diff --git a/.agents/skills/marketplace-architect/scripts/validate.sh b/.agents/skills/marketplace-architect/scripts/validate.sh
index b844dff..83595f4 100755
--- a/.agents/skills/marketplace-architect/scripts/validate.sh
+++ b/.agents/skills/marketplace-architect/scripts/validate.sh
@@ -147,10 +147,25 @@ validate_plugin_dir() {
     validate_plugin_json "$claude_manifest" "$marketplace_json"
     validate_plugin_json "$root_manifest" "$marketplace_json"
 
-    # Sync check
+    # Sync check — shared identity fields must match; component path fields legitimately diverge
     if [[ -f "$claude_manifest" && -f "$root_manifest" ]]; then
-      if ! diff <(jq -S . "$claude_manifest") <(jq -S . "$root_manifest") >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-        warn "$pd: .claude-plugin/plugin.json and plugin.json differ — keep them in sync"
+      local field cv rv
+      for field in name description version license; do
+        cv=$(jq -r ".$field // empty" "$claude_manifest")
+        rv=$(jq -r ".$field // empty" "$root_manifest")
+        if [[ ( -n "$cv" || -n "$rv" ) && "$cv" != "$rv" ]]; then
+          error "$pd: '$field' differs between .claude-plugin/plugin.json ('$cv') and plugin.json ('$rv')"
+        fi
+      done
+      cv=$(jq -r '.author.name // empty' "$claude_manifest")
+      rv=$(jq -r '.author.name // empty' "$root_manifest")
+      if [[ ( -n "$cv" || -n "$rv" ) && "$cv" != "$rv" ]]; then
+        error "$pd: 'author.name' differs between .claude-plugin/plugin.json ('$cv') and plugin.json ('$rv')"
+      fi
+      cv=$(jq -r '.keywords // [] | sort | join(",")' "$claude_manifest")
+      rv=$(jq -r '.keywords // [] | sort | join(",")' "$root_manifest")
+      if [[ "$cv" != "$rv" ]]; then
+        error "$pd: 'keywords' differs between .claude-plugin/plugin.json and plugin.json"
       fi
     fi
   fi
diff --git a/plugins/hello-world/.claude-plugin/plugin.json b/plugins/hello-world/.claude-plugin/plugin.json
index b99fbe8..33e1b5a 100644
--- a/plugins/hello-world/.claude-plugin/plugin.json
+++ b/plugins/hello-world/.claude-plugin/plugin.json
@@ -1,4 +1,9 @@
 {
   "name": "hello-world",
-  "description": "A minimal example plugin to validate marketplace scaffolding."
+  "displayName": "Hello World",
+  "description": "A complete scaffold demonstrating every cross-compatible plugin feature for the holocron marketplace.",
+  "author": { "name": "Your Name", "url": "https://github.com/your-org/ai-development" },
+  "homepage": "https://github.com/your-org/ai-development",
+  "license": "MIT",
+  "keywords": ["scaffold", "example", "holocron"]
 }
diff --git a/plugins/hello-world/.mcp.json b/plugins/hello-world/.mcp.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3b65e41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/hello-world/.mcp.json
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+{
+  "mcpServers": {
+    "hello-world": {
+      "type": "stdio",
+      "command": "node",
+      "args": ["${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/bin/mcp-server.js"]
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/plugins/hello-world/README.md b/plugins/hello-world/README.md
index c743288..2bc2ac4 100644
--- a/plugins/hello-world/README.md
+++ b/plugins/hello-world/README.md
@@ -1,33 +1,77 @@
 # hello-world
 
-Minimal proof-of-concept plugin for the `holocron` marketplace. Install it to confirm the marketplace scaffolding works, then replace it with real plugins.
+Complete scaffold plugin for the **holocron** marketplace. Every cross-compatible component
+is included with a working stub. Copy this directory, rename it, and replace the stubs with
+your actual content.
+
+## Directory layout
+
+```
+hello-world/
+├── plugin.json                    # Copilot CLI manifest — declares component paths
+├── .claude-plugin/
+│   └── plugin.json               # Claude Code manifest — no component paths (uses defaults)
+├── skills/
+│   └── hello-world/
+│       └── SKILL.md              # ✅ identical for both tools
+├── agents/
+│   ├── hello-world.md            # Claude Code agent (no frontmatter)
+│   └── hello-world.agent.md     # Copilot CLI agent (YAML frontmatter + tools:)
+├── hooks/
+│   └── hooks.json               # Claude Code hooks (PostToolUse / PreToolUse events)
+├── hooks.json                   # Copilot CLI hooks (session_start / session_end events)
+├── .mcp.json                    # ✅ MCP server config — identical for both tools
+└── README.md
+```
+
+## Cross-compatibility notes
+
+| Component | Claude Code path | Copilot CLI path | Portable? |
+|---|---|---|---|
+| Plugin manifest | `.claude-plugin/plugin.json` | `plugin.json` at root | Ship both |
+| Skills | `skills/<name>/SKILL.md` | `skills/<name>/SKILL.md` | ✅ Identical |
+| Agents | `agents/<name>.md` | `agents/<name>.agent.md` | Ship both |
+| Hooks | `hooks/hooks.json` | `hooks.json` at root | Ship both |
+| MCP servers | `.mcp.json` at root | `.mcp.json` at root | ✅ Identical |
 
