---
dimensions:
  type:
    primary: conceptual
    detail: introduction
  level: beginner
standard_title: Getting Started with Dify Plugin Development
language: en
title: Dify Plugin
description: Modular components that extend Dify AI applications with external services, custom logic, and specialized tools
---

Dify plugins are modular components that extend your Dify-built AI applications with external services, custom functions, and specialized tools.

<Frame caption="Marketplace">
  ![Marketplace](/images/develop-plugin/get-started/marketplace.png)
</Frame>

Through plugins, your AI applications can:

- Connect to external APIs
- Process different types of data
- Perform specialized calculations
- Execute real-world actions

## Start Here

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Choose a Plugin Type" icon="route" href="/en/develop-plugin/getting-started/choose-plugin-type">
    A short decision guide for picking between Tool, Model, Agent Strategy, Extension, Datasource, and Trigger plugins.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Install the CLI" icon="rocket" href="/en/develop-plugin/getting-started/cli">
    Set up `dify` on your machine and scaffold a new plugin project in minutes.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Types of Plugins

<AccordionGroup cols={3}>
  <Accordion
    title="Models"
    icon="microchip"
    href="/en/develop-plugin/dev-guides-and-walkthroughs/creating-new-model-provider"
  >
    Package and manage AI models as plugins

    <a href="/en/develop-plugin/dev-guides-and-walkthroughs/creating-new-model-provider" className="text-primary">Learn more</a>
  </Accordion>
  <Accordion
    title="Tools"
    icon="toolbox"
    href="/en/develop-plugin/dev-guides-and-walkthroughs/tool-plugin"
  >
    Build specialized capabilities for Agents and workflows

    <a href="/en/develop-plugin/dev-guides-and-walkthroughs/tool-plugin" className="text-primary">Learn more</a>
  </Accordion>
  <Accordion
    title="Agent Strategies"
    icon="brain"
    href="/en/develop-plugin/dev-guides-and-walkthroughs/agent-strategy-plugin"
  >
    Create custom reasoning strategies for autonomous Agents

    <a href="/en/develop-plugin/dev-guides-and-walkthroughs/agent-strategy-plugin" className="text-primary">Learn more</a>
  </Accordion>
  <Accordion
    title="Extensions"
    icon="puzzle-piece"
    href="/en/develop-plugin/dev-guides-and-walkthroughs/endpoint"
  >
    Integrate with external services through HTTP webhooks

    <a href="/en/develop-plugin/dev-guides-and-walkthroughs/endpoint" className="text-primary">Learn more</a>
  </Accordion>
  <Accordion
    title="Datasources"
    icon="database"
    href="/en/develop-plugin/dev-guides-and-walkthroughs/datasource-plugin"
  >
    Feed external content into Dify's Knowledge Pipeline

    <a href="/en/develop-plugin/dev-guides-and-walkthroughs/datasource-plugin" className="text-primary">Learn more</a>
  </Accordion>
  <Accordion
    title="Triggers"
    icon="bolt"
    href="/en/develop-plugin/dev-guides-and-walkthroughs/trigger-plugin"
  >
    Kick off workflows from third-party platform events received via webhooks

    <a href="/en/develop-plugin/dev-guides-and-walkthroughs/trigger-plugin" className="text-primary">Learn more</a>
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Additional Resources

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card
    title="Development & Debugging"
    icon="code"
    href="/en/develop-plugin/features-and-specs/plugin-types/remote-debug-a-plugin"
  >
    Tools and techniques for efficient plugin development
  </Card>
  <Card
    title="Publishing & Marketplace"
    icon="shop"
    href="/en/develop-plugin/publishing/marketplace-listing/release-overview"
  >
    Package and share your plugins with the Dify community
  </Card>
  <Card
    title="API & SDK Reference"
    icon="book-open"
    href="/en/develop-plugin/features-and-specs/plugin-types/general-specifications"
  >
    Technical specifications and documentation
  </Card>
  <Card
    title="Community & Contributions"
    icon="users"
    href="/en/develop-plugin/publishing/standards/contributor-covenant-code-of-conduct"
  >
    Communicate with other developers and contribute to the ecosystem
  </Card>
</CardGroup>