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Plugin System Architecture

Overview

NoIdea's plugin system is designed to extend the functionality of the CLI tool in a modular, maintainable way. This document outlines the architectural foundation for the upcoming plugin system.

Design Principles

The plugin system follows these core principles:

  1. Simplicity: Plugins should be easy to create, install, and use
  2. Stability: The plugin API should be stable and backward compatible
  3. Isolation: Plugins should operate in isolation to prevent conflicts
  4. Performance: Plugin architecture should minimize overhead
  5. Discoverability: Users should be able to easily discover and manage plugins

Plugin System Components

Core Components

noidea/
├── internal/
│   ├── plugin/           # Plugin infrastructure
│   │   ├── registry.go   # Plugin registration and discovery
│   │   ├── loader.go     # Plugin loading mechanisms
│   │   ├── interface.go  # Core plugin interfaces
│   │   └── events.go     # Event system for plugins
└── cmd/
    └── plugin.go         # Plugin management commands

Interaction Flow

┌─────────────┐        ┌───────────────┐        ┌────────────────┐
│ NoIdea Core │ ◄────► │ Plugin System │ ◄────► │ User Plugins   │
└─────────────┘        └───────────────┘        └────────────────┘
                              │
                     ┌────────┴─────────┐
                     │                  │
             ┌───────▼────────┐ ┌───────▼────────┐
             │ Event Hooks    │ │ Command Hooks  │
             └────────────────┘ └────────────────┘

Hook Points

Plugins can integrate with NoIdea through the following hook points:

  1. Command Hooks: Add new commands or extend existing ones
  2. Pre/Post Commit Hooks: Execute before or after a commit operation
  3. Feedback Hooks: Extend or modify the feedback system
  4. UI Hooks: Add custom UI elements or modify existing UI
  5. Data Hooks: Access or modify Git metadata and analytics

Plugin Lifecycle

Each plugin follows this lifecycle:

  1. Discovery: NoIdea finds plugins in designated directories
  2. Registration: Plugins register themselves with the plugin registry
  3. Initialization: The plugin system initializes plugins with appropriate context
  4. Operation: Plugins execute their functionality through hook points
  5. Deactivation: Plugins perform cleanup when deactivated

Implementation Strategy

The plugin system will be implemented in phases:

  1. Phase 1: Define interfaces and basic infrastructure
  2. Phase 2: Implement core hook points and plugin loading
  3. Phase 3: Add plugin discovery and management commands
  4. Phase 4: Build example plugins and documentation

Security Considerations

  • Plugins run with the same permissions as NoIdea itself
  • Users should be cautioned about installing third-party plugins
  • A future plugin marketplace will include security scanning

Future Extensions

  • Plugin marketplace and discovery service
  • Plugin versioning and dependency management
  • Plugin configuration UI
  • Remote plugin repository integration