Plugin API Reference

Most AuraBoot plugins are pure configuration (JSON DSL). When configuration is not enough, the Plugin API exposes two surfaces:

SPIs — extension points you implement (annotate with @Extension) to contribute behavior into the platform's pipelines.
Services — host-managed beans you inject (@Autowired) to call platform capabilities.

Discovery is built on PF4J (classloader isolation, lifecycle, extension index) layered on Spring (DI, transactions). Plugins are discovered via plugin.json + META-INF/extensions.idx and managed through the Plugin Marketplace.

Lifecycle

Every plugin extends AuraPlugin. The base class exposes the lifecycle as final methods and dispatches to the protected do* hooks you override; the constructor and getNamespace() are required:

public class MyPlugin extends AuraPlugin {
    public MyPlugin(PluginWrapper wrapper) { super(wrapper); }

    @Override public String getNamespace() { return "my-plugin"; }

    @Override protected void doInstall(PluginInstallContext context)     { /* one-time setup */ }
    @Override protected void doEnable(PluginEnableContext context)       { /* register, start workers */ }
    @Override protected void doDisable(PluginDisableContext context)     { /* unregister, stop workers */ }
    @Override protected void doUninstall(PluginUninstallContext context) { /* cleanup persistent state */ }
}

Each lifecycle hook receives its own context type (PluginInstallContext / PluginEnableContext / PluginDisableContext / PluginUninstallContext), all of which extend PluginContext. PluginContext exposes getTenantId(), getPluginId(), getNamespace(), getVersion(), getSettings(), and getSetting(key) / getSetting(key, defaultValue). To call host services, inject them via Spring @Autowired (see below).

SPIs (extension points)

SPI	Purpose
CommandHandlerExtension	Hook into the Command Pipeline at `preExecute` / `postExecute` / `onError`.
EventListenerExtension	Subscribe to outbox-published domain events (at-least-once).
DataProviderExtension	Supply dynamic data sources to Page Blocks, dashboards, reports.
ValidatorExtension	Field-level / cross-field validation beyond DSL constraints.
MenuProviderExtension	Contribute menu items dynamically from a plugin.
`RestEndpointExtension`	Register custom REST routes served by the platform dispatcher at `/api/ext/{namespace}/**`.

Services (host beans)

Service	Purpose
MetaModelService	Read model / field / page / command metadata after overlay merge.
DataAccessor	Parameterized CRUD over `mt_<modelCode>` tables with tenant scope.
ConversationTurnService	The single chokepoint every chat / agent / ACP turn must traverse.
CommandExecutor	Programmatic entry to the Command Pipeline.

Spring bean injection

All @Extension classes are Spring-managed; inject any host service via @Autowired. Use @Autowired(required = false) for optional accessors (such as FileAccessor, AiProviderAccessor, KnowledgeBaseAccessor) so the plugin runs against both OSS and enterprise platforms.

Publishing to the Marketplace

Validate — aura plugin validate plugins/my-plugin
Package — the CLI bundles JSON resources and compiled extensions
Publish — upload to the Marketplace or distribute as a zip
Install — other tenants install via the Marketplace UI or aura plugin publish

Marketplace metadata lives under plugin.json → marketplace:

{
  "marketplace": {
    "category": "CRM",
    "tags": ["sales", "lead-management"],
    "screenshots": ["screenshot-1.png", "screenshot-2.png"],
    "pricing": "free",
    "supportUrl": "https://github.com/yourorg/my-plugin/issues"
  }
}

Next steps

Plugin development walkthrough
Commands pipeline — phases your SPIs hook into
REST API — HTTP equivalent for testing your plugin