Plugin Developer Docs

my-plugin/
├── manifest.json   # plugin manifest (required)
├── index.js        # entry script, referenced by manifest.main (required)
├── view.html       # docked view page (optional, manifest.views[].entry)
└── ui.html         # floating panel page (optional, manifest.ui.entry)

{
  "id": "com.example.hello",
  "name": "Hello Plugin",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "description": "Say hello to the user.",
  "main": "index.js",
  "permissions": [],
  "tools": [
    {
      "name": "say_hello",
      "summary": "Greet the user by name",
      "description": "Return a greeting for the given name. Call this when the user explicitly asks the plugin to say hello.",
      "parameters": {
        "type": "object",
        "properties": {
          "name": { "type": "string", "description": "Who to greet." }
        },
        "required": ["name"]
      }
    }
  ]
}

// The entry script runs in a standalone Node.js child process (ELECTRON_RUN_AS_NODE=1).
// Only Node built-ins and dependencies shipped inside the plugin folder are available;
// there is no Electron API.
process.on('message', (msg) => {
  if (!msg || msg.type !== 'call_tool') return;
  const { requestId, toolName, params } = msg;
  try {
    if (toolName !== 'say_hello') throw new Error(`unknown tool: ${toolName}`);
    process.send({
      type: 'tool_result',
      requestId,
      content: [{ type: 'text', text: `Hello, ${params.name}!` }],
    });
  } catch (err) {
    process.send({ type: 'tool_error', requestId, message: err.message });
  }
});

{
  "id": "com.example.full",
  "name": "Full Example",
  "version": "1.2.0",
  "description": "Every contribution point in one manifest.",
  "author": "Example Inc.",
  "readme": "## Full Example\n\nLonger Markdown shown on the marketplace detail page. Images must be https URLs.",
  "icon": "icon.png",
  "main": "index.js",
  "permissions": ["filesystem", "network", "notifications"],
  "activationEvents": ["onStartupFinished"],
  "tools": [
    {
      "name": "do_something",
      "summary": "Do one thing to the current project",
      "description": "…English. State clearly when to call this and when not to…",
      "parameters": { "type": "object", "properties": {}, "required": [] },
      "renderAs": "checklist"
    },
    { "name": "is_available", "summary": "Whether the current folder applies", "description": "…", "parameters": { "type": "object", "properties": {} } },
    { "name": "list_modes", "summary": "List selectable modes", "description": "…", "parameters": { "type": "object", "properties": {} } }
  ],
  "documentParsers": [
    { "mimeType": "text/markdown", "toolName": "parse_markdown" }
  ],
  "ui": { "entry": "ui.html", "title": "Example Panel" },
  "views": [
    { "id": "board", "title": "Example Board", "icon": "checklist", "entry": "view.html", "width": 380 }
  ],
  "sessionAction": {
    "tool": "do_something",
    "icon": "git-branch",
    "tooltip": "Do one thing to the current project",
    "visibleTool": "is_available"
  },
  "configuration": [
    { "id": "mode", "label": "Mode", "type": "select", "optionsTool": "list_modes", "defaultValue": "auto" },
    { "id": "verbose", "label": "Verbose output", "type": "boolean", "defaultValue": false },
    { "id": "prefix", "label": "Prefix", "type": "string", "defaultValue": "" },
    { "id": "limit", "label": "Max items", "type": "number", "defaultValue": 20 }
  ],
  "commands": [
    { "tool": "do_something", "icon": "git-branch", "title": "Do one thing to the current project" }
  ],
  "keybindings": [
    { "command": "do_something", "key": "mod+shift+d" }
  ],
  "menus": {
    "session/context": [
      { "tool": "do_something", "icon": "git-branch", "title": "Do one thing to this session" }
    ]
  }
}

// host → plugin
{
  "type": "call_tool",
  "requestId": "0b2d…",          // unique per call, echo it back unchanged
  "toolName": "do_something",
  "params": { "name": "…" },     // arguments validated against tools[].parameters
  "context": {
    "cwd": "/Users/me/project",  // project folder of the calling session; a temp folder for chat sessions; empty string for document parsing
    "config": { "mode": "auto", "verbose": false }   // present only when configuration is declared; keys are configuration[].id
  }
}

// When the result is a file: include the absolute path and file name. The session
// renders a clickable file card that previews in-app (docx/xlsx/pdf/markdown/code…).
process.send({
  type: 'tool_result',
  requestId,
  content: [{ type: 'text', text: `Generated [${fileName}](${filePath})` }],
  details: { filePath, fileName },
});

