Plugins

A plugin adds widgets, tools or themes to Helm. Each plugin is an npm package. Helm installs a plugin one time, and you enable it for each workspace. Themes do not need this step: see Theme plugins.

Helm runs plugin code in a sandboxed frame. A plugin can use only the connections that it declares, and only after you approve them. To build a plugin, see the SDK contracts.

Install a plugin

Install, approve and enable the plugin. Helm must be running for steps 2 and 3.

1. Install. Do one of these steps:
   • In System settings → Plugins, type the package name or folder in Install, then click Install.
   • In a terminal, run helm plugin add. See the commands below.
2. Review and approve. Under Installed, Helm shows each widget and tool of the plugin. For each one, it shows the connections, the calls, the writes and the capabilities. Read them. If you agree, click Approve these declarations.
3. Enable. Turn on Enabled in {workspace}. The widgets and tools of the plugin then appear in the library of that workspace.

Helm installs plugins with --ignore-scripts. It never runs the install scripts of a plugin.

Plugin states

If a plugin update changes its version or its declarations, the plugin shows Needs review again. Its widgets do not load until you approve it again.

Plugin commands

Run these commands in a terminal:

helm plugin add <npm-name | git-url | folder>   # install a plugin (scripts are never run)
helm plugin link <folder>                       # install a local plugin folder for development
helm plugin remove <name>                       # uninstall a plugin
helm plugin list                                # show installed plugins

After add or link, approve and enable the plugin in System settings → Plugins.

The helm command is on your PATH after npm install -g @usetdt/helm. If you run Helm from its source code, run the commands from the repository root as npx helm ….

Uninstall a plugin

Click Uninstall, or run helm plugin remove <name>. Helm removes the plugin from every workspace, and it deletes its approval.

Writes

A plugin can declare writes, for example a change to a file or a request to a service. Helm asks you to confirm each write in a Helm dialog. The dialog shows the exact change. Click Cancel to refuse it. There is no option to allow all writes.

The software-production plugin

helm-plugin-software-production adds tools for TDT software-production tasks:

• A Kanban tool. Move cards between columns, start a build on a ready card, or see the handoff of a card in progress. When you move a card into Doing, Helm asks if you want only the move, or also a build.
• A Ready tasks widget and a Task pipeline widget.

It reads internal tasks, and tasks from Linear and GitHub through service profiles named linear and github. See Connections.

To install it:

1. Run helm plugin add helm-plugin-software-production, or enter that name in System settings → Plugins → Install.
2. Approve and enable it in System settings → Plugins.

The source is at github.com/CharlGottschalk/helm-plugin-software-production.