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< ol class = "chapter" > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "introduction.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 1.< / strong > Introduction< / a > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "quickstart.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 2.< / strong > Quickstart< / a > < / li > < li > < ol class = "section" > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "install.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 2.1.< / strong > Install< / a > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "post-install.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 2.2.< / strong > Post Install< / a > < / li > < / ol > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "configuration.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 3.< / strong > Configuration< / a > < / li > < li > < ol class = "section" > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "general-config.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 3.1.< / strong > General< / a > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "node_types.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 3.2.< / strong > Node Types< / a > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "layouts.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 3.3.< / strong > Layouts< / a > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "modes.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 3.4.< / strong > Modes< / a > < / li > < / ol > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "concept.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 4.< / strong > Concept< / a > < / li > < li > < ol class = "section" > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "key-bindings.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 4.1.< / strong > Key Bindings< / a > < / li > < li > < ol class = "section" > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "configure-key-bindings.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 4.1.1.< / strong > Configure Key Bindings< / a > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "default-key-bindings.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 4.1.2.< / strong > Default Key Bindings< / a > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "debug-key-bindings.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 4.1.3.< / strong > Debug Key Bindings< / a > < / li > < / ol > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "node-type.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 4.2.< / strong > Node Type< / a > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "layout.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 4.3.< / strong > Layout< / a > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "mode.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 4.4.< / strong > Mode< / a > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "message.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 4.5.< / strong > Message< / a > < / li > < li > < ol class = "section" > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "messages.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 4.5.1.< / strong > Full List of Messages< / a > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "input-operation.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 4.5.2.< / strong > Input Operation< / a > < / li > < / ol > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "borders.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 4.6.< / strong > Borders< / a > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "style.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 4.7.< / strong > Style< / a > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "searching.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 4.8.< / strong > Searching< / a > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "sorting.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 4.9.< / strong > Sorting< / a > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "filtering.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 4.10.< / strong > Filtering< / a > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "column-renderer.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 4.11.< / strong > Column Renderer< / a > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "lua-function-calls.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 4.12.< / strong > Lua Function Calls< / a > < / li > < li > < ol class = "section" > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "xplr.util.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 4.12.1.< / strong > xplr.util< / a > < / li > < / ol > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "environment-variables-and-pipes.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 4.13.< / strong > Environment Variables and Pipes< / a > < / li > < / ol > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "awesome-hacks.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 5.< / strong > Awesome Hacks< / a > < / li > < li class = "chapter-item expanded " > < a href = "plugin.html" > < strong aria-hidden = "true" > 6.< / strong > Plugin< / a > < / li > < li > < ol class = "sect
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< h1 id = "writing-plugins" > < a class = "header" href = "#writing-plugins" > Writing Plugins< / a > < / h1 >
< p > Anyone who can write < a href = "https://www.lua.org" > Lua< / a > code, can write xplr plugins.< / p >
< p > Just follow the instructions and best practices:< / p >
< h2 id = "naming" > < a class = "header" href = "#naming" > Naming< / a > < / h2 >
< p > xplr plugins are named using hiphen (< code > -< / code > ) separated words that may also include
integers. They will be plugged using the < code > require()< / code > function in Lua.< / p >
< h2 id = "structure" > < a class = "header" href = "#structure" > Structure< / a > < / h2 >
< p > A minimal plugin should confirm to the following structure:< / p >
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< pre > < code > .
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├── README.md
└── init.lua
< / code > < / pre >
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< p > You can also use < a href = "https://github.com/sayanarijit/plugin-template1.xplr" > this template< / a > .< / p >
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< h3 id = "readmemd" > < a class = "header" href = "#readmemd" > README.md< / a > < / h3 >
< p > This is where you document what the plugin does, how to use it, etc.< / p >
< h3 id = "initlua" > < a class = "header" href = "#initlua" > init.lua< / a > < / h3 >
< p > This file is executed to load the plugin. It should expose a < code > setup()< / code >
function, which will be used by the users to setup the plugin.< / p >
< p > Example:< / p >
< pre > < code class = "language-lua" > local function setup(args)
local xplr = xplr
-- do stuff with xplr
end
return { setup = setup }
< / code > < / pre >
< h2 id = "publishing" > < a class = "header" href = "#publishing" > Publishing< / a > < / h2 >
< p > When publishing plugins on GitHub or other repositories, it's a best practice
to append < code > .xplr< / code > to the name to make them distinguishable. Similar to the
< code > *.nvim< / code > naming convention for < a href = "https://neovim.io" > Neovim< / a > plugins.< / p >
< p > Finally, after publishing, don't hesitate to
< a href = "https://github.com/sayanarijit/xplr/discussions/categories/show-and-tell" > let us know< / a > .< / p >
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< h2 id = "best-practices" > < a class = "header" href = "#best-practices" > Best practices< / a > < / h2 >
< ul >
< li > Try not to execute a lot of commands at startup, it may make xplr slow to
start.< / li >
< li > When executing commands, prefer < code > Call0< / code > over < code > Call< / code > , < code > BashExec0< / code > over
< code > BashExec< / code > and so on. File names may contain newline characters
(e.g. < code > foo$'\n'bar< / code > ).< / li >
< li > File names may also contain quotes. Avoid writing directly to
< code > $XPLR_PIPE_MSG_IN< / code > . Use < code > xplr -m< / code > / < code > xplr --pipe-msg-in< / code > instead.< / li >
< li > Check for empty variables using the syntax < code > ${FOO:?}< / code > or use a default value
< code > ${FOO:-defaultvalue}< / code > .< / li >
< / ul >
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< h2 id = "examples" > < a class = "header" href = "#examples" > Examples< / a > < / h2 >
< p > Visit < a href = "awesome-plugins.html" > Awesome Plugins< / a > for xplr plugin examples.< / p >
< h2 id = "also-see" > < a class = "header" href = "#also-see" > Also See< / a > < / h2 >
< ul >
< li > < a href = "https://github.com/sayanarijit/xplr/wiki/Hacks" > Tip: A list of hacks yet to make it as Lua plugins< / a > < / li >
< li > < a href = "https://github.com/sayanarijit/xplr/discussions/274" > Tip: Some UI and themeing tips< / a > < / li >
< li > < a href = "https://github.com/sayanarijit/xplr/discussions/273" > Tip: A list of handy utility functions< / a > < / li >
< li > < a href = "https://github.com/sayanarijit/xplr/discussions/250" > Tip: Share tips and tricks working with Lua< / a > < / li >
< li > < a href = "configure-key-bindings.html#tutorial-adding-a-new-mode" > Tutorial: Adding a New Mode< / a > < / li >
< li > < a href = "environment-variables-and-pipes.html#example-using-environment-variables-and-pipes" > Example: Using Environment Variables and Pipes< / a > < / li >
< li > < a href = "lua-function-calls.html#example-using-lua-function-calls" > Example: Using Lua Function Calls< / a > < / li >
< li > < a href = "layout.html#example-defining-custom-layout" > Example: Defining Custom Layout< / a > < / li >
< li > < a href = "column-renderer.html#example-customizing-table-renderer" > Example: Customizing Table Renderer< / a > < / li >
< li > < a href = "layout.html#example-render-a-custom-dynamic-table" > Example: Render a custom dynamic table< / a > < / li >
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< li > < a href = "https://github.com/sayanarijit/xplr/discussions/529#discussioncomment-4073734" > Example: Implementing a directory visit counter< / a > < / li >
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