Creating Plugins with AI

One of Synap's most powerful features is the ability to create custom plugins by simply describing what you want. You don't need to be a programmer — Claude Code handles all the technical work for you.

What is Claude Code?

Claude Code is an AI assistant that works alongside Synap. You can talk to it in plain language, and it understands your mind's structure. When you ask it to create a plugin, it generates all the necessary files, places them in the right location, and the plugin is ready the next time you open Synap.

Think of Claude Code as your personal developer. You describe the idea, and it builds it.

How It Works

1. Open Claude Code on your computer (see the "Working with Claude Code" article in the AI and Cortex section for how to set it up).
2. Describe what you want in plain language — just like you'd explain it to a colleague.
3. Claude Code creates the plugin in your mind automatically.
4. Restart Synap, and your new plugin appears in the sidebar.

That's it. No coding, no configuration, no installation process.

Example Prompts

Here are some examples of what you can ask Claude Code to build. Notice how they're written in everyday language — no technical jargon needed:

Task and Productivity

"Create a Synap plugin that shows my daily tasks in a clean card layout with priority colors."

"Build me a plugin that tracks my daily habits. I want to check off habits each day and see a weekly streak."

"Make a plugin that shows my upcoming meetings and deadlines for this week."

Business and Analytics

"Create a dashboard plugin that shows my main business KPIs: revenue, customers, and churn rate."

"Build a plugin that shows all my initiatives and their current status."

"I want a plugin that gives me an overview of my marketing campaigns."

Personal Tools

"Create a reading list plugin where I can add books with title, author, and status — reading, finished, or want to read."

"Build a simple notes plugin where I can jot down quick ideas and delete them when done."

"Make a plugin that shows a random motivational quote each time I open it."

Tips for Better Results

You'll get better plugins if you're specific about what you want. Here are a few tips:

• Describe what you want to see. "A grid of cards with big numbers" is more helpful than "show my data."
• Mention what data to use. "Use my performance data" or "read from my tasks" helps Claude Code find the right files.
• Describe the layout. "A table with columns for name, status, and date" gives clear direction.
• Ask for interactions. "I want to add and remove items" tells Claude Code to include those features.

Don't worry about getting it perfect on the first try — you can always refine your plugin afterwards.

What Claude Code Creates

When Claude Code builds a plugin, it creates a small set of files in your mind:

• A manifest file that tells Synap the plugin's name, icon, and where it appears in the sidebar.
• A plugin file that contains the visual layout and logic.
• Optionally, a data file where the plugin stores its information.

You don't need to understand or edit these files — Claude Code handles everything. But if you're curious, they're just text files you can open and read.

Updating a Plugin

Want to change something about a plugin Claude Code created? Just ask:

"Update my reading list plugin to add a 'rating' field with 1-5 stars."

"Change my dashboard to show 3 columns instead of 4."

"Add a search bar to my bookmarks plugin."

Claude Code will update the existing plugin. Restart Synap to see the changes.

You Can Always Iterate

The beauty of creating plugins with AI is that you can keep improving them. Start with a basic idea, see how it looks, and then refine it. Ask for layout changes, new fields, different colors, or entirely new sections. Each iteration takes just a few seconds.

You don't need to get it right the first time. Treat it like a conversation — describe what you want, see the result, and adjust until it's exactly what you need.

Good to Know

• Plugins load when Synap starts. After creating or updating a plugin, restart the app to see changes.
• Everything stays local. Plugins run on your device and read data from your mind. Nothing is sent to external servers.
• Each mind has its own plugins. If you switch to a different mind, you'll see that mind's plugins instead.