pj-plugin-registry

The official extension registry for the PlotJuggler Marketplace.

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What is this?

This repository is the central catalog that the PlotJuggler Marketplace reads to discover available extensions. It contains a single registry.json file listing all published extensions with their metadata, download URLs, and SHA256 checksums.

It plays the same role that a package index plays in systems like VS Code's extension marketplace or a Linux package manager: a well-known, static, version-controlled source of truth that clients can query to find, install, update, and uninstall extensions.

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How it fits into PlotJuggler

┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│        PlotJuggler (client)         │
│   pj_marketplace — Marketplace UI   │
└──────────────┬──────────────────────┘
               │ fetches registry.json
               ▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│         pj-plugin-registry          │  ← this repo
│   registry.json — extension catalog │
└──────────────┬──────────────────────┘
               │ download URLs point to
               ▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│   Extension repos (e.g. GitHub      │
│   Releases, Nextcloud, CDN...)      │
│   ZIP artifacts per platform        │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘

The pj_marketplace module inside PlotJuggler Core (RegistryManager) fetches this registry at startup or on user request, parses it, and presents the available extensions in the Marketplace UI. When the user installs an extension, the client uses the download URL and SHA256 checksum from this registry to securely fetch and verify the correct artifact for the current platform.

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Repository structure

pj-plugin-registry/
├── README.md
└── registry.json          # Main catalog — lists all available extensions

registry.json

The top-level catalog consumed by the PlotJuggler client. Contains the full metadata for every extension: name, description, author, category, version, supported platforms, download URLs, SHA256 checksums, and changelog.

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Contributing a new extension or version

This registry is open to contributions from any team or individual. New extensions and new versions of existing extensions are accepted through a pull request review process.

Workflow

External developer                  PlotJuggler maintainer
──────────────────                  ──────────────────────
1. Fork this repo
2. Add/update entry in registry.json
3. Open a Pull Request
                                    4. Review the PR:
                                       - Valid JSON schema
                                       - Reachable download URLs
                                       - Correct SHA256 checksums
                                       - Appropriate metadata
                                    5. Approve and merge
                                       → extension goes live

What to include in your PR

1. A new entry in the extensions array of registry.json (for a new extension), or an updated version field and new platform URLs/checksums (for a new version of an existing extension).
2. Reachable, stable download URLs — GitHub Releases are the recommended hosting. The URLs must serve the ZIP directly (not a redirect page).
3. Correct SHA256 checksums — one per platform artifact, in the format sha256:<hex>.
4. A brief description of what the extension does in the description field.

Review criteria

A maintainer will verify that:

• The JSON is valid and conforms to the registry schema (see Schema reference).
• The download URLs are accessible and serve the declared content.
• The checksums match the actual artifacts.
• The extension does not duplicate an existing entry under a different ID.
• The metadata is accurate and appropriate for public listing.

Maintainers may request changes before merging. Once merged, the new entry or version becomes immediately available to all PlotJuggler users.

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Supported platforms

Each extension entry in registry.json provides download artifacts for:

Key	Platform
linux-x86_64	Linux, 64-bit Intel/AMD
linux-arm64	Linux, 64-bit ARM
windows-x86_64	Windows, 64-bit Intel/AMD
windows-arm64	Windows, 64-bit ARM
macos-x86_64	macOS, Intel
macos-arm64	macOS, Apple Silicon

Not all platforms are required — only include the platforms for which you have built and tested the artifact.

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Extension categories

Category	Description
data_loader	Loads data files into PlotJuggler (CSV, MCAP, ...)
data_streamer	Streams live data into PlotJuggler (ROS 2, ...)
parser	Parses raw data into time series (CAN bus, ...)
toolbox	Adds analysis tools to PlotJuggler (FFT, ...)
bundle	A single package containing multiple plugins

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Schema reference

The full JSON schema for registry.json is defined in:

plotjuggler_core/pj_marketplace/documentation/REQUIREMENTS.md
  § 11.1 — Registry JSON Schema

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Related repositories

Repository	Role
PlotJuggler/PlotJuggler	Main application
plotjuggler_core/pj_marketplace	Marketplace client (RegistryManager, DownloadManager, UI)
pj-test-dummy-plugins	Example/test plugins used during marketplace development