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Plugin Development

PracticalKit is extensible through plugins. Plugins can add panels to the sidebar, register tools for the AI assistant, create custom file editors, and more.

What can plugins do?

  • Add sidebar panels - Create custom UI panels that appear in the left sidebar
  • Register LLM tools - Give the AI new capabilities it can use when helping users
  • Create file editors - Handle specific file types with custom editors
  • Run background services - Perform tasks without a visible UI
  • Access the file system - Read and write files in the user's workspace
  • Store data securely - Save settings and secrets per-plugin

Plugin types

Plugins contain one or more modules, each with a specific type:

TypeDescription
panelSidebar panel with custom UI
editorCustom editor for specific file types
serviceBackground service without UI
blankMinimal module for tool registration only

Getting started

  1. Quick Start Tutorial - Build your first plugin in 10 minutes
  2. SDK Reference - Complete API documentation
  3. Plugin Manifest - Configuration file reference

Installing the SDK

npm install @practicalkit/plugin-sdk

Or with pnpm:

pnpm add @practicalkit/plugin-sdk