude-marketplace
   rm ~/projects/jasonkuhrt/experiment-symlink-claude-marketplace/signal.txt 2>/dev/null
   

2. Reset source to V1

   cat > ~/projects/jasonkuhrt/experiment-symlink-claude-marketplace/plugins/hello-world/commands/hello.md << 'EOF'
   ---
   description: Test command for symlink experiment
   ---
   
   # Hello Test Command
   
   Output this exact text: "TEST_MARKER: V1"
   
   Then write the string "V1" to the file:
   ~/projects/jasonkuhrt/experiment-symlink-claude-marketplace/signal.txt
   EOF
   

3. Add marketplace and install plugin

   claude plugin marketplace add ~/projects/jasonkuhrt/experiment-symlink-claude-marketplace
   claude plugin install hello-world@experiment-symlink-claude-marketplace
   

4. Baseline test - verify V1 works

   cd ~/projects/jasonkuhrt/experiment-symlink-claude-marketplace
   echo "/hello-world:hello" | claude --print
   cat signal.txt  # Should show: V1
   

5. Replace cache with symlink

   rm -rf ~/.claude/plugins/cache/experiment-symlink-claude-marketplace/hello-world/1.0.0
   ln -s ~/projects/jasonkuhrt/experiment-symlink-claude-marketplace/plugins/hello-world \
         ~/.claude/plugins/cache/experiment-symlink-claude-marketplace/hello-world/1.0.0
   

6. Modify source to V2

   sed -i '' 's/V1/V2/g' ~/projects/jasonkuhrt/experiment-symlink-claude-marketplace/plugins/hello-world/commands/hello.md
   

7. Test live changes (fresh claude process)

   rm signal.txt
   echo "/hello-world:hello" | claude --print
   cat signal.txt  # Should show: V2 (WITHOUT reinstalling!)
   

8. Verify symlink intact

   ls -la ~/.claude/plugins/cache/experiment-symlink-claude-marketplace/hello-world/1.0.0
   # Should show symlink arrow (->)
   

Expected Results

• Step 4: signal.txt contains "V1"
• Step 7: signal.txt contains "V2" without reinstall
• Step 8: Symlink still points to source directory

Test Transcript

See transcript.txt for the full conversation where this test was developed and executed.

Structure

experiment-symlink-claude-marketplace/
├── .claude-plugin/
│   └── marketplace.json
├── plugins/
│   └── hello-world/
│       ├── .claude-plugin/
│       │   └── plugin.json
│       └── commands/
│           └── hello.md
├── README.md
├── signal.txt (generated by test)
└── transcript.txt