Install ECC to Add Planning, Testing and Security Workflows to Claude Code

Give Claude Code a ready-made set of agents, skills and commands, installed from the official source and tested safely.

Overview

By the end of this guide, you'll have ECC running in Claude Code:

  • Installed from the official repository, not a mirror.

  • Checked with a list command to confirm it loaded.

  • Set up with only the rules your stack needs.

  • Tried on a throwaway project before you use it on real work.

Who This Is For

  • You use Claude Code and want a structured way to plan, build, secure and test.

  • You are tired of writing the same instructions in every project.

  • You are comfortable running a few terminal commands.

  • You want to test a large add-on without risking a real project.

What You'll Need

  • Claude Code 2.1 or newer.

  • Git on your PATH.

  • Node.js 18 or newer, only if you use the guided setup command.

  • A throwaway project folder to test in.

The Core Idea

ECC is a large bundle of agents, skills and commands. A bundle that size changes how Claude Code behaves, so the order matters: confirm the source, install one way only, add just the rules you need, and test on a project you can delete.

Quick Terms

  • Plugin: an add-on you install into Claude Code.

  • Skill: a saved set of instructions Claude can follow when it is needed.

  • Hook: an action that runs by itself when something happens, such as after a file is saved.

  • Subagent: a helper Claude starts for one focused job.

  • MCP server: a connector that lets Claude use an outside tool or service.

  • Rules: standing instructions Claude follows in every project, kept in a rules folder.

  • Repo: short for repository, a project folder tracked with Git.

Going Further

  • Start smaller with a basic setup list - Guide: 5 Claude Code Skills to Install on Every Fresh Setup (AI Foundations)

  • Add one language rule pack at a time and note what changes.

  • Re-read the ECC README after every update, because install steps and counts change.

  • Remove anything you do not use. A smaller setup is easier to trust.