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Plugins let Jolter manage tools that are not built into the core CLI. A plugin is a registry-hosted WebAssembly provider that declares the tools it can supply, resolves exact tool releases, and validates installed plugin tools before Jolter reuses them. Use the public registry at plugins.jolter.dev to find plugins, inspect their repositories and releases, and manage plugins you own. Jolter CLI and release automation talk to the registry API behind that site.

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What plugins provide

Plugins are for executable tools such as:
  • ecosystem CLIs outside Jolter’s built-in tool set;
  • organization-specific development commands;
  • tools that need Jolter version selectors, verified installs, and shims.
These tools are built in and do not require plugins: 
npm
pnpm
yarn

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Names and aliases

Every plugin has a canonical scoped name: 
@jolter/search
@eslint/eslint
The registry can also approve an official unscoped alias for a plugin: 
eslint
Install commands may use either form when the registry maps the alias: 
jolter plugin install eslint
jolter plugin install @eslint/eslint@1
Commit canonical scoped names in shared jolter.json files when possible. Aliases are convenient for humans, but canonical names make ownership explicit during review.

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Project configuration

Schema version 2 uses tools for tool versions and plugins for provider versions:
jolter.json
{
  "$schema": "https://schemas.jolter.dev/project/v2/schema.json",
  "schemaVersion": 2,
  "runtime": {
    "node": "24"
  },
  "tools": {
    "eslint": "8"
  },
  "plugins": {
    "@eslint/eslint": "1"
  }
}
tools.eslint selects the ESLint release. plugins["@eslint/eslint"] selects the Jolter plugin version that knows how to resolve and install ESLint.

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Install lifecycle

When you install a plugin, Jolter:
  1. resolves aliases through the registry;
  2. selects a plugin release matching the selector;
  3. downloads the release manifest and WebAssembly entrypoint;
  4. verifies the manifest schema, identity, size, and SHA-256;
  5. stores the plugin under JOLTER_HOME/plugins;
  6. refreshes shims for commands declared by the plugin.
Project sync then uses installed plugins to resolve plugin-provided tools: 
jolter sync
jolter setup-ci --yes
Use --yes only when the environment is allowed to install missing project plugins.

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Registry endpoints

Use these URLs for different jobs:
URLPurpose
https://plugins.jolter.devPublic web registry for discovery and plugin management
https://registry.jolter.devRegistry API origin used by Jolter and release automation
Override the CLI registry for private or development testing: 
export JOLTER_REGISTRY_URL="https://registry.example.com"
Review plugin requirements like build scripts. A plugin controls which executable artifacts Jolter downloads for plugin-provided tools.

Related topics

Publish a pluginUsing pluginsPlugin securityProject plugins