import InteractivePluginStructure from '@.../src/components/PluginStructure.js'
Plugin structure#
When creating a plugin with Plugin SDK, Strapi generates the following boilerplate structure for you in the /src/plugins/my-plugin folder:
A Strapi plugin is divided into 2 parts, each living in a different folder and offering a different API:
| Plugin part | Description | Folder | API |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admin panel | Includes what will be visible in the admin panel (components, navigation, settings, etc.) | admin/ | Admin Panel API |
| Backend server | Includes what relates to the backend server (content-types, controllers, middlewares, etc.) | server/ | Server API |
:::note Notes about the usefulness of the different parts for your specific use case
-
Server-only plugin: You can create a plugin that will just use the server part to enhance the API of your application. For instance, this plugin could have its own visible or invisible content-types, controller actions, and routes that are useful for a specific use case. In such a scenario, you don't need your plugin to have an interface in the admin panel.
-
Admin panel plugin vs. application-specific customization: You can create a plugin to inject some components into the admin panel. However, you can also achieve this by creating a
/src/admin/index.jsfile and invoking thebootstraplifecycle function to inject your components. In this case, deciding whether to create a plugin depends on whether you plan to reuse and distribute the code or if it's only useful for a unique Strapi application.
:::
:::strapi What to read next?
The next steps of your Strapi plugin development journey will require you to use any of the Strapi plugins APIs.
2 different types of resources help you understand how to use the plugin APIs:
- The reference documentation for the Admin Panel API and Server API give an overview of what is possible to do with a Strapi plugin.
- Guides cover some specific, use-case based examples.
:::