bb-plugins

bb plugins

bb plugins are TypeScript packages that run inside bb. They are how bb extends itself.

Many first-party features are plugins: GitHub, Docs, Memory, Tasks, Connect, Automations, Secrets, Keep Awake, and the coding-agent providers.

Trust

Plugins are full-trust. Server code runs in-process. App UI is same-origin page code, not a sandbox. Host workers run as Node on enrolled machines.

Review source before installing third-party plugins. Keep credentials in secret: true settings.

This skill vs others

Use this skill to create, install, or change a plugin.
Use bb-cli to operate bb (threads, projects, environments).
For exact API signatures, read the bb-plugin-authoring skill if it is available, then run bb guide plugins. In the plugin directory, run bb plugin types before trusting local SDK types. Do not guess from minified dist/ files.

Scaffold

bb plugin new hello            # add --app for a React UI
cd bb-plugin-hello
bb plugin install . --yes
bb plugin dev                  # rebuild + reload on save

The manifest is the bb object in package.json. Required: bb.name, bb.description, bb.branding.icon, bb.server. Optional: bb.app, bb.host, bb.skills, bb.themes.

Plugin id is the last package-name segment with a bb-plugin- prefix stripped. bb-plugin-hello and @acme/bb-plugin-hello both become hello.

Put runtime imports in dependencies. Leave types and tooling in devDependencies. Git installs run npm install --omit=dev.

What a plugin can add

A default-export factory in server.ts receives BbPluginApi and registers surfaces:

settings, kv + SQLite storage, HTTP, RPC, realtime
background services and cron
one top-level bb <name> … command
agent tools, skills/ folders, extra instructions
mention providers
optional host workers and experimental agent providers

app.tsx default-exports definePluginApp and can add pages, thread-panel actions, composer controls, file openers, and a replacement sidebar.

Do not copy the full API into this skill. Read bb-plugin-authoring when implementing a surface.

Install and ship

bb plugin install .                                 # local path
bb plugin install github                            # bundled official plugin
bb plugin install npm:bb-plugin-notes@^1.0.0
bb plugin install git:https://github.com/acme/bb-plugin-notes.git@^1.2.0
bb plugin list
bb plugin reload <id>
bb plugin logs <id> -f

Installs prompt because the code is full-trust. Pass --yes to skip.

A failed managed update rolls back. Catalog refresh never installs code.

Community listings live at https://getbb.app/marketplace/v1/marketplace.json. Submit via a PR to https://github.com/get-bb/marketplace. Use the submit-a-plugin skill for that workflow.

Check the work

bb plugin list shows the plugin running.
If it added a CLI, bb <command> --help works.
If it added UI, open the page or panel in bb and confirm it loads.
If the factory throws, the plugin is error. Read bb plugin logs <id> and fix, then bb plugin reload <id>.