Bundling default plugins with desktop app

[makb]

Hey,
I wanted to discuss and confirm the approach of bundling the default plugins with the desktop app. Until now, we have discussed that we will be packaging plugins while the app is being built.

So I was thinking before building the app, we can run a JS script that will check the current plugins' versions included in the repo and then pull the relevant .jpl file and respective manifest from the joplin/plugins repo and copy it to the build/defaultPlugins folder of Joplin desktop.

As suggested by CalebJohn, an additional feature would be pinning the plugins version or using the most recent major/minor release that is at least 2 weeks old or something similar. I think second option would be better as it gives more stability and less manual review needs to be done.

Feel free to provide any suggestion or feedback you have.

[CalebJohn]

@makb

So I was thinking before building the app, we can run a JS script that will check the current plugins' versions included in the repo and then pull the relevant .jpl file and respective manifest from the joplin/plugins repo and copy it to the build/defaultPlugins folder of Joplin desktop.

This sounds good to me!

@makb

As suggested by CalebJohn, an additional feature would be pinning the plugins version or using the most recent major/minor release that is at least 2 weeks old or something similar. I think second option would be better as it gives more stability and less manual review needs to be done.

Let's stick with pinning for now and see how it goes. If the pins are checked in to git, then the plugin authors can make a PR to change the pin.

[makb]

Thanks for clarifying! I will start implementing this then.