In computing, a plug-in (or plugin, add-in, addin, add-on, or addon) is a software component that adds a specific feature to an existing computer program. When a program supports plug-ins, it enables customization.[1]
Look up plug-in or add-on in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
A theme or skin is a preset package containing additional or changed graphical appearance details, achieved by the use of a graphical user interface (GUI) that can be applied to specific software and websites to suit the purpose, topic, or tastes of different users to customize the look and feel of a piece of computer software or an operating system front-end GUI (and window managers).
The host application provides services which the plug-in can use, including a way for plug-ins to register themselves with the host application and a protocol for the exchange of data with plug-ins. Plug-ins depend on the services provided by the host application and do not usually work by themselves. Conversely, the host application operates independently of the plug-ins, making it possible for end-users to add and update plug-ins dynamically without needing to make changes to the host application.[11][12]
Programmers typically implement plug-ins as shared libraries, which get dynamically loaded at run time. HyperCard supported a similar facility, but more commonly included the plug-in code in the HyperCard documents (called stacks) themselves. Thus the HyperCard stack became a self-contained application in its own right, distributable as a single entity that end-users could run without the need for additional installation-steps. Programs may also implement plug-ins by loading a directory of simple script files written in a scripting language like Python or Lua.
In Mozilla Foundation definitions, the words "add-on", "extension" and "plug-in" are not synonyms. "Add-on" can refer to anything that extends the functions of a Mozilla application. Extensions comprise a subtype, albeit the most common and the most powerful one. Mozilla applications come with integrated add-on managers that, similar to package managers, install, update and manage extensions. The term, "plug-in", however, strictly refers to NPAPI-based web content renderers.[13] Mozilla deprecated plug-ins for its products.[14] But UXP-based applications, like web browsers Pale Moon and Basilisk, keep supporting (NPAPI) plug-ins.[15][16][17]
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This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Plug in computing news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message In computing a plug in or plugin add in addin add on or addon is a software component that adds a specific feature to an existing computer program When a program supports plug ins it enables customization 1 Mozilla Firefox displaying a list of installed plug ins Look up plug in or add on in Wiktionary the free dictionary A theme or skin is a preset package containing additional or changed graphical appearance details achieved by the use of a graphical user interface GUI that can be applied to specific software and websites to suit the purpose topic or tastes of different users to customize the look and feel of a piece of computer software or an operating system front end GUI and window managers Contents 1 Purpose and examples 2 Mechanism 3 Mozilla definition 4 History 5 See also 6 ReferencesPurpose and examples EditApplications may support plug ins to enable third party developers to extend an application support easily adding new features reduce the size of an application by not loading unused features separate source code from an application because of incompatible software licenses Types of applications and why they use plug ins Digital audio workstations and audio editing software use audio plug ins to generate process or analyze sound Ardour Audacity Cubase FL Studio Logic Pro X and Pro Tools are examples of such systems Email clients use plug ins to decrypt and encrypt email Pretty Good Privacy is an example of such plug ins Video game console emulators often use plug ins to modularize the separate subsystems of the devices they seek to emulate 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 For example the PCSX2 emulator makes use of video audio optical etc plug ins for those respective components of the PlayStation 2 Graphics software use plug ins to support file formats and process images A Photoshop plug in may do this Media players use plug ins to support file formats and apply filters foobar2000 GStreamer Quintessential VST Winamp XMMS are examples of such media players Packet sniffers use plug ins to decode packet formats OmniPeek is an example of such packet sniffers Remote sensing applications use plug ins to process data from different sensor types e g Opticks Text editors and Integrated development environments use plug ins to support programming languages or enhance the development process e g Visual Studio RAD Studio Eclipse IntelliJ IDEA jEdit and MonoDevelop support plug ins Visual Studio itself can be plugged into other applications via Visual Studio Tools for Office and Visual Studio Tools for Applications Web browsers have historically used executables as plug ins though they are now mostly deprecated Examples include the Adobe Flash Player a Java virtual machine for Java applets QuickTime Microsoft Silverlight and the Unity Web Player Browser extensions which are a separate type of installable module are still widely in use Mechanism Edit Example Plug In Framework The host application provides services which the plug in can use including a way for plug ins to register themselves with the host application and a protocol for the exchange of data with plug ins Plug ins depend on the services provided by the host application and do not usually work by themselves Conversely the host application operates independently of the plug ins making it possible for end users to add and update plug ins dynamically without needing to make changes to the host application 11 12 Programmers typically implement plug ins as shared libraries which get dynamically loaded at run time HyperCard supported a similar facility but more commonly included the plug in code in the HyperCard documents called stacks themselves Thus the HyperCard stack became a self contained application in its own right distributable as a single entity that end users could run without the need for additional installation steps Programs may also implement plug ins by loading a directory of simple script files written in a scripting language like Python or Lua Mozilla definition EditMain article Add on Mozilla In Mozilla Foundation definitions the words add on extension and plug in are not synonyms Add on can refer to anything that extends the functions of a Mozilla application Extensions comprise a subtype albeit the most common and the most powerful one Mozilla applications come with integrated add on managers that similar to package managers install update and manage extensions The term plug in however strictly refers to NPAPI based web content renderers 13 Mozilla deprecated plug ins for its products 14 But UXP based applications like web browsers Pale Moon and Basilisk keep supporting NPAPI plug ins 15 16 17 History EditIn the mid 1970s the EDT text editor ran on the Unisys VS 9 operating system using the UNIVAC Series 90 mainframe computer It allowed a program to be run from the editor which can access the in memory edit buffer 18 The plug in executable could call the editor to inspect and change the text The University of Waterloo Fortran compiler used this to allow interactive compilation of Fortran programs Early personal computer software with plug in capability included HyperCard and QuarkXPress on the Apple Macintosh both released in 1987 In 1988 Silicon Beach Software included plug in capability in Digital Darkroom and SuperPaint See also EditApplet Browser extensionReferences Edit Sterne Jonathan Plug in software Encyclopedia Britannica Retrieved 2021 02 05 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link PCSX2 The Playstation 2 emulator Plugins pcsx2 net Retrieved 2018 06 10 Bernert Pete Pete s PSX GPU plugins www pbernert com Retrieved 2018 06 10 Team Demul DEMUL Sega Dreamcast Emulator for Windows demul emulation64 com Retrieved 2018 06 10 Android Emulator Plugin Jenkins Jenkins Wiki wiki jenkins io Retrieved 2018 06 10 KDE dolphin plugins GitHub Retrieved 2018 06 10 OpenEmu SNES9x Core GitHub Retrieved 2018 06 10 Recommended N64 Plugins Emulation General Wiki Retrieved 2018 06 10 Playstation plugins amp utilities www emulator zone com Retrieved 2018 06 10 PS3 Homebrew Apps Plugins Emulators PSX Place www psx place com Retrieved 2018 06 10 Mozilla Firefox plugins Description of the difference between Mozilla Firefox plugins and extensions under the general term add on Wordpress Plug in API Description of the Wordpress Plug in architecture Plugin developer mozilla org Retrieved 2022 12 07 Paul Ian Firefox will stop supporting plugins by end of 2016 following Chrome s lead PCWorld IDG Retrieved 20 October 2016 Pale Moon Technical Details Features Pale Moon Retrieved 2020 06 06 Basilisk Features Basilisk Retrieved 2020 06 06 Re Remember Plugins are outdated Pale Moon Forums Retrieved 2020 06 06 EDT Text Editor Reference Manual Cinnaminson New Jersey Unisys Corporation 1975 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Plug in computing amp oldid 1149426862, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
