nocobase-plugin-development

Goal

Guide an AI agent through the complete process of developing a NocoBase plugin — from requirement analysis to working code — producing a plugin that follows NocoBase conventions and can be enabled immediately.

Scope

• Analyze user requirements and map them to NocoBase extension points.
• Scaffold a new plugin with nb scaffold plugin.
• Generate server-side code: collections, ACL, custom APIs, migrations, install hooks.
• Generate client-side code: blocks, fields, actions, settings pages, routes.
• Generate i18n locale files.
• Enable and verify the plugin.
• Troubleshoot common issues using FAQ checklist and source code (when available).

Non-Goals

• Do not build NocoBase applications through the UI (that's nocobase-ui-builder).
• Do not handle plugin publishing to external registries.
• Do not modify NocoBase core code.
• Do not migrate existing plugins from client v1 to v2 (that's nocobase-client-v2-plugin-migration).

Hard Constraints

These rules apply to ALL generated plugin code. Violating them is always wrong.

NEVER use this.app.use() or React Providers

this.app.use() is an internal API. Plugins must NEVER use it to wrap the app with React providers. This is not a suggestion — it is a hard rule with no exceptions.

Providers add unnecessary React rendering layers, hurt performance, and make plugins harder to maintain. When implementing global effects (watermarks, overlays, theming, tracking, global listeners, etc.), use these approaches instead:

1. FlowEngine mechanisms (preferred) — registerModelLoaders, registerFlow, registerModels for UI capabilities.
2. FlowEngine context — this.context holds global data (e.g., this.context.api, this.context.dataSourceManager, this.context.logger). Read from it directly instead of creating Providers to pass data around. Note: some properties like user, viewer, message, themeToken are only available after React renders — use them in flow handlers or components, not in load().
3. API requests — if the plugin needs data, use this.app.apiClient.request() to fetch it directly. Axios interceptors are allowed but should not be the first choice — prefer direct requests or reading from context when possible.
4. Pure DOM manipulation — operate on the DOM directly in load() for visual effects. No React component needed.
5. EventBus — this.app.eventBus for reacting to app lifecycle events.

If you find yourself thinking "I need a Provider for this", stop and reconsider. There is always a better alternative.

Client code goes in client-v2 ONLY

All client-side plugin code must be written in src/client-v2/. The src/client/ directory is for the legacy v1 client — do NOT write or modify any files there. Import Plugin from @nocobase/client-v2, never from @nocobase/client.

Modern client runs under the /v/ URL prefix

The client-v2/ source directory corresponds to the /v/ runtime URL prefix. After login, users land on /v/admin/ by default. When telling users where to access something, use the /v/ URL pattern:

If the user says "I enabled the plugin but nothing shows up" or hits a 404, the most common cause is they are on a /admin/... URL (v1 plugin manager, which calls pm:listEnabled) instead of /v/admin/ (modern plugin manager, which calls pm:listEnabledV2). Tell them to switch to the /v/ URL.

Input Contract

Rules:

• If nocobase_root is not provided, check if the current working directory is a NocoBase project with a source tree.
• If it is a NocoBase app without a source tree (Docker or npm install), stop and walk the user through the options in Step 0 — a source tree is required and cannot be worked around.
• If plugin_name is not provided, derive a reasonable name from the requirement and confirm with the user.
• If user says "you decide", use documented defaults.

Mandatory Clarification Gate

• Max clarification rounds: 2
• Max questions per round: 3
• Mutation preconditions:
  • nocobase_root exposes a NocoBase source tree (source/packages/core/ for CLI-managed Git-source apps, packages/core/ for plain source repos), with nb CLI or yarn available respectively.
  • requirement is clear enough to determine which extension points are needed.
  • Functional plan has been confirmed by the user in plain language.
• If preconditions are not met after two rounds, stop and report what's missing.

