---
description: 'Learn how to create a plugin in Medusa. This guide explains how to develop, configure, and test a plugin.'
addHowToData: true
---

import DocCardList from '@theme/DocCardList';
import Icons from '@theme/Icon';
import LearningPath from '@site/src/components/LearningPath';

# How to Create a Plugin

In this document, you’ll learn how to create a plugin and some tips for development. If you’re interested to learn more about what plugins are and where to find available official and community plugins, check out the [overview document](./overview.mdx).

Alternatively, you can follow this recipe to create a plugin with step-by-step guidance.

<LearningPath pathName="plugin" />

## Prerequisites

You must have an existing Medusa project that you want to create the plugin with.

The recommended way to create a plugin is using the `new` command from Medusa CLI:

```bash
npx @medusajs/medusa-cli@latest new medusa-plugin-custom
```

Where `medusa-plugin-custom` is the name of the plugin you’re creating. In Medusa, plugins are named based on their functionalities.

By convention, all plugin names start with `medusa` followed by a descriptive name of what the plugin does. For example, the Stripe plugin is named `medusa-payment-stripe`.

---

## Changes to package.json

### Package Name

By default, your package name in `package.json` will be `medusa-starter-default`. This should instead be the name of your plugin. For example, the Stripe plugin's package name is `medusa-payment-stripe`.

### Change Dependencies

A basic Medusa backend installed with the `medusa new` command has dependencies that are necessary for the backend, but not necessary for plugins.

For example, can remove the dependencies `medusa-fulfillment-manual`, `medusa-payment-manual`, and `medusa-payment-stripe` as they are fulfillment and payment plugins necessary for a Medusa backend, but not for a plugin. The same goes for modules like `@medusajs/cache-inmemory`.

Additionally, you can remove `@medusajs/medusa-cli` as you don’t need to use the Medusa CLI while developing a plugin.

You should also add `@medusajs/medusa` as a peer dependency:

```json
"peerDependencies": {
  "@medusajs/medusa": "YOUR_MEDUSA_VERSION",
  // other peer dependencies...
}
```

Where `YOUR_MEDUSA_VERSION` is the version you're using of the Medusa core package. You should be able to find it under `devDependencies`.

Once you’re done making these changes, re-run the install command to update your `node_modules` directory:

```bash npm2yarn
npm install
```

Then, make sure to remove the plugins and modules you removed from `medusa-config.js`:

```js title=medusa-config.js
// previously had plugins
const plugins = []

// previously had modules
const modules = {}
```

### Changes for Admin Plugins

If your plugin contains customizations to the admin dashboard, it's recommended to create different `tsconfig` files for backend and admin customizations, then modify the scripts in `package.json` to handle building backend and admin customizations separately.

:::note

These changes may already be available in your Medusa project. They're included here for reference purposes.

:::

Start by updating your `tsconfig.json` with the following configurations:

```json title=tsconfig.json
{
  "compilerOptions": {
    "target": "es2019",
    "module": "commonjs",
    "allowJs": true, 
    "checkJs": false, 
    "jsx": "react-jsx", 
    "declaration": true,
    "outDir": "./dist",
    "rootDir": "./src",
    "experimentalDecorators": true,
    "emitDecoratorMetadata": true,
    "noEmit": false,
    "strict": false,
    "moduleResolution": "node",
    "esModuleInterop": true,
    "resolveJsonModule": true,
    "skipLibCheck": true,
    "forceConsistentCasingInFileNames": true
  },
  "include": ["src/"],
  "exclude": [
    "dist",
    "build",
    ".cache",
    "tests",
    "**/*.spec.js",
    "**/*.spec.ts",
    "node_modules",
    ".eslintrc.js"
  ]
}
```

The important changes to note here are the inclusion of the field `"jsx": "react-jsx"` and the addition of `"build"` and `“.cache”` to `exclude`.

The addition of `"jsx": "react-jsx"` specified how should TypeScript transform JSX, and excluding `build` and `.cache` ensures that TypeScript ignores build and development files.

