Best Claude Code Plugins for Python (2026)

Python developers get specific benefits from Claude Code plugins that understand Python’s ecosystem — linting with Ruff, testing with pytest, type checking with mypy, and managing virtual environments. Here are the best options.

1. Ruff Auto-Linter Hook

What it does: Runs Ruff (the fast Python linter/formatter) automatically after Claude writes or edits a Python file. Catches and fixes lint violations immediately.

Why it is good: Ruff is 10-100x faster than other Python linters. Running it after every file edit adds negligible delay while catching formatting issues, import sorting, and style violations.

Configuration:

{
  "hooks": {
    "PostToolUse": [
      {
        "matcher": "Write|Edit",
        "hooks": [
          {
            "type": "command",
            "command": "bash .claude/hooks/ruff-lint.sh"
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Hook script (.claude/hooks/ruff-lint.sh):

#!/bin/bash
INPUT=$(cat)
FILE=$(echo "$INPUT" | python3 -c "import sys,json; print(json.load(sys.stdin).get('tool_input',{}).get('file_path',''))" 2>/dev/null)
if [[ "$FILE" == *.py ]]; then
    python3 -m ruff check "$FILE" --fix 2>/dev/null
    python3 -m ruff format "$FILE" 2>/dev/null
fi
exit 0

Limitation: Requires ruff installed (pip install ruff). Without a ruff.toml or pyproject.toml config, uses defaults.

2. Python CLAUDE.md Agent

What it does: A CLAUDE.md configuration that makes Claude follow Python best practices: type hints, docstrings, virtual environments, and Pythonic patterns.

CLAUDE.md section:

# Python Agent
- Always use type hints for function parameters and return types
- Docstrings: Google style for all public functions and classes
- Imports: stdlib → third-party → local, sorted by Ruff/isort
- Virtual environments: always use venv or poetry, never install globally
- Error handling: specific exceptions, never bare except
- Pathlib over os.path for file operations
- f-strings over .format() or % formatting
- Dataclasses or Pydantic for data structures, not plain dicts
- Context managers for resource management
- List comprehensions over map/filter when readable

Limitation: Opinionated defaults. Adjust to match your team’s style guide.

3. pytest Integration Hook

What it does: Runs relevant pytest tests after Claude modifies Python source files. Identifies which test files correspond to modified source files and runs them.

Hook script (.claude/hooks/pytest-runner.sh):

#!/bin/bash
INPUT=$(cat)
FILE=$(echo "$INPUT" | python3 -c "import sys,json; print(json.load(sys.stdin).get('tool_input',{}).get('file_path',''))" 2>/dev/null)
if [[ "$FILE" == *.py && "$FILE" != *test* ]]; then
    # Convert source path to test path
    TEST_FILE=$(echo "$FILE" | sed 's|/src/|/tests/|' | sed 's|\.py$|_test.py|')
    if [ -f "$TEST_FILE" ]; then
        python3 -m pytest "$TEST_FILE" -v --tb=short 2>/dev/null | tail -15
    fi
fi
exit 0

Limitation: Assumes a specific test naming convention. Modify the sed patterns for your project structure.

4. mypy Type Checker Hook

What it does: Runs mypy type checking after Claude edits Python files. Catches type errors before they reach production.

Hook script (.claude/hooks/mypy-check.sh):

#!/bin/bash
INPUT=$(cat)
FILE=$(echo "$INPUT" | python3 -c "import sys,json; print(json.load(sys.stdin).get('tool_input',{}).get('file_path',''))" 2>/dev/null)
if [[ "$FILE" == *.py ]]; then
    python3 -m mypy "$FILE" --ignore-missing-imports 2>/dev/null | head -10
fi
exit 0

Limitation: mypy can be slow on large files. Consider running on the full project only periodically, not after every edit.

5. Virtual Environment Detector

What it does: CLAUDE.md rules that ensure Claude always works within the project’s virtual environment and never installs packages globally.

CLAUDE.md section:

# Virtual Environment Rules
- Before running any pip install, verify a virtual environment is active
- Check for venv/, .venv/, or poetry.lock before installing dependencies
- If no virtual environment exists, create one: python3 -m venv .venv
- Always use: source .venv/bin/activate && pip install [package]
- Never: pip install [package] (without venv activation)
- For Poetry projects: poetry add [package], never pip install

Limitation: Behavioral rules, not enforcement. Claude usually follows but may occasionally forget.

6. Django/Flask Agent

What it does: Framework-specific CLAUDE.md configuration for Django or Flask projects.

Django CLAUDE.md section:

# Django Agent
- Models: define __str__, Meta class, proper field types
- Views: class-based for CRUD, function-based for custom logic
- URLs: use path() with named URLs, app_name namespaces
- Templates: template tags in templatetags/, not in views
- Migrations: always makemigrations after model changes, never edit manually
- Settings: use django-environ for environment variables
- Security: CSRF protection, never disable for convenience
- Tests: use TestCase, factory_boy for fixtures, not JSON fixtures

Limitation: Django-specific. Not useful for Flask, FastAPI, or other frameworks without modification.

7. pip-audit Security Hook

What it does: Checks for known vulnerabilities in Python dependencies after Claude modifies requirements files.

Hook script (.claude/hooks/pip-audit.sh):

#!/bin/bash
INPUT=$(cat)
FILE=$(echo "$INPUT" | python3 -c "import sys,json; print(json.load(sys.stdin).get('tool_input',{}).get('file_path',''))" 2>/dev/null)
if [[ "$FILE" == *requirements*.txt || "$FILE" == *pyproject.toml ]]; then
    python3 -m pip_audit 2>/dev/null | head -10
fi
exit 0

Install: pip install pip-audit

Limitation: Only checks when Claude modifies dependency files. Run manually on a weekly basis for full coverage.

8. Documentation Generator Agent

What it does: Makes Claude generate Sphinx or MkDocs-compatible documentation alongside code.

CLAUDE.md section:

# Python Documentation Agent
- Every module: docstring explaining purpose and public API
- Every public function: Google-style docstring with Args, Returns, Raises
- Every public class: docstring with Attributes and usage example
- Type hints serve as parameter type documentation — do not repeat in docstrings
- Include usage examples in docstrings for non-obvious functions
- Update docs/ when adding new public APIs

Limitation: Documentation quality depends on the specificity of your docstring requirements.

Try it: Browse 155+ skills in our Skill Finder.

Getting Started

For a Python project, start with these three:

  1. Ruff auto-linter hook (#1) — automatic formatting and linting
  2. Python CLAUDE.md agent (#2) — consistent Python best practices
  3. pytest integration hook (#3) — automatic test running

Install all three in under 10 minutes and your Python development with Claude Code improves immediately.

For more hook patterns, see the hooks guide. For building custom agents, see the agent guide. For the full toolkit, browse the skills directory and Claude Code best practices.