Publishing Plugins

Once your plugin is working, you can share it with others by publishing to GitHub and adding it to the plugin registry.

Preparing for Release

Before publishing, verify your plugin is ready:

1. Update manifest.json

Ensure all fields are accurate:

{
  "id": "my-plugin",
  "name": "My Plugin",
  "version": "0.1.0",
  "description": "Clear, concise description of what it does",
  "author": "Your Name",
  "main": "index.js",
  "permissions": {
    "read": ["transactions", "accounts"],
    "schemaName": "plugin_my_plugin"
  }
}

2. Test Thoroughly

• Build the plugin: npm run build
• Install locally: tl plugin install .
• Test all features in the desktop app
• Verify it works with both light and dark themes
• Test with real data (not just demo mode)

3. Clean Up

• Remove debug console.log() statements
• Handle errors gracefully with sdk.toast.error()
• Ensure subscriptions are cleaned up in onDestroy()

Releasing a Version

The template includes automation for releasing. When you push a tag, GitHub Actions builds and publishes your plugin.

Using the Release Script

./scripts/release.sh 0.1.0

This script:

1. Updates the version in manifest.json
2. Builds the plugin
3. Commits the version bump
4. Creates a git tag
5. Pushes to GitHub

The GitHub Actions workflow then:

1. Checks out the code
2. Installs dependencies
3. Builds the plugin
4. Creates a GitHub release with manifest.json and dist/index.js

Version Management

Semantic Versioning

Follow semver for version numbers:

• MAJOR (1.0.0) - Breaking changes
• MINOR (0.1.0) - New features, backwards compatible
• PATCH (0.0.1) - Bug fixes

Version Consistency

Keep versions in sync across:

• manifest.json - version field
• package.json - version field (optional but recommended)
• Git tags - v0.1.0 format

Adding to the Plugin Registry

Once you have a GitHub release, submit your plugin to the plugin registry.

1. Fork the Treeline Repository

Fork treeline-money/treeline on GitHub.

2. Edit plugins.json

Add your plugin to plugins.json:

{
  "id": "my-plugin",
  "name": "My Plugin",
  "description": "Clear description of what it does",
  "author": "Your Name",
  "repo": "https://github.com/yourusername/my-plugin"
}

Fields:

Field	Required	Description
id	Yes	Must match your manifest.json
name	Yes	Display name
description	Yes	Brief description (under 100 chars)
author	Yes	Your name or organization
repo	Yes	GitHub repository URL
featured	No	Set by maintainers only

3. Submit a Pull Request

Create a PR with:

• Title: Add [plugin-name] plugin
• Description: Brief explanation of what your plugin does
• Link to your repository

4. Review Process

Maintainers will review your PR for:

• Working GitHub release
• Accurate manifest.json
• Reasonable permissions (not requesting more than needed)
• No malicious code

Plugin Guidelines

Do

• Make plugins that solve real problems
• Document your plugin’s features
• Respond to issues and PRs
• Keep dependencies minimal
• Test with the latest Treeline version

Don’t

• Request unnecessary permissions
• Include tracking or analytics
• Bundle large dependencies
• Copy other plugins without attribution
• Include offensive content

Security

• Never log or transmit user financial data
• Only access tables declared in permissions
• Don’t make network requests without user consent

Updating Your Plugin

When you release a new version:

1. Update manifest.json with the new version
2. Run ./scripts/release.sh <version>
3. The new version appears automatically for users

The registry pulls from your latest GitHub release. No PR needed for updates.

Support

If you need help:

• Check existing plugins for examples
• Join Discord and post in #feedback
• Open an issue on GitHub for bugs

PLUGIN_PREVIEW.md

All plugins should include a PLUGIN_PREVIEW.md file in their GitHub repository. This file is used to display plugin information on the treeline.money landing page and in the desktop app’s plugin browser.

See these plugins for examples of how to structure your PLUGIN_PREVIEW.md:

• plugin-budget
• plugin-goals

Example Plugins

Study these plugins for inspiration:

Plugin	Description	Repo
Budget	Tag-based budget tracking	plugin-budget
Goals	Savings goal tracking	plugin-goals
Cash Flow	Income/expense planning	plugin-cashflow
Subscriptions	Recurring charge detection	plugin-subscriptions
Emergency Fund	Fund runway calculator	plugin-emergency-fund