Discussion: NodeBB Plugins/Themes section

exodo

@baris said:

not sure if there is one that returns all compatible plugins for a specific version.

Yup, it's here: https://packages.nodebb.org/api/v1/plugins?version=0.9.2

NodeBB calls it when you browse to the plugins page in ACP.

My eyes

julian

@exodo JSONView is your friend.

Joykiller

@frissdiegurke said:

Maybe a connection-plugin between the NBBPM and a subcategory of plugins & themes per minor release could be realized.

I imagine something like this (fully automated, intervall check of NBBPM changes):
plugins/
  by-release/
    0.8.0/
      "xyz 0.1.4" (nodebb-plugin-xyz topic, contains description of its README)
    0.9.0/
      "xyz 0.1.8" (nodebb-plugin-xyz topic, ...)
If breaking changes are done purely with minor version updates (AFAIK with very few exceptions they did in the past) this should provide all compatibility info needed.

Maybe a route like https://packages.nodebb.org/api/v1/list?version=0.9.0 (broken link) with appropriate announcement would fit for now. If there exists such a route it just needs the proper announcement @psychobunny @baris Should be easy to be realized.

I just thought a list on a page with current plugins/themes with their revision pulled from the by-release sounds like a good option with a filter so people can search it. Often times the search function on the forums is bloated by keywords that dont relate to the search topic.

Joykiller

@julian said:

@baris said:

not sure if there is one that returns all compatible plugins for a specific version.

Yup, it's here: https://packages.nodebb.org/api/v1/plugins?version=0.9.2

NodeBB calls it when you browse to the plugins page in ACP.

So I assume those are the plugins that are valid to work with that version of nodebb? I still think on a new user perspective it might be a good idea to have a front end link with a filter search. Something I'm sure you or @psychobunny would whip up pretty quickly.

Might help with newer users finding plugins to use, instead of wading through a sea of posts in search.

Like i said just my opinion, just think it might be a good option for newer users to nodebb.

@Jesse-Pulfer said:

@Joykiller We have a plugin that is very similar to Xenforo's resource manager: https://github.com/NodeBB/nodebb-plugin-asset-manager

It allows admins to upload different file types to be downloaded

@pichalite @Jesse-Pulfer Thats cool, but I was meaning more along the lines of linking for users to see valid working plugins/themes for the current node. A simple page that parses the above link with a filter would be great imo. Would help find active working plugs/themes much easier.

Bri

@Joykiller said:

Might help with newer users finding plugins to use, instead of wading through a sea of posts in search.

This is actually a good thing, it being hard to find old, abandoned plugins is actually infinitely preferable to what was happening in the past before the NBB team came up with the versioning schemes. People would install an old plugin and their forum would break, then come back here to yell at everyone, then someone would make a PR out of sheer kindness, only to have it sit there indefinitely...

What you've described, having an "area" where assets can be collected and sorted into compatible versions, is actually what is designed into the plugins panel of the ACP; only compatible versions of plugins / themes will show up in that list. Maybe you were alluding to making this information available to more than the Admins?

If you really want an exhaustive list, try this

julian

The plugins/themes category is really more of a developer oriented area anyway, and is definitely "hacker-focused"... meaning if someone installs a plugin and it explodes NodeBB, at least they have the knowledge to rollback/uninstall.

The problem is NodeBB is quickly become easier for non-developers to use (not "simple" yet, but getting there)... the downside is these users while ambitious, definitely do not have the requisite background to recover when NodeBB can't handle an incompatible plugin.

I thought I wrote a blog post about it... maybe I didn't. Time to write one now!

Joykiller

@julian said:

The plugins/themes category is really more of a developer oriented area anyway, and is definitely "hacker-focused"... meaning if someone installs a plugin and it explodes NodeBB, at least they have the knowledge to rollback/uninstall.

The problem is NodeBB is quickly become easier for non-developers to use (not "simple" yet, but getting there)... the downside is these users while ambitious, definitely do not have the requisite background to recover when NodeBB can't handle an incompatible plugin.

I thought I wrote a blog post about it... maybe I didn't. Time to write one now!

Fair enough, Just think that all the new users will search forums before looking on git or some other location. So yeah a post would be helpful as long as that post is not lost in the sea either. Which is why I thought a small quick page would be pretty helpful for these newer users to nodebb. (Theres already posts talking about this specific thing Looking for x plugin by some people right now in recent topics.)

-Edit-
I guess for newer users because obviously you want to support them, maybe have a revision check on the install of the plugin with an arg to skip? I duno just random thoughts.

Countless new install posts by new users been going on in tech support areas with really simple mistakes and I'm sure it will only grow.

pichalite

@Joykiller NodeBB only displays plugins that are compatible with your install in the ACP plugins page. What's the point in having a revision check on install?

NodeBB has no control over plugins you install manually with NPM. The only thing they can do is warn you on NodeBB startup and they do that already.

Joykiller

@pichalite said:

@Joykiller NodeBB only displays plugins that are compatible with your install in the ACP plugins page. What's the point in having a revision check on install?

NodeBB has no control over plugins you install manually with NPM. The only thing they can do is warn you on NodeBB startup and they do that already.

hmm ok, mis-read what you posted first time. I didn't know you couldn't have a check function with npm. I guess you could still have a don't run plugin in the nodebb through ACP till admin is notified of incompatibility. none the less the whole point of this opinion post was about giving a place that shows a list of current node apps on the website. Didn't know at the time the ACP displayed the only viable compatible versions of the plugins.

julian

@Joykiller Not sure if you're around anymore but I thought I'd respond anyway.

The problem with maintaining a plugin and theme directory is the maintenance aspect. We simply don't have the time to make sure everything is compatible, especially since every plugin created is a community contribution.

So we automate. We rely on plugin developers to report plugin compatibility, and serve only those plugins that are marked compatible. There is one downside, however, and that is plugins will quickly disappear in successive revisions of NodeBB unless the authors keep them up to date.

So there's definitely space for crowdsourcing as well. If a plugin is not marked compatible by the developer directly, multiple reports of compatibility by the plugin users should also count, and if enough votes come in, then the plugin should automatically be reintroduced.

that part isn't in yet, but it's on the wish list.