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What’s in a plugin ​

A raclette plugin is a directory with a fixed contract to the framework: one metadata file, then optional frontend/ and backend/ trees. The loader uses that layout to register HTTP routes, frontend widgets, generated config, and more.

  • The frontend side exposes frontend/index.ts (plugin API), routes, and widgets for the UI.
  • The backend side exposes backend/index.ts and typically routes, models, and services — see Backend overview.

This page stays short on purpose. The same layout is also documented from a repository perspective in Directory structure — plugins/.

Canonical folder layout ​

The diagram below is the usual shape for a plugin that has both frontend and backend (names like examplePlugin are placeholders):

exampleCreator__examplePlugin/
├── raclette.plugin.ts            # Main plugin configuration 
├── frontend/                     # Frontend-side code (if frontendDir specified)
│   ├── [...]                     # See plugin metadata for more
│   └── widgets/                  # Plugin widgets
│       ├── Example/           # Your custom Widget folder name 
│       │   ├── ExampleWidget.vue    # The widget File. Needs to follow this structure "[CustomName]Widget.vue"
│       │   ├── setup.ts          # Contains details and config for the widget
│       │   └── [...] 
│       └── [...] 
└── backend/                      # Server-side code (if backendDir specified)
    ├── index.ts                  # Server entry point
    ├── example.model.ts     # The model for your dataType. Currently mongoose
    ├── example.schema.ts    # The schema for your dataType. Fastify schema, validations etc
    ├── example.service.ts   # The services for your dataType ie the actuall backend business logic         
    ├── routes/                   # API routes
    └── helpers/                  # Business logic helpers and utils

Details of raclette.plugin.ts

Required configuration ​

Every plugin needs raclette.plugin.ts (plugin metadata: name, author, entry paths, …). See Plugin metadata for fields and examples.

Optional parts ​

  • No backend/ — frontend-only plugins are valid (widgets + client-only behavior).
  • No frontend/ — backend-only plugins are valid (APIs without custom UI).

See also ​