// For tools with renderAs: "checklist", the host renders the todos array from the call arguments:
{
  "todos": [
    { "id": "1", "content": "Initialize repository", "status": "completed" },
    { "id": "2", "content": "Write unit tests", "status": "in_progress" },
    { "id": "3", "content": "Publish", "status": "pending" }
  ]
}

interface PluginHost {
  // Call a tool declared in this plugin's manifest.tools; same call_tool channel the AI uses
  invoke(toolName: string, params: unknown): Promise<
    { content: unknown[]; details?: unknown } | { error: string }
  >;
  // Subscribe to ui_push messages from the plugin process; returns an unsubscribe function
  onPush(callback: (channel: string, payload: unknown) => void): () => void;
  // Current light/dark scheme and subsequent changes
  getColorScheme(): Promise<'light' | 'dark'>;
  onColorSchemeChange(callback: (scheme: 'light' | 'dark') => void): () => void;
}
declare const pluginHost: PluginHost; // exposed as window.pluginHost

// The host calls visibleTool with empty params and shows the icon based on details.visible
process.send({
  type: 'tool_result',
  requestId,
  content: [{ type: 'text', text: isGitRepo ? 'git repo' : 'not a git repo' }],
  details: { visible: isGitRepo },
});

// For type: "select" settings, the host calls optionsTool with empty params to fetch options
process.send({
  type: 'tool_result',
  requestId,
  content: [{ type: 'text', text: '2 options' }],
  details: {
    options: [
      { value: 'fast', label: 'Fast' },
      { value: 'accurate', label: 'Accurate' },
    ],
  },
});
// The host automatically prepends an "Auto" option whose value equals this
// configuration entry's defaultValue; the plugin must not return it again.

// The toolName declared in documentParsers is called when the user drops a file into the input:
// params = { base64: "<file content as base64>" }
// Return: details must be { success: true, text } or { success: false, reason }
process.on('message', (msg) => {
  if (msg.type !== 'call_tool' || msg.toolName !== 'parse_markdown') return;
  const text = Buffer.from(msg.params.base64, 'base64').toString('utf8');
  process.send({
    type: 'tool_result',
    requestId: msg.requestId,
    content: [{ type: 'text', text: 'parsed' }],
    details: { success: true, text },
  });
});

const crypto = require('crypto');
const pending = new Map();

function requestHost(capability, params) {
  const requestId = crypto.randomUUID();
  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
    const timer = setTimeout(() => {
      pending.delete(requestId);
      reject(new Error(`host capability "${capability}" timed out`));
    }, 30_000);
    pending.set(requestId, { resolve, reject, timer });
    process.send({ type: 'host_request', requestId, capability, params });
  });
}

process.on('message', (msg) => {
  if (msg.type === 'host_response' || msg.type === 'host_error') {
    const p = pending.get(msg.requestId);
    if (!p) return;
    pending.delete(msg.requestId);
    clearTimeout(p.timer);
    if (msg.type === 'host_error') p.reject(new Error(msg.message));
    else p.resolve(msg.result);
  }
});

// usage
await requestHost('show_notification', {
  title: '3 todos for today',
  body: '• Write weekly report\n• Reply to emails',
  viewId: 'board',      // optional: expand this docked view when the notification is clicked
});
// => { shown: true } or { shown: false, reason: 'disabled' | 'unsupported' }

await requestHost('render_pdf', {
  outputPath: '/abs/path/report.pdf',
  title: 'Report',
  content: '# Title\n\nBody (Markdown)',
});

my-plugin.zip
├── manifest.json     # must be at the archive root
├── icon.png          # optional, referenced by manifest.icon
├── index.js
├── view.html
└── node_modules/…    # include dependencies if any (bundling into a single file is recommended)

{
  "id": "local.todo-quadrant",
  "name": "Todo Quadrant",
  "version": "1.2.0",
  "description": "Daily todo list organized by the Eisenhower matrix. Install this whenever the user wants to track tasks or asks to be reminded about something…",
  "main": "index.js",
  "permissions": ["filesystem", "notifications"],
  "activationEvents": ["onStartupFinished"],
  "tools": [{
    "name": "manage_todo_quadrant",
    "summary": "Add, list, complete, delete and update todos in an urgent/important matrix",
    "description": "Manage the user's daily todo list… Actions: add / list / complete / delete / update / set_reminder / remind_now. add/update also accept remind_at to schedule a one-time reminder for that specific todo. Call this whenever the user talks about their todos…",
    "parameters": {
      "type": "object",
      "properties": {
        "action": { "type": "string", "enum": ["add", "list", "complete", "delete", "update", "set_reminder", "remind_now"] },
        "id": { "type": "string" },
        "content": { "type": "string" },
        "quadrant": { "type": "string", "enum": ["urgent_important", "important_not_urgent", "urgent_not_important", "not_urgent_not_important"] },
        "due_date": { "type": "string", "description": "YYYY-MM-DD" },
        "remind_at": { "type": "string", "description": "YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM — a one-time reminder for this todo, independent of the daily digest" }
      },
      "required": ["action"]
    }
  }],
  "views": [{ "id": "quadrant", "title": "Todo Quadrant", "icon": "checklist", "entry": "view.html", "width": 380 }]
}