Plugins API

Overview

The Plugins API provides endpoints to discover and retrieve information about loaded plugins. Plugins extend AutoMFlows with custom node types, actions, and functionality.

List All Plugins

Retrieve metadata for all loaded plugins.

Endpoint

GET /api/plugins

Example Request

curl http://localhost:3003/api/plugins

Response

Returns an array of plugin metadata objects.

string

required

Plugin directory name (unique identifier)

manifest

object

required

Plugin manifest containing metadata and configuration

Show Manifest Object

name

string

required

Human-readable plugin name

version

string

required

Plugin version (semver)

description

string

Plugin description

author

string

Plugin author

nodes

array

Array of node type definitions provided by this plugin

dependencies

object

Plugin dependencies (npm packages)

path

string

required

Absolute path to plugin directory on the filesystem

loaded

boolean

required

Whether the plugin was successfully loaded

error

string

Error message if plugin failed to load

Response Example

[
  {
    "id": "example-plugin",
    "manifest": {
      "name": "Example Plugin",
      "version": "1.0.0",
      "description": "Example plugin demonstrating custom node types",
      "author": "AutoMFlows Team",
      "nodes": [
        {
          "type": "customAction",
          "name": "Custom Action",
          "category": "actions",
          "icon": "bolt",
          "description": "Perform a custom action"
        }
      ],
      "dependencies": {
        "axios": "^1.6.0"
      }
    },
    "path": "/absolute/path/to/plugins/example-plugin",
    "loaded": true
  },
  {
    "id": "api-integration",
    "manifest": {
      "name": "API Integration Plugin",
      "version": "2.1.0",
      "description": "Advanced API integration nodes",
      "author": "Community",
      "nodes": [
        {
          "type": "apiRequest",
          "name": "API Request",
          "category": "integration",
          "icon": "globe",
          "description": "Make HTTP API requests"
        },
        {
          "type": "jsonParse",
          "name": "Parse JSON",
          "category": "data",
          "icon": "code",
          "description": "Parse and extract JSON data"
        }
      ]
    },
    "path": "/absolute/path/to/plugins/api-integration",
    "loaded": true
  },
  {
    "id": "broken-plugin",
    "manifest": {
      "name": "Broken Plugin",
      "version": "1.0.0"
    },
    "path": "/absolute/path/to/plugins/broken-plugin",
    "loaded": false,
    "error": "Failed to load plugin: Missing required field 'main' in manifest"
  }
]

Get Plugin Details

Retrieve detailed metadata for a specific plugin by ID.

Endpoint

GET /api/plugins/{pluginId}

Path Parameters

pluginId

string

required

Plugin ID (directory name)

Example Request

curl http://localhost:3003/api/plugins/example-plugin

Response

Returns a single plugin metadata object (same structure as list endpoint).

Response Example

{
  "id": "example-plugin",
  "manifest": {
    "name": "Example Plugin",
    "version": "1.0.0",
    "description": "Example plugin demonstrating custom node types",
    "author": "AutoMFlows Team",
    "main": "index.js",
    "nodes": [
      {
        "type": "customAction",
        "name": "Custom Action",
        "category": "actions",
        "icon": "bolt",
        "description": "Perform a custom action",
        "inputs": [
          {
            "name": "target",
            "type": "string",
            "required": true,
            "description": "Target element"
          },
          {
            "name": "value",
            "type": "string",
            "required": false,
            "description": "Value to use"
          }
        ],
        "outputs": [
          {
            "name": "result",
            "type": "string",
            "description": "Action result"
          }
        ]
      }
    ],
    "dependencies": {
      "axios": "^1.6.0"
    },
    "scripts": {
      "install": "npm install"
    }
  },
  "path": "/absolute/path/to/plugins/example-plugin",
  "loaded": true
}

Error Response (404)

{
  "error": "Plugin not found"
}

Plugin Manifest Structure

The plugin manifest (manifest.json) defines plugin metadata, node types, and configuration:

Required Fields

name

string

required

Plugin display name

version

string

required

Plugin version (semantic versioning)

main

string

required

Entry point file (e.g., index.js)