Next, create the file `tsconfig.server.json` with the following content:

```json title=tsconfig.server.json
{
  "extends": "./tsconfig.json",
  "compilerOptions": {
    /* Emit a single file with source maps instead of having a separate file. */
    "inlineSourceMap": true
  },
  "exclude": ["src/admin", "**/*.spec.js"]
}
```

This is the configuration that will be used to transpile your custom backend code, such as services or entities. The important part is that it excludes `src/admin` as that is where your Admin code will live.

Then, create the file `tsconfig.admin.json` with the following content:

```json title=tsconfig.admin.json
{
  "extends": "./tsconfig.json",
  "compilerOptions": {
    "module": "esnext"
  },
  "include": ["src/admin"],
  "exclude": ["**/*.spec.js"]
}
```

This is the configuration that will be used when transpiling your admin code.

Finally, update the `build` scripts in your project and add a new `prepare` command:

```json title=package.json
"scripts": {
  // other scripts...
  "build": "cross-env npm run clean && npm run build:server && npm run build:admin",
  "build:server": "cross-env npm run clean && tsc -p tsconfig.json",
  "build:admin": "cross-env medusa-admin build",
  "prepare": "cross-env NODE_ENV=production npm run build:server && medusa-admin bundle"
}
```

Each of these scripts do the following:

- `build`: used to build resources for both admin and backend for development. You'll typically use this script during your plugin development.
- `build:server`: used to build backend resources for development.
- `build:admin`: used to build admin resources for development.
- `prepare`: used to build resources for publishing. You'll typically use this script during plugin testing and publishing.

Furthermore, make sure to add `react` to `peerDependencies` along with `react-router-dom` if you're using it:

```json title=package.json
"peerDependencies": {
  // other dependencies...
  "react": "^18.2.0",
  "react-router-dom": "^6.13.0"
}
```

### Delete Irrelevant Files

If you've installed the Medusa backend using the [create-medusa-app](../../create-medusa-app.mdx) command, you might find files under the `src` sub-directories that aren't necessary for your plugin development. For example, `src/model/onboarding.ts` or migrations under the `src/migrations` directory.

Make sure to delete these files if you're not using them in your plugin.

---

## Plugin Development

### Plugin Structure

While developing your plugin, you can create your TypeScript or JavaScript files under the `src` directory. This includes creating services, endpoints, migrations, and other resources.

However, before you test the changes on a Medusa backend or publish your plugin, you must transpile your files and move them either to a `dist` directory or to the root of the plugin's directory.

For example, if you have an endpoint in `src/api/index.js`, after running the `build` or `watch` commands [as defined earlier](#recommended-change-scripts), the file should be transpiled into `dist/api/index.js` in your plugin's root. You can alternative transpile them into the `api/index.js` in your plugin's root.

:::note

It was previously required to output your files into the root of the plugin's directory (for example, `api/index.js` instead of `dist/api/index.js`). As of v1.8, you can either have your files in the root of the directory or under the `dist` directory.

:::

### Development Resources

This guide doesn't cover how to create different files and components. If you’re interested in learning how to do that, you can check out these guides:

<DocCardList colSize={6} items={[
  {
    type: 'link',
    href: '/development/entities/create',
    label: 'Create an Entity',
    customProps: {
      icon: Icons['academic-cap-solid'],
      description: 'Learn how to create an entity.'
    }
  },
  {
    type: 'link',
    href: '/development/services/create-service',
    label: 'Create a Service',
    customProps: {
      icon: Icons['academic-cap-solid'],
      description: 'Learn how to create a service.'
    }
  },
  {
    type: 'link',
    href: '/development/endpoints/create',
    label: 'Create an Endpoint',
    customProps: {
      icon: Icons['academic-cap-solid'],
      description: 'Learn how to create an endpoint.'
    }
  },
  {
    type: 'link',
    href: '/development/events/create-subscriber',
    label: 'Create a Subscriber',
    customProps: {
      icon: Icons['academic-cap-solid'],
      description: 'Learn how to create a subscriber.'
    }
  },
  {
    type: 'link',
    href: '/admin/widgets',
    label: 'Create an Admin Widget',
    customProps: {
      icon: Icons['academic-cap-solid'],
      description: 'Learn how to create an admin widget.',
      badge: {
        variant: 'orange',
        children: 'Beta'
      }
    }
  },
  {
    type: 'link',
    href: '/admin/routes',
    label: 'Create an Admin UI Route',
    customProps: {
      icon: Icons['academic-cap-solid'],
      description: 'Learn how to create an admin UI route.',
      badge: {
        variant: 'orange',
        children: 'Beta'
      }
    }
  },
]} />

If you're developing something specific, such as a payment processor plugin, you can follow one of the following guides to learn how to create different services within your plugin.

