---
title: Plugin Versioning and Documentation Requirements
category: workflow
tags: [versioning, changelog, readme, plugin, documentation]
created: 2025-11-24
severity: process
component: plugin-development
---

# Plugin Versioning and Documentation Requirements

## Problem

When making changes to the compound-engineering plugin, documentation can get out of sync with the actual components (agents, commands, skills). This leads to confusion about what's included in each version and makes it difficult to track changes over time.

This document applies to release-owned plugin metadata and changelog surfaces, not ordinary feature work. The repo now treats `cli`, `compound-engineering`, `coding-tutor`, and `marketplace` as separate release components prepared by release automation.

## Solution

**Routine PRs should not cut plugin releases.**

Embedded plugin versions are release-owned metadata. Release automation prepares the next versions and changelog entries after deciding which merged changes ship together. Because multiple PRs may merge before release, contributors should not guess release versions inside individual PRs.

Contributors should:

1. **Avoid release bookkeeping in normal PRs**
   - Do not manually bump `.claude-plugin/plugin.json`
   - Do not manually bump `.claude-plugin/marketplace.json`
   - Do not cut release sections in the root `CHANGELOG.md`

2. **Keep substantive docs accurate**
   - Verify component counts match actual files
   - Verify agent/command/skill tables are accurate
   - Update descriptions if functionality changed

## Checklist for Plugin Changes

```markdown
Before committing changes to compound-engineering plugin:

- [ ] No manual version bump in `.claude-plugin/plugin.json`
- [ ] No manual version bump in `.claude-plugin/marketplace.json`
- [ ] No manual release section added to `CHANGELOG.md`
- [ ] README.md component counts verified
- [ ] README.md tables updated (if adding/removing/renaming)
- [ ] plugin.json description updated (if component counts changed)
```

## File Locations

- Version is release-owned: `.claude-plugin/plugin.json` and `.claude-plugin/marketplace.json`
- Changelog release sections are release-owned: root `CHANGELOG.md`
- Readme: `README.md`

## Example Workflow

When adding a new agent:

1. Create the agent file in `agents/[category]/`
2. Update README agent table
3. Update README component count
4. Update plugin metadata description with new counts if needed
5. Leave version selection and release changelog generation to release automation

## Prevention

This documentation serves as a reminder. When Claude Code works on this plugin, it should:

1. Check this doc before committing changes
2. Follow the checklist above
3. Do not guess release versions in feature PRs

## Related Files

- `plugins/compound-engineering/.claude-plugin/plugin.json`
- `plugins/compound-engineering/README.md`
- `package.json`
- `CHANGELOG.md`