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Overview

Every Inkdown plugin requires a manifest.json file that describes the plugin’s metadata and requirements.

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Manifest Structure

interface PluginManifest {
  id: string;
  name: string;
  version: string;
  minAppVersion: string;
  description?: string;
  author?: string;
  authorUrl?: string;
  isDesktopOnly?: boolean;
}

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Required Fields

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id

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id
string
required
Unique identifier for your plugin. Must be kebab-case (lowercase with hyphens).
"id": "my-awesome-plugin"
The ID must be unique across all Inkdown plugins. Choose a descriptive, namespaced ID to avoid conflicts.

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name

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name
string
required
Human-readable name displayed in the UI.
"name": "My Awesome Plugin"

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version

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version
string
required
Plugin version following semantic versioning (semver).
"version": "1.2.3"
Version format: MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH
  • MAJOR: Breaking changes
  • MINOR: New features (backward compatible)
  • PATCH: Bug fixes

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minAppVersion

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minAppVersion
string
required
Minimum Inkdown version required to run this plugin.
"minAppVersion": "1.0.0"
Set this to the earliest Inkdown version you’ve tested with. Users on older versions won’t be able to install your plugin.

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Optional Fields

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description

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description
string
Short description of what your plugin does.
"description": "Adds word count to the status bar"

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author

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author
string
Plugin author’s name.
"author": "Jane Doe"

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authorUrl

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authorUrl
string
URL to author’s website or GitHub profile.
"authorUrl": "https://github.com/janedoe"

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isDesktopOnly

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isDesktopOnly
boolean
default:false
Whether the plugin only works on desktop (not mobile).
"isDesktopOnly": true
Set to true if your plugin uses Node.js APIs or desktop-specific features.

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Complete Example

manifest.json
{
  "id": "word-count",
  "name": "Word Count",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "minAppVersion": "1.0.0",
  "description": "Display word and character count in the status bar",
  "author": "Inkdown Team",
  "authorUrl": "https://inkdown.app",
  "isDesktopOnly": false
}

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Accessing Manifest in Code

The manifest is available in your plugin instance: 
export default class MyPlugin extends Plugin {
  async onload() {
    console.log(`Plugin ID: ${this.manifest.id}`);
    console.log(`Plugin Name: ${this.manifest.name}`);
    console.log(`Version: ${this.manifest.version}`);
    console.log(`Author: ${this.manifest.author}`);
  }
}

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Validation

Inkdown validates your manifest when loading the plugin:
  • Missing required fields: Plugin won’t load
  • Invalid version format: Plugin won’t load
  • Incompatible minAppVersion: Plugin won’t be available

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Best Practices

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Version Management

  1. Start with 0.1.0 for initial development
  2. Use 1.0.0 for first stable release
  3. Increment PATCH for bug fixes
  4. Increment MINOR for new features
  5. Increment MAJOR for breaking changes

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ID Naming

  • Use lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens
  • Make it descriptive: markdown-table-formatter not mtf
  • Avoid generic names like helper or utils
  • Consider namespacing: company-product-feature

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Description Guidelines

  • Keep it under 100 characters
  • Be specific about what the plugin does
  • Avoid marketing language
  • Focus on functionality
Good: 
"description": "Export notes to PDF with custom templates"
Bad: 
"description": "The best and most amazing plugin ever!"

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minAppVersion Strategy

  • Test with the version you specify
  • Don’t artificially inflate the version requirement
  • Update when using new API features
  • Document version-specific features

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Common Mistakes

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Invalid ID

// ❌ Don't use camelCase or spaces
"id": "myAwesomePlugin"
"id": "my awesome plugin"

// ✅ Use kebab-case
"id": "my-awesome-plugin"

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Version Format

// ❌ Invalid formats
"version": "1.0"
"version": "v1.0.0"
"version": "1.0.0-beta"

// ✅ Valid semver
"version": "1.0.0"

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Missing Manifest

plugin-folder/
  src/
    index.ts
  dist/
    main.js
  package.json
  ❌ manifest.json is missing!
Always ensure manifest.json is in your plugin’s root directory.