Optional Fields

description

string

Plugin description

author

string

Plugin author name or email

license

string

License identifier (e.g., MIT, Apache-2.0)

repository

string

Git repository URL

nodes

array

Array of node type definitions

Show Node Definition

type

string

required

Unique node type identifier

name

string

required

Display name for the node

Example Manifest

manifest.json

{
  "name": "My Custom Plugin",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "description": "Custom nodes for AutoMFlows",
  "author": "Your Name",
  "license": "MIT",
  "main": "index.js",
  "nodes": [
    {
      "type": "customClick",
      "name": "Custom Click",
      "category": "actions",
      "icon": "hand-pointer",
      "description": "Advanced click with custom options",
      "inputs": [
        {
          "name": "selector",
          "type": "string",
          "required": true,
          "description": "CSS selector"
        },
        {
          "name": "clickCount",
          "type": "number",
          "default": 1,
          "description": "Number of clicks"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "dependencies": {
    "lodash": "^4.17.21"
  }
}

Plugin Loading

Plugins are automatically loaded from the plugins directory at server startup:

Server scans the plugins directory
Reads manifest.json from each plugin subdirectory
Validates manifest structure
Loads plugin entry point file
Registers node types with the plugin registry

Plugin Directory Structure

plugins/
├── example-plugin/
│   ├── manifest.json
│   ├── index.js
│   ├── package.json
│   └── node_modules/
├── api-integration/
│   ├── manifest.json
│   ├── index.js
│   └── package.json
└── custom-nodes/
    ├── manifest.json
    └── index.js

Plugin Lifecycle

Discovery

Server discovers plugins in the plugins directory

Validation

Validates manifest.json structure and required fields

Loads plugin entry point and initializes

Registration

Registers node types with the plugin registry

Availability

Plugin nodes become available in the workflow editor

Error Handling

Plugins that fail to load are included in the API response with loaded: false and an error message:

{
  "id": "broken-plugin",
  "manifest": {
    "name": "Broken Plugin",
    "version": "1.0.0"
  },
  "path": "/absolute/path/to/plugins/broken-plugin",
  "loaded": false,
  "error": "Failed to load plugin: Missing required field 'main' in manifest"
}

Common Load Errors

Missing or invalid manifest.json
Missing required fields (name, version, main)
Invalid node type definitions
Entry point file not found
JavaScript syntax errors in plugin code
Missing dependencies

Creating Plugins

To create a custom plugin:

Create Plugin Directory

mkdir plugins/my-plugin
cd plugins/my-plugin

Create Manifest

manifest.json

{
  "name": "My Plugin",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "main": "index.js",
  "nodes": [
    {
      "type": "myNode",
      "name": "My Custom Node",
      "category": "actions"
    }
  ]
}

Create Entry Point

index.js

module.exports = {
  nodes: {
    myNode: {
      async execute(context, nodeData) {
        // Node implementation
        console.log('Executing custom node');
        return { success: true };
      }
    }
  }
};

Restart Server

npm run dev

Verify Plugin Loaded

curl http://localhost:3003/api/plugins

Overview

Endpoints

Overview

List All Plugins

Endpoint

Example Request

Response

Response Example

Get Plugin Details

Endpoint

Path Parameters

Example Request

Response

Error Response (404)

Plugin Manifest Structure

Required Fields

Optional Fields

Example Manifest

Plugin Loading

Plugin Directory Structure

Plugin Lifecycle

Error Handling

Common Load Errors

Creating Plugins

Next Steps

Workflow Execution

Plugin Development

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Overview

Endpoints

​Overview

​List All Plugins

​Endpoint

​Example Request

​Response

​Response Example

​Get Plugin Details

​Endpoint

​Path Parameters

​Example Request

​Response

​Error Response (404)

​Plugin Manifest Structure

​Required Fields

​Optional Fields

​Example Manifest

​Plugin Loading

​Plugin Directory Structure

​Plugin Lifecycle

​Error Handling

​Common Load Errors

​Creating Plugins

​Next Steps

Workflow Execution

Plugin Development

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Overview

List All Plugins

Endpoint

Example Request

Response

Response Example

Get Plugin Details

Endpoint

Path Parameters

Example Request

Response

Error Response (404)

Plugin Manifest Structure

Required Fields

Optional Fields

Example Manifest

Plugin Loading

Plugin Directory Structure

Plugin Lifecycle

Error Handling

Common Load Errors

Creating Plugins

Next Steps