docs: Revise plugin documentation

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# Plugins
Etherpad allows you to extend its functionality with plugins. A plugin registers
hooks (functions) for certain events (thus certain features) in Etherpad-lite to
hooks (functions) for certain events (thus certain features) in Etherpad to
execute its own functionality based on these events.
Publicly available plugins can be found in the npm registry (see
<https://npmjs.org>). Etherpad-lite's naming convention for plugins is to prefix
your plugins with `ep_`. So, e.g. it's `ep_flubberworms`. Thus you can install
plugins from npm, using `npm install ep_flubberworm` in etherpad-lite's root
<https://npmjs.org>). Etherpad's naming convention for plugins is to prefix your
plugins with `ep_`. So, e.g. it's `ep_flubberworms`. Thus you can install
plugins from npm, using `npm install ep_flubberworm` in Etherpad's root
directory.
You can also browse to `http://yourEtherpadInstan.ce/admin/plugins`, which will
@ -16,64 +16,96 @@ functionality to search through all available plugins.
## Folder structure
A basic plugin usually has the following folder structure:
Ideally a plugin has the following folder structure:
```
ep_<plugin>/
| static/
| templates/
| locales/
+ ep.json
+ package.json
├ .github/
│ └ workflows/
│ └ npmpublish.yml ◄─ GitHub workflow to auto-publish on push
├ static/
│ ├ css/ ◄─ static .css files
│ ├ images/ ◄─ static image files
│ ├ js/
│ │ └ index.js ◄─ static client-side code
│ └ tests/
│ ├ backend/
│ │ └ specs/ ◄─ backend (server) tests
│ └ frontend/
│ └ specs/ ◄─ frontend (client) tests
├ templates/ ◄─ EJS templates (.html, .js, .css, etc.)
├ locales/
│ ├ en.json ◄─ English (US) strings
│ └ qqq.json ◄─ optional hints for translators
├ .travis.yml ◄─ Travis CI config
├ LICENSE
├ README.md
├ ep.json ◄─ Etherpad plugin definition
├ index.js ◄─ server-side code
├ package.json
└ package-lock.json
```
If your plugin includes client-side hooks, put them in `static/js/`. If you're
adding in CSS or image files, you should put those files in `static/css/ `and
`static/image/`, respectively, and templates go into `templates/`. Translations
go into `locales/`
go into `locales/`. Tests go in `static/tests/backend/specs/` and
`static/tests/frontend/specs/`.
A Standard directory structure like this makes it easier to navigate through
your code. That said, do note, that this is not actually *required* to make your
plugin run. If you want to make use of our i18n system, you need to put your
translations into `locales/`, though, in order to have them integrated. (See
"Localization" for more info on how to localize your plugin)
"Localization" for more info on how to localize your plugin.)
## Plugin definition
Your plugin definition goes into `ep.json`. In this file you register your
hooks, indicate the parts of your plugin and the order of execution. (A
Your plugin definition goes into `ep.json`. In this file you register your hook
functions, indicate the parts of your plugin and the order of execution. (A
documentation of all available events to hook into can be found in chapter
[hooks](#all_hooks).)
A hook registration is a pairs of a hook name and a function reference (filename
to require() + exported function name)
```json
{
"parts": [
{
"name": "nameThisPartHoweverYouWant",
"hooks": {
"authenticate" : "ep_<plugin>/<file>:FUNCTIONNAME1",
"expressCreateServer": "ep_<plugin>/<file>:FUNCTIONNAME2"
"authenticate": "ep_<plugin>/<file>:functionName1",
"expressCreateServer": "ep_<plugin>/<file>:functionName2"
},
"client_hooks": {
"acePopulateDOMLine": "ep_plugin/<file>:FUNCTIONNAME3"
"acePopulateDOMLine": "ep_<plugin>/<file>:functionName3"
}
}
]
}
```
Etherpad-lite will expect the part of the hook definition before the colon to be
a javascript file and will try to require it. The part after the colon is
expected to be a valid function identifier of that module. So, you have to
export your hooks, using
[`module.exports`](https://nodejs.org/docs/latest/api/modules.html#modules_modules)
and register it in `ep.json` as `ep_<plugin>/path/to/<file>:FUNCTIONNAME`. You
can omit the `FUNCTIONNAME` part, if the exported function has got the same name
as the hook. So `"authorize" : "ep_flubberworm/foo"` will call the function
`exports.authorize` in `ep_flubberworm/foo.js`
A hook function registration maps a hook name to a hook function specification.
The hook function specification looks like `ep_example/file.js:functionName`. It
consists of two parts separated by a colon: a module name to `require()` and the
name of a function exported by the named module. See
[`module.exports`](https://nodejs.org/docs/latest/api/modules.html#modules_module_exports)
for how to export a function.
For the module name you can omit the `.js` suffix, and if the file is `index.js`
you can use just the directory name.
You can also omit the function name and separating colon. If you do, Etherpad
will look for an exported function whose name matches the name of the hook
(e.g., `authenticate`). You cannot omit the function name if the module name
contains a colon.
For example, all of the following will cause the `authorize` hook to call the
`exports.authorize` function in `index.js` from the `ep_example` plugin:
* `"authorize": "ep_example/index.js:authorize"`
* `"authorize": "ep_example/index.js"`
* `"authorize": "ep_example/index:authorize"`
* `"authorize": "ep_example/index"`
* `"authorize": "ep_example:authorize"`
* `"authorize": "ep_example"`
### Client hooks and server hooks
@ -170,8 +202,8 @@ file](https://docs.npmjs.com/files/package.json), called package.json, in the
project root - this file contains various metadata relevant to your plugin, such
as the name and version number, author, project hompage, contributors, a short
description, etc. If you publish your plugin on npm, these metadata are used for
package search etc., but it's necessary for Etherpad-lite plugins, even if you
don't publish your plugin.
package search etc., but it's necessary for Etherpad plugins, even if you don't
publish your plugin.
```json
{
@ -197,11 +229,7 @@ HTML templating. See the following link for more information about EJS:
Etherpad allows you to easily create front-end tests for plugins.
1. Create a new folder
```
%your_plugin%/static/tests/frontend/specs
```
2. Put your spec file in here (Example spec files are visible in
%etherpad_root_folder%/frontend/tests/specs)
3. Visit http://yourserver.com/frontend/tests your front-end tests will run.
1. Create a new folder: `%your_plugin%/static/tests/frontend/specs`
2. Put your spec file in there. (Example spec files are visible in
`%etherpad_root_folder%/frontend/tests/specs`.)
3. Visit http://yourserver.com/frontend/tests and your front-end tests will run.