 ## Install via marketplace
 
-### Claude Code
 ```bash
+# Claude Code
 claude plugin marketplace add <owner>/ai-development
 claude plugin install hello-world@holocron
-```
 
-### GitHub Copilot CLI
-```bash
+# GitHub Copilot CLI
 copilot plugin marketplace add <owner>/ai-development
 copilot plugin install hello-world
 ```
 
 ## Local dev install
 
-### Claude Code
 ```bash
+# Claude Code
 claude --plugin-dir ./plugins/hello-world
-```
 
-### GitHub Copilot CLI
-```bash
+# GitHub Copilot CLI
 copilot plugin install ./plugins/hello-world
 ```
 
-## Verify
+## Validate (Claude Code)
 
-After install, open a new session and type `/hello-world` or "test plugin install".
+```bash
+claude plugin validate ./plugins/hello-world
+```
+
+Copilot CLI has no validate command — run `copilot plugin install ./plugins/hello-world`
+and check that `/skills list` and `/agent` surface the expected entries.
+
+## Creating a new plugin from this scaffold
+
+1. Copy `plugins/hello-world/` → `plugins/<your-plugin-name>/`
+2. Update `name` in both `plugin.json` files
+3. Replace `skills/hello-world/SKILL.md` with your skill(s)
+4. Replace or remove `agents/` files — only include if your plugin ships an agent
+5. Replace or remove `hooks/` files — only include if your plugin reacts to events
+6. Replace or remove `.mcp.json` — only include if your plugin ships an MCP server
+7. Add the new plugin to `.claude-plugin/marketplace.json`
+8. Run `claude plugin validate ./plugins/<your-plugin-name>`
diff --git a/plugins/hello-world/agents/hello-world.agent.md b/plugins/hello-world/agents/hello-world.agent.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4323f08
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/hello-world/agents/hello-world.agent.md
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+---
+name: hello-world
+description: A demonstration agent for the holocron marketplace scaffold. Confirms agent loading works in GitHub Copilot CLI.
+tools:
+  - read_file
+  - list_directory
+---
+
+You are a demonstration agent included in the `hello-world` scaffold plugin for the **holocron** marketplace.
+
+When invoked, greet the user, confirm the agent is loaded, and list the components available in this plugin: skills (`skills/`), agents (`agents/`), hooks (`hooks.json`), and MCP servers (`.mcp.json`).
+
+Replace this file with your agent's actual system prompt and instructions.
diff --git a/plugins/hello-world/agents/hello-world.md b/plugins/hello-world/agents/hello-world.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..da7f6e9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/hello-world/agents/hello-world.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+---
+name: hello-world
+description: A demonstration agent for the holocron marketplace scaffold. Confirms agent loading works in Claude Code.
+---
+
+You are a demonstration agent included in the `hello-world` scaffold plugin for the **holocron** marketplace.
+
+When invoked, greet the user, confirm the agent is loaded, and list the components available in this plugin: skills (`skills/`), agents (`agents/`), hooks (`hooks/hooks.json`), and MCP servers (`.mcp.json`).
+
+Replace this file with your agent's actual system prompt and instructions.
diff --git a/plugins/hello-world/hooks.json b/plugins/hello-world/hooks.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d01a9f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/hello-world/hooks.json
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+{
+  "hooks": [
+    {
+      "event": "session_start",
+      "command": "echo '[hello-world] session started'"
+    }
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/plugins/hello-world/hooks/hooks.json b/plugins/hello-world/hooks/hooks.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c67f7cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/hello-world/hooks/hooks.json
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+{
+  "hooks": {
+    "PostToolUse": [
+      {
+        "matcher": "*",
+        "hooks": [
+          {
+            "type": "command",
+            "command": "echo '[hello-world] PostToolUse fired'"
+          }
+        ]
+      }
+    ]
+  }
+}
diff --git a/plugins/hello-world/plugin.json b/plugins/hello-world/plugin.json
index b99fbe8..50797c7 100644
--- a/plugins/hello-world/plugin.json
+++ b/plugins/hello-world/plugin.json
@@ -1,4 +1,11 @@
 {
   "name": "hello-world",
-  "description": "A minimal example plugin to validate marketplace scaffolding."
+  "description": "A complete scaffold demonstrating every cross-compatible plugin feature for the holocron marketplace.",
+  "author": { "name": "Your Name", "email": "you@example.com" },
+  "license": "MIT",
+  "keywords": ["scaffold", "example", "holocron"],
+  "agents": "agents/",
+  "skills": ["skills/"],
+  "hooks": "hooks.json",
+  "mcpServers": ".mcp.json"
 }