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claudecodeui/examples/plugins/hello-world/README.md
2026-03-05 22:51:27 +00:00

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# Project Stats — example plugin
Scans the currently selected project and shows file counts, lines of code, a file-type breakdown chart, largest files, and recently modified files.
This is the example plugin that ships with Claude Code UI. It demonstrates all three plugin capabilities in a way that's immediately useful. See the sections below for the full plugin authoring guide.
## How plugins work
A plugin's UI is a plain ES module loaded directly into the host app — no iframe. Plugins can optionally declare a `server` entry in their manifest — a Node.js script that the host runs as a subprocess. The module calls the server through an `api.rpc()` helper (the host proxies the calls using its own auth token).
```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Host server │
│ │
│ Lifecycle: │
│ git clone / git pull Install & update │
│ npm install Dependency setup │
│ │
│ Runtime: │
│ GET /api/plugins List plugins │
│ GET /api/plugins/:name/assets/* Serve static files │
│ ALL /api/plugins/:name/rpc/* Proxy → subprocess │
│ PUT /api/plugins/:name/enable Toggle + start/stop │
│ DELETE /api/plugins/:name Uninstall + stop │
│ │
│ Plugin subprocess (server.js): │
│ Runs as a child process with restricted env │
│ Listens on random local port │
│ Receives secrets via X-Plugin-Secret-* headers │
└───────────┬─────────────────────────┬───────────────────┘
│ serves static files │ proxies RPC
┌───────────▼─────────────────────────▼───────────────────┐
│ Frontend (browser) │
│ │
│ Plugin module (index.js) │
│ import(url) → mount(container, api) │
│ api.context — theme / project / session │
│ api.onContextChange — subscribe to changes │
│ api.rpc(method, path, body) → Promise │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
## Plugin structure
```
my-plugin/
manifest.json # Required — plugin metadata
index.js # Frontend entry point (ES module, mount/unmount exports)
server.js # Optional — backend entry point (runs as subprocess)
package.json # Optional — npm dependencies for server.js
```
All files in the plugin directory are accessible via `/api/plugins/:name/assets/`.
## manifest.json
```jsonc
{
"name": "hello-world", // Unique id — alphanumeric, hyphens, underscores only
"displayName": "Hello World", // Shown in the UI
"version": "1.0.0",
"description": "Short description shown in settings.",
"author": "Your Name",
"icon": "Puzzle", // Lucide icon name (see available icons below)
"type": "module", // "module" (default) or "iframe" (legacy)
"slot": "tab", // Where the plugin appears — only "tab" is supported today
"entry": "index.js", // Frontend entry file, relative to plugin directory
"server": "server.js", // Optional — backend entry file, runs as Node.js subprocess
"permissions": [] // Reserved for future use
}
```
### Available icons
`Puzzle` (default), `Box`, `Database`, `Globe`, `Terminal`, `Wrench`, `Zap`, `BarChart3`, `Folder`, `MessageSquare`, `GitBranch`
## Installation
**Manual:** Copy your plugin folder into `~/.claude-code-ui/plugins/`.
**From git:** In Settings > Plugins, paste a git URL and click Install. The repo is cloned into the plugins directory.
---
## Frontend — Module API
The host dynamically imports your entry file and calls `mount(container, api)`. When the plugin tab is closed or the plugin is disabled, `unmount(container)` is called.
```js
// index.js
export function mount(container, api) {
// api.context — current snapshot: { theme, project, session }
// api.onContextChange(cb) — subscribe, returns an unsubscribe function
// api.rpc(method, path, body?) — call the plugin's server subprocess
container.innerHTML = '<p>Hello!</p>';
const unsub = api.onContextChange((ctx) => {
container.style.background = ctx.theme === 'dark' ? '#111' : '#fff';
});
container._cleanup = unsub;
}
export function unmount(container) {
if (typeof container._cleanup === 'function') container._cleanup();
container.innerHTML = '';
}
```
### Context object
```js
api.context // always up to date
// {
// theme: "dark" | "light",
// project: { name: string, path: string } | null,
// session: { id: string, title: string } | null,
// }
```
### RPC helper
```js
// Calls /api/plugins/:name/rpc/hello via the host's authenticated fetch
const data = await api.rpc('GET', '/hello');
// With a JSON body
const result = await api.rpc('POST', '/echo', { greeting: 'hi' });
```
---
## Backend — Server subprocess
Plugins that need to make authenticated API calls, use npm packages, or run Node.js logic can declare a `"server"` entry in their manifest. The host manages the full lifecycle:
### How it works
1. When the plugin is enabled, the host spawns `node server.js` as a child process
2. The subprocess **must** print a JSON line to stdout: `{"ready": true, "port": 12345}`
3. The host records the port and proxies requests from `/api/plugins/:name/rpc/*` to it
4. When the plugin is disabled or uninstalled, the host sends SIGTERM to the process
### Restricted environment
The subprocess runs with a **minimal env** — only `PATH`, `HOME`, `NODE_ENV`, and `PLUGIN_NAME`. It does **not** inherit the host's API keys, database URLs, or other secrets from `process.env`.
### Secrets
Per-plugin secrets are stored in `~/.claude-code-ui/plugins.json` and injected as HTTP headers on every proxied request:
```json
{
"hello-world": {
"enabled": true,
"secrets": {
"apiKey": "sk-live-..."
}
}
}
```
The plugin's server receives these as `x-plugin-secret-apikey` headers — they are per-call, never stored in the subprocess env.
### Example server.js
```js
const http = require('http');
const server = http.createServer((req, res) => {
res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'application/json');
// Read host-injected secrets
const apiKey = req.headers['x-plugin-secret-apikey'];
if (req.method === 'GET' && req.url === '/hello') {
res.end(JSON.stringify({ message: 'Hello!', hasApiKey: Boolean(apiKey) }));
return;
}
res.writeHead(404);
res.end(JSON.stringify({ error: 'Not found' }));
});
// Listen on a random port and signal readiness
server.listen(0, '127.0.0.1', () => {
const { port } = server.address();
console.log(JSON.stringify({ ready: true, port }));
});
```
---
## Frontend — Mobile
On desktop, each enabled plugin gets its own tab in the tab bar. On mobile, plugins are grouped under a single "More" button in the bottom navigation to save space.
## Security
### Frontend isolation
Plugin modules run in the same JS context as the host app but have no access to auth tokens or internal state — only the `api` object passed to `mount`. They cannot make authenticated API calls directly; all server communication goes through `api.rpc()`, which the host proxies.
### Server subprocess isolation
The subprocess runs as a separate OS process with:
- **Restricted env** — no host secrets inherited; only `PATH`, `HOME`, `NODE_ENV`, `PLUGIN_NAME`
- **Per-call secrets** — injected as HTTP headers by the host proxy, never stored in process env
- **Process boundary** — a crash in the plugin cannot crash the host
- **Auth stripping** — the host removes `authorization` and `cookie` headers before proxying
The subprocess runs as the same OS user, so it has the same filesystem/network access. This matches the trust model of VS Code extensions, Grafana backend plugins, and Terraform providers — the user explicitly installs the plugin.
### Install-time protections
npm `postinstall` scripts are blocked during installation (`--ignore-scripts`). Plugins that need npm packages should ship pre-built or use packages that work without postinstall hooks.
## Try it
```bash
cp -r examples/plugins/hello-world ~/.claude-code-ui/plugins/
```
Then open Settings > Plugins — "Project Stats" should appear. Enable it, select a project, and open its tab to see the stats.