CRITICAL: You MUST always confirm the plan with the user before writing any code or running any scaffold command — even if the requirement seems perfectly clear. Users often have unstated assumptions, edge cases they haven't considered, or preferences about scope. The plan confirmation step (Step 2) is a hard gate, not a suggestion. Never skip it.

Workflow

Step 0: Environment Check (HARD GATE — source code is required)

Plugin development requires a NocoBase source tree. Scaffolding, building, and debugging all operate on packages/plugins/ inside a source repo. An environment without source code cannot be used, and you must stop and tell the user how to get one rather than attempting to scaffold anyway.

1. Detect environment type:
   • CLI-managed source app: source/ directory exists (created by nb init). The source tree is at <app-path>/source/. Verify it is a Git source install by checking that source/packages/core/ exists.
   • Plain source repo: packages/core/ exists but no source/ — a repo the user cloned themselves (git clone https://github.com/nocobase/nocobase.git). The source tree is the repo root.
   • Neither → STOP. See "No usable source tree" below.
2. Verify the toolchain: nb CLI for CLI-managed apps, yarn for plain source repos.
3. Confirm the source tree is complete — packages/core/ must exist under it. This is what lets you read core source for troubleshooting and what the build depends on.

No usable source tree — STOP and tell the user

If the working directory is a CLI-managed app whose source/ came from Docker or npm (no source/packages/core/), or is not a NocoBase project at all, do NOT scaffold. Report the situation and offer these two options:

• Re-create the project with a Git source — run nb init --ui and pick Git source install at the source prompt. This is the option to recommend for plugin development: it puts the full NocoBase source under <app-path>/source/, so the plugin can be built and you can read core source when debugging. The other two options (Docker install, create-nocobase-app install) do not give you a source tree suitable for plugin development.

• Point at an existing source repo — if the user already has a NocoBase source repo cloned elsewhere, ask for its path and develop the plugin there instead. If they have none, they can clone one:

  git clone https://github.com/nocobase/nocobase.git -b main --depth=1 my-nocobase
  cd my-nocobase && yarn install

Ask which option the user prefers; do not pick for them, and do not proceed until a source tree is available.

Command execution directories for CLI-managed source apps:

Every command below except the env-level ones runs against the source tree, so run them from <app-path>/source/.

Step 1: Requirement Analysis

Analyze the user's requirement and determine which extension points are needed:

• Server-side: collections, custom REST APIs, ACL, cron jobs, migrations, event listeners
• Client-side: blocks (BlockModel/TableBlockModel), fields (FieldModel), actions (ActionModel), settings pages, routes
• Both: full-stack plugins with server data + client UI

Do NOT ask the user about technical details (e.g., "Do you need a BlockModel or TableBlockModel?"). Map requirements to extension points internally.

Step 2: Plan Confirmation (HARD GATE)

This step is mandatory and must not be skipped, regardless of how clear the requirement appears. Even seemingly straightforward requirements can have unstated edge cases, scope preferences, or assumptions the user hasn't mentioned. Always present the plan and wait for explicit confirmation before proceeding to Step 3.

Present a functional plan in plain language the user can understand. Proactively highlight decisions the user may not have considered (e.g., "Should the data persist after plugin disable?", "Do you need a settings page for configuration?"). Example:

"Here's my plan:

1. Create a settings page where you can configure the API key
2. Add a scheduled task that syncs data every 5 minutes
3. Create a data table to store the synced records
4. The table will be available as a block in the UI

A few things to confirm:

• Should the synced data be cleared when the plugin is disabled?
• Do you need permission control for who can access the settings?

Does this look right?"

Do NOT run nb scaffold plugin or write any code until the user explicitly confirms.

Step 3: Scaffold Plugin

Both environments scaffold into packages/plugins/ of the source tree — the only difference is which command wraps it.

For CLI-managed source apps, run from <app-path>/source/:

cd <app-path>/source
nb scaffold plugin <plugin_name>
# Example: nb scaffold plugin @nocobase-sample/plugin-hello
# Creates:  <app-path>/source/packages/plugins/@nocobase-sample/plugin-hello/

nb scaffold plugin forwards to pm create, which always generates into packages/plugins/ relative to the current working directory — so running it from the wrong directory puts the plugin in the wrong place. Its only flag is --force-recreate.