<DocCardList colSize={6} items={[
  {
    type: 'link',
    href: '/modules/carts-and-checkout/backend/add-payment-provider',
    label: 'Create a Payment Processor',
    customProps: {
      icon: Icons['academic-cap-solid'],
      description: 'Learn how to create a payment processor.'
    }
  },
  {
    type: 'link',
    href: '/modules/carts-and-checkout/backend/add-fulfillment-provider',
    label: 'Create a Fulfillment Provider',
    customProps: {
      icon: Icons['academic-cap-solid'],
      description: 'Learn how to create a fulfillment provider.'
    }
  },
]} />

<DocCardList colSize={4} items={[
  {
    type: 'link',
    href: '/development/search/create',
    label: 'Create a Search Service',
    customProps: {
      icon: Icons['academic-cap-solid'],
      description: 'Learn how to create a search service.'
    }
  },
  {
    type: 'link',
    href: '/development/file-service/create-file-service',
    label: 'Create a File Service',
    customProps: {
      icon: Icons['academic-cap-solid'],
      description: 'Learn how to create a file service.'
    }
  },
  {
    type: 'link',
    href: '/development/file-service/create-file-service',
    label: 'Create a Notification Service',
    customProps: {
      icon: Icons['academic-cap-solid'],
      description: 'Learn how to create a notification service.'
    }
  },
]} />

### Plugin Options

Plugins often allow developers that will later use them to provide their own option. For example, you can allow developers to specify the API key of a service you’re integrating.

Developers that use your plugin will pass options to your plugin in the `plugins` array in `medusa-config.js`:

```js title=medusa-config.js
const plugins = [
  // ...
  {
    resolve: `medusa-plugin-custom`,
    options: {
      name: "My Store",
    },
  },
]
```

In your plugin's services, you can have access to the option in their constructor. The options are passed as a second parameter to the `constructor` method.

For example:

```js title=src/service/my.ts
  // In a service in your plugin
class MyService extends TransactionBaseService {
  constructor(container, options) {
    super(container)
    // options contains plugin options
    this.name = options.name
  }
  // ...
}
```

You can also access the options in your plugin's endpoints. The second parameter that the function declared in `src/api/index.ts` receives is an object including your plugin's configurations.

For example:

```js title=src/api/index.ts
// in an endpoint in your plugin
export default (rootDirectory, options) => {
  // options contain the plugin options
  const router = Router()

  router.get("/hello-world", (req, res) => {
    res.json({
      message: 
      `Welcome to ${options.name ? options.name : "Medusa"}!`,
    })
  })

  return router
}
```

:::tip

Make sure to include in the README of your plugin the options that can be passed to a plugin.

:::

### enableUI Plugin Option

All plugins accept an option named `enableUI`. This option is useful mainly if your plugin contains admin customizations. It allows users to enable or disable admin customizations in the admin dashboard.

A developer using your plugin can pass the `enableUI` option as part of the plugin's options:

```js title=medusa-config.js
const plugins = [
  // ...
  {
    resolve: `medusa-plugin-custom`,
    options: {
      // other options
      enableUI: true,
    },
  },
]
```

If you're passing your plugin options to third-party services, make sure to omit it from the plugin options you receive in your resources, such as services. The `enableUI` option will always be passed as part of your plugin options.

For example:

```js title=src/service/test.ts
  // In a service in your plugin
class MyService extends TransactionBaseService {
  constructor(container, options) {
    super(container)
    // options contains plugin options
    const { enableUI, ...otherOptions } = options
    // pass otherOptions to a third-party service
    const client = new Client(otherOptions)
  }
  // ...
}
```

:::note

`enableUI`'s default value is `false` if not provided by the plugin users. This means that it must be enabled manually in a plugin's option for the customizations to appear in the admin dashboard.

:::

---

## Test Your Plugin

While you develop your plugin, you’ll need to test it on an actual Medusa backend. This can be done using the [npm link](https://docs.npmjs.com/cli/v8/commands/npm-link) command.

