Custom Plugin Repository
If you intend to use a plugin repository other than the JetBrains Marketplace, you will need to:
Create and maintain an updatePlugins.xml* file on the HTTPS web server you are using for your custom repository. This file describes all the plugins available in your custom repository and each plugin's download URL.
Upload your plugin JAR/ZIP file to an HTTPS web server. This can be the same web server you are using for the custom repository or a different HTTPS web server.
Add the URL for the custom repository to the JetBrains IDE Repository Settings/Preferences.
* The updatePlugin.xml file name is not fixed and can be different.
To avoid collisions between private plugins and those hosted on JetBrains Marketplace, an organization can reserve plugin IDs.
To provide custom authentication, implement PluginRepositoryAuthProvider
registered in com.intellij.pluginRepositoryAuthProvider
extension point.
Describing Your Plugins in updatePlugins.xml File
Every custom plugin repository must have at least one updatePlugins.xml file to describe every hosted plugin's latest available version. The description in updatePlugins.xml is used by JetBrains IDEs to locate plugins by attributes such as identifier, IDE version, and plugin version. These attributes are displayed by JetBrains IDEs to help users select or upgrade plugins. The description also tells the JetBrains IDE where to download the plugin itself.
A custom plugin repository's updatePlugins.xml file is constructed and maintained by the repository administrator. More than one updatePlugins.xml file may be required if the custom repository consumers are using more than one version of a JetBrains IDE. For example, updatePlugins-182.xml, updatePlugins-183.xml for IntelliJ IDEA 2018.2 and 2018.3, respectively. Each updatePlugins-*.xml file will have a unique URL that is added to the JetBrains IDE Repository Settings/Preferences.
Format of updatePlugins.xml File
The format of an updatePlugins.xml file is simply a list of sequential elements that describe each plugin:
Notes:
An updatePlugins.xml file must contain at least one
<plugin>
element.A plugin
id
may be listed only once in an updatePlugins.xml file.Multiple plugins with the same
id
but differentidea-version
attributes must be split into separate updatePlugins-*.xml files. The requesting IDE's version is passed asbuild
parameter and can be used for server-side filtering.
Optional updatePlugin.xml Elements
During plugin installation, the IDE reads the plugin JAR/ZIP file and thereafter displays more information about the plugin. In some cases, additional information included in updatePlugins.xml might help a user select a plugin when browsing the custom plugin repository before installation. The decision on what elements should be included in the file depends on the plugins and repository consumers. It is recommended to avoid adding unnecessary elements as they will have to be synchronized with each plugin's plugin.xml file.
The additional candidate elements:
Element | Effects & Requirements |
---|---|
My Plugin Name
| By default the name of the plugin JAR/ZIP file is displayed before installation. Using the Contents should match the |
My plugin is awesome
| By default no description for the plugin is displayed before installation. Using the Contents should match the Optionally, an enclosing |
Added cool feature
| By default no change notes for the plugin are displayed before installation. Using the Contents should match the Optionally, an enclosing |
dependency.plugin.id
| Adding a plugin dependency in the A plugin entry should include only the dependencies on other plugins that are defined by the |