AI agent note: nb scaffold plugin internally invokes nocobase-v1 which lives in source/node_modules/.bin/. In sandboxed or non-interactive environments where the global nb cannot automatically locate nocobase-v1, you may need to prepend source/node_modules/.bin/ to PATH before running nb commands:

PATH="<app-path>/source/node_modules/.bin:$PATH" nb scaffold plugin <plugin_name>

For plain source repos, run from the repo root:

yarn pm create <plugin_name>
# Creates:  packages/plugins/@nocobase-sample/plugin-hello/

Do NOT use create-plugin, generate, or any other variant.

After scaffolding, start development mode so code changes hot-reload — nb source dev from <app-path>/source/ for CLI-managed apps, yarn dev from the repo root for plain source repos.

Read references/getting-started.md for the expected project structure.

Step 4: Generate Code (MUST Read References First)

You MUST read the relevant reference files BEFORE writing any code. Do NOT skip this by searching source code, reading examples, or relying on prior knowledge. The references contain project-specific conventions that override general knowledge.

Read references/index.md to locate the relevant reference files, then read the ones needed for this plugin.

Mandatory Reference Rules

These are hard gates, not suggestions. Read the file BEFORE editing the corresponding code:

Keyword-Triggered References

If your implementation involves any of these concepts, you MUST also read the corresponding reference:

Generation Order

Flexible — adapt to the plugin's needs:

• Server-first when the plugin has data tables and APIs.
• Client-first when the plugin is purely frontend.
• Interleaved when both sides are tightly coupled.

Checkpoint before writing client code: Review the "Hard Constraints" section. Never use this.app.use() or Providers. Use FlowEngine, context, pure DOM, or EventBus instead.

Step 5: Internationalization

Default behavior (do NOT ask):

• Always generate src/locale/zh-CN.json and src/locale/en-US.json.
• Create src/client-v2/locale.ts (the scaffold does not generate it) and import tExpr / useT from there. See references/client/i18n.md for its contents.

Only ask about additional languages if:

• The user explicitly mentions other languages, OR
• The user is communicating in a language other than Chinese or English.

Step 6: Enable and Verify

For CLI-managed source apps:

nb plugin enable <plugin_name>

For plain source repos:

yarn pm enable <plugin_name>

After enabling, describe what the user should see in the UI and how to test the plugin. When quoting URLs to the user, always use the /v/ prefix (e.g., /v/admin/, /v/admin/settings/<menuKey>, /v/<custom-path>) — see the "Modern client runs under the /v/ URL prefix" rule under Hard Constraints.

Default Behaviors

These defaults apply unless the user explicitly requests otherwise. Do NOT ask about them.

Troubleshooting

When the plugin doesn't work as expected:

FAQ Checklist

1. Plugin not appearing in plugin manager → In order: (a) browser URL must be /v/admin/, not /admin/... — only the modern plugin manager fetches via pm:listEnabledV2 and shows v2 plugins; (b) plugin has been enabled with nb plugin enable <name> (CLI-managed apps) or yarn pm enable <name> (plain source repos); (c) package.json has correct NocoBase metadata.
2. Collection not showing in block picker → Recommend user to add the table via NocoBase UI "Data Source Management". If code-level registration is needed (demo only), use addCollection with filterTargetKey: 'id' and eventBus pattern. See client/plugin.md.
3. Settings page shows blank → Verify using componentLoader (not Component) for client-v2.
4. Model not appearing in menus → Check define({ label: tExpr('...') }) and registerModelLoaders in plugin load().
5. load() database query fails → load() runs before DB sync. Move DB operations to install() or request handlers.
6. i18n not working → First-time locale files require app restart. Check tExpr is imported from locale.ts not @nocobase/flow-engine.
7. registerFlow handler not firing → Check on event name. Use 'click' for buttons, 'beforeRender' for initialization.