### Step 1: Build Changes

<Tabs groupId="plugin-preference">
  <TabItem value="without-admin" label="Without Admin Customizations" default>

  In the root of your plugin directory, run the `build` command:

  ```bash
  npm run build
  ```

  </TabItem>
  <TabItem value="with-admin" label="With Admin Customizations">

  In the root of your plugin directory, run the `prepare` command:

  ```bash
  npm run prepare
  ```

  If the `prepare` script is not available in your project, you can find it in [this section](#changes-for-admin-plugins).

  </TabItem>
</Tabs>

### Step 2: Link Package

In the root of your plugin directory, run the following command:

```bash npm2yarn
npm link
```

Then, in the directory of the Medusa backend you want to test the plugin on, run the following command:

```bash npm2yarn
npm link medusa-plugin-custom
```

Where `medusa-plugin-custom` is the package name of your plugin.

### Step 3: Remove Medusa Dependency

As your plugin has the `@medusajs/medusa` package installed, and the Medusa backend has `@medusajs/medusa` installed as well, this can cause dependency errors.

To avoid that, remove the `@medusajs` directory from the `node_modules` of your plugin's directory. For Unix-based operating systems you can use the following command:

```bash
rm -rf node_modules/@medusajs
```

### Step 4: Add Plugin to Configurations

In the `medusa-config.js` file of the Medusa backend you're testing the plugin on, add your custom plugin to the `plugins` array:

```js
const plugins = [
  // other plugins...
  {
    resolve: `medusa-plugin-custom`,
    options: {
      // plugin options...
      // if plugin has admin customizations:
      enableUI: true,
    },
  },
]
```

Make sure to change `medusa-plugin-custom` with the name of your plugin. Also, if your plugin has admin customizations, make sure to include the [enableUI](#enableui-plugin-option) option.

### (Optional) Step 5: Run Migrations

If your plugin includes migrations, run the following command in the Medusa backend's directory:

```bash
npx medusa migrations run
```

### Step 6: Run the Medusa Backend

In the directory of the Medusa backend, start the backend with the `dev` command passing it the `--preserve-symlinks` option:

```bash npm2yarn
npm run dev -- -- --preserve-symlinks
```

### Making Changes to the Plugin

While testing your plugin, if you need to make changes you need to re-install the plugin's dependencies:

```bash npm2yarn
npm install
```

Then, after making the changes, run the steps [one](#step-1-build-changes), [three](#step-3-remove-medusa-dependency), and [six](#step-6-run-the-medusa-backend) mentioned above.

### Troubleshoot Errors

#### Error: The class must be a valid service implementation

Please make sure that your plugin is following the correct structure. If the error persists then please try the following fix:

```bash npm2yarn
cd <BACKEND_PATH>/node_modules/medusa-interfaces
npm link
cd <BACKEND_PATH>/node_modules/@medusajs/medusa
npm link
cd <PLUGIN_PATH>
rm -rf node_modules/medusa-interfaces
rm -rf node_modules/@medusajs/medusa
npm link medusa-interfaces
npm link @medusajs/medusa
npm link
cd <BACKEND_PATH>
npm link your-plugin
```

Where `<BACKEND_PATH>` is the path to your Medusa backend and `<PLUGIN_PATH>` is the path to your plugin.

This links the `medusa-interfaces` and `@medusajs/medusa` packages from your `medusa-backend` to your plugin directory and then links your plugin to your `medusa-backend`.

#### APIs not loading

If the APIs you added to your Medussa backend are not loading then please try the following steps:

```bash npm2yarn
cd <PLUGIN_PATH>
rm -rf node_modules
cd <BACKEND_PATH>/node_modules/<PLUGIN_NAME>
npm install
cd <PLUGIN_PATH>
npm run build
cd <BACKEND_PATH>
npm run start
```

Where `<BACKEND_PATH>` is the path to your Medusa backend, `<PLUGIN_PATH>` is the path to your plugin and `<PLUGIN_NAME>` is the name of your plugin as it is in your plugin `package.json` file.

---

## Publish Plugin

Once you're done with the development of the plugin, you can publish it to NPM so that other Medusa developers and users can use it.

Please refer to [this guide on required steps to publish a plugin](./publish.mdx).
