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<a id="confluent-plugin"></a>

# confluent plugin

## Description

Brief description:
: Plugins are standalone executable files that allow users to extend the
  functionality of the confluent CLI. Plugins can be called from the confluent
  CLI as if they were built-in commands.

Making plugins discoverable by the CLI:
: The filename of a plugin makes it discoverable by the confluent CLI and
  determines its command syntax. The filename must begin with `confluent-`. It
  must be executable and located in a directory on the user’s $PATH. Each
  dash (-) in a plugin filename delimits a subcommand in the callable syntax.
  For example, the plugin file `/User/me/plugins/confluent-demo-env-create`
  would be executed with the confluent CLI command `confluent demo env create`.
  Additionally, the parent directory must be on the user’s $PATH. For example,
  by adding `export PATH=$PATH:/User/me/plugins` to the user’s .zshrc file.

Arguments and flags with plugins:
: Arguments and flags can be passed with plugin commands. It is the plugin’s
  responsibility to validate and parse them. For example, if you run
  `confluent demo env create arg0 --flag0 true`, the confluent CLI will first
  look for a plugin with the longest possible name: `confluent-demo-env-create-arg0`
  in this case. If that is not found, it will look for a plugin with the next longest
  possible name: `confluent-demo-env-create` in this case. If it finds that, it will invoke
  the confluent-demo-env-create plugin, passing along `arg0 --flag true` for
  the plugin’s code to parse.

Naming collisions with existing CLI commands and other plugins:
: Built-in confluent CLI commands take precedence over plugins if they share
  the same name. For example, there is a built-in `confluent kafka cluster list`
  command. A plugin named `confluent-kafka-cluster-list` on the user’s $PATH will
  therefore not run. The built-in command will be run, along with a warning that the plugin
  has been ignored.  Partial overlap between a plugin’s name and a built-in command, however,
  is allowed. For example, a plugin named `confluent-kafka-cluster-rebuild` would be
  callable with the command `confluent kafka cluster rebuild`, since the name does not
  exactly match a built-in command. If two or more plugins with the same name are found in the
  user’s $PATH, the first one found in the $PATH is given precedence. Any subsequent plugin files
  with the same name will be ignored.

## Subcommands

| Command                                                                                | Description                                       |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
| [confluent plugin install](confluent_plugin_install.md#confluent-plugin-install)       | Install or update official Confluent CLI plugins. |
| [confluent plugin list](confluent_plugin_list.md#confluent-plugin-list)                | List Confluent CLI plugins in $PATH.              |
| [confluent plugin search](confluent_plugin_search.md#confluent-plugin-search)          | Search for Confluent CLI plugins.                 |
| [confluent plugin uninstall](confluent_plugin_uninstall.md#confluent-plugin-uninstall) | Uninstall official Confluent CLI plugins.         |