Source Code Debugging

Step 0 guarantees a source tree, so core source is always available for debugging — read it rather than guessing at an API's behavior.

For CLI-managed Git source apps:

source/packages/core/server/src/          — Server core
source/packages/core/client-v2/src/       — Client core (v2, recommended)
source/packages/core/database/src/        — Database layer
source/packages/core/flow-engine/src/     — FlowEngine

For plain source repos:

packages/core/server/src/                 — Server core
packages/core/client-v2/src/              — Client core (v2, recommended)
packages/core/database/src/               — Database layer
packages/core/flow-engine/src/            — FlowEngine

Complete Example Plugins

When a full working example is needed, read the example plugins from the local source tree:

• CLI-managed Git source app: source/packages/plugins/@nocobase-example/
• Plain source repo: packages/plugins/@nocobase-example/
• If they are missing from the local checkout, browse https://github.com/nocobase/nocobase/tree/develop/packages/plugins/%40nocobase-example/

Reference Loading Map

Safety Gate

High-impact actions:

• Running nb scaffold plugin / yarn pm create (creates files in user's project)
• Running nb plugin enable / yarn pm enable (modifies database state)
• Modifying existing plugin files (if plugin already exists)

Secondary confirmation template:

• "I'm about to run {{command}} in {{directory}}. This will {{impact}}. Should I proceed?"

Rollback guidance:

• If nb scaffold plugin produced wrong scaffold → delete the generated directory and re-run.
• If plugin code has bugs after enable → fix the code, the plugin can be disabled with nb plugin disable <name>.
• Never run nb app upgrade --force or yarn nocobase install -f without explicit user confirmation — they can reset or modify the database.

Verification Checklist

• A NocoBase source tree is available (source/packages/core/ or packages/core/) and the appropriate CLI (nb or yarn) is available. Without one, the run stopped at Step 0 with the two options presented to the user.
• Environment type (CLI-managed Git-source app vs plain source repo) is detected, and scaffold/build commands were run from the source tree.
• User requirement is analyzed and extension points are identified.
• Functional plan is confirmed by user before code generation.
• Plugin scaffold is created successfully.
• All generated files follow NocoBase conventions (client-v2, lazy loading, locale.ts).
• No this.app.use() or React Provider patterns in generated code (Hard Constraint).
• zh-CN.json and en-US.json are generated with all translatable strings.
• Plugin can be enabled with nb plugin enable (or yarn pm enable for plain source repos) without errors.
• Generated code matches the patterns in reference templates.
• FAQ checklist is consulted when issues arise.

Minimal Test Scenarios

1. User requests a simple settings page plugin → scaffold + server API + client settings page.
2. User requests a custom block plugin → scaffold + BlockModel + registerFlow + i18n.
3. User requests a full-stack CRUD plugin → scaffold + defineCollection + ACL + TableBlockModel + custom field + custom action.
4. User provides vague requirement → clarification gate triggers, plan is confirmed before coding.
5. Plugin enable fails → FAQ checklist is consulted, source code is read if available.
6. User runs the skill in a Docker- or npm-installed app (no source tree) → Step 0 stops before scaffolding and offers re-creating the project with nb init --ui + Git source install, or pointing at an existing source repo.

Output Contract

Final response must include:

• What was requested (user's original requirement).
• What was created (list of generated files).
• How to enable and test (commands + expected UI behavior).
• What assumptions/defaults were applied.
• Known limitations or next steps (if any).

References

• Reference Index: global index of all reference files.
• Getting Started: plugin scaffold and project structure.
• Online Docs — Plugin Development: full plugin development documentation. [verified: 2026-04-10]
• Online Docs — FlowEngine: FlowEngine complete reference. [verified: 2026-04-10]
• Example Plugins (GitHub): working example plugins. [verified: 2026-04-10]