Plugin Development Guide

Plugins are powerful tools that allow you to enhance and customize your Aikeedo platform. This guide will walk you through the process of building a plugin for v3.x, using a simple Currency Beacon integration as an example.

This guide is for Aikeedo v3.x. The plugin structure has been updated from v2.x. Plugins are now located in /extra/extensions/ directory.

What are Aikeedo Plugins?

Aikeedo plugins are Composer packages that extend the functionality of your platform. They allow you to:

Add new features and functionality
Integrate with third-party services
Extend existing capabilities
Add custom currency rate providers, payment gateways, and more

Plugins give you the flexibility to tailor Aikeedo to your specific requirements without modifying the core codebase, ensuring easy updates.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

Basic knowledge of PHP and Composer
A local development environment set up for Aikeedo
Composer installed on your system

If you need help setting up your local environment, refer to our Local Development Guide.

Step-by-Step Plugin Creation

Let’s create a plugin that integrates CurrencyBeacon as an alternative currency rate provider for your Aikeedo platform.

Step 1: Create the Plugin Directory

In Aikeedo v3.x, plugins are located in the /extra/extensions/ directory. Create a new directory for your plugin:

mkdir -p extra/extensions/heyaikeedo/currency-beacon

The directory structure should follow the format: yourorganization/plugin-name. This naming convention helps identify and organize plugins consistently.

Unlike themes, plugins typically don’t need a separate /public/e/ directory unless they provide public-facing assets like CSS or JavaScript files.

Step 2: Create the composer.json File

Every Aikeedo plugin requires a composer.json file containing essential metadata and dependencies. Create a composer.json file in your plugin directory (/extra/extensions/heyaikeedo/currency-beacon/composer.json) with the following content:

{
  "name": "heyaikeedo/currency-beacon",
  "type": "aikeedo-plugin",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "require": {
    "heyaikeedo/composer": "^1.0.0"
  },
  "extra": {
    "entry-class": "Aikeedo\\CurrencyBeacon\\Plugin"
  },
  "autoload": {
    "psr-4": {
      "Aikeedo\\CurrencyBeacon\\": "src/"
    }
  }
}

Let’s break down the important parts of this file:

name: Must match the path to your plugin directory (yourorganization/plugin-name)
type: Always set to aikeedo-plugin for Aikeedo plugins
version: Defines the current version of your plugin
require: Lists the dependencies, including the required heyaikeedo/composer package
extra.entry-class: Specifies the main class of your plugin
autoload: Sets up PSR-4 autoloading for your plugin’s classes

The heyaikeedo/composer package is required for all Aikeedo plugins. It provides essential functionality for plugin integration.

Step 3: Create the Plugin Class

Now, let’s create the main plugin class. This class will be responsible for initializing your plugin’s functionality. Create a file named Plugin.php in the src directory of your plugin:

<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace Aikeedo\CurrencyBeacon;

use Override;
use Plugin\Domain\Context;
use Plugin\Domain\PluginInterface;

class Plugin implements PluginInterface
{
    #[Override]
    public function boot(Context $context): void
    {
        // Plugin initialization code goes here
        // For a complete implementation example, visit:
        // https://github.com/heyaikeedo/plugins-currency-beacon
    }
}

This class implements the PluginInterface, which requires a boot method. The boot method is called when your plugin is loaded by Aikeedo, allowing you to set up any necessary functionality.

Step 4: Directory Structure

Your complete plugin structure should look like this:

extra/extensions/heyaikeedo/currency-beacon/
├── composer.json
└── src/
    └── Plugin.php

For more complex plugins, you might have additional directories:

extra/extensions/heyaikeedo/currency-beacon/
├── composer.json
├── src/
│   ├── Plugin.php
│   ├── Services/
│   │   └── CurrencyService.php
│   └── Config/
│       └── settings.php
└── README.md

Step 5: Install the Plugin

With your plugin structure in place, you can now install it using Composer.

Via Composer (Packagist)
Local Development

If your plugin is published on Packagist or a private repository:

composer require heyaikeedo/currency-beacon

Step 6: Enable the Plugin

After installation, enable your plugin through the Aikeedo admin panel:

Navigate to Plugins

Log in to your Aikeedo admin panel
Go to the Plugins section

Activate Plugin

Locate your new plugin (Currency Beacon) in the list
Click the toggle or “Activate” button to enable it

Your plugin is now active and functional!

Best Practices

Follow PSR Standards: Use PSR-4 autoloading and PSR-12 coding standards
Version Control: Use Git to track changes and maintain version history
Semantic Versioning: Follow semver for version numbers (e.g., 1.0.0, 1.1.0, 2.0.0)
Documentation: Include a README.md with installation and usage instructions
Dependencies: Only include necessary dependencies to keep the plugin lightweight
Testing: Write tests for your plugin’s functionality
Compatibility: Ensure your plugin works with the latest Aikeedo version
Security: Validate and sanitize all inputs, especially from external APIs

Advanced Topics

Plugin with Public Assets

If your plugin needs CSS, JavaScript, or images, create an assets directory:

mkdir -p public/e/heyaikeedo/currency-beacon/css
mkdir -p public/e/heyaikeedo/currency-beacon/js

Reference assets from /e/yourorganization/plugin-name/ in your templates.

Using Dependency Injection

Leverage Aikeedo’s dependency injection container in your plugin:

public function boot(Context $context): void
{
    $container = $context->getContainer();
    
    // Register your services
    $container->set(CurrencyService::class, function() {
        return new CurrencyService();
    });
}

Hooks and Events

Use Aikeedo’s event system to extend functionality:

public function boot(Context $context): void
{
    $dispatcher = $context->getEventDispatcher();
    
    $dispatcher->addListener(
        'currency.rate.fetch',
        [$this, 'handleCurrencyFetch']
    );
}

Troubleshooting

Plugin Not Appearing in Admin Panel

Verify composer.json has "type": "aikeedo-plugin"
Ensure the name field matches your directory path
Check that heyaikeedo/composer is in requirements
Run composer dump-autoload to refresh autoloader
Verify file permissions on the plugin directory

Plugin Class Not Found

Check the extra.entry-class in composer.json matches your class namespace
Verify PSR-4 autoload configuration is correct
Ensure the Plugin.php file is in the correct directory
Run composer dump-autoload -o

Plugin Enabled But Not Working

Check PHP error logs for exceptions
Verify the boot() method is being called
Ensure all dependencies are installed
Check that required services are available in the container

Example Implementation

For a complete, working example of an Aikeedo plugin, check out the Currency Beacon Plugin Repository on GitHub. This example demonstrates:

Proper v3.x directory structure
Service integration
API communication
Error handling
Configuration management

Plugins Overview - Understanding plugins and themes
Local Development Guide - Set up your dev environment
API Overview - Advanced integration options
Currency Beacon Plugin - Example implementation

Need Help?

If you need assistance with Aikeedo:

Professional Support

Get expert help from our team with a paid support subscription

Troubleshooting Guide

Check common issues and solutions

Happy plugin development! 🚀

Development

Plugins & Themes

​What are Aikeedo Plugins?

​Prerequisites

​Step-by-Step Plugin Creation

​Step 1: Create the Plugin Directory

​Step 2: Create the composer.json File

​Step 3: Create the Plugin Class

​Step 4: Directory Structure

​Step 5: Install the Plugin

​Step 6: Enable the Plugin

​Best Practices

​Advanced Topics

​Plugin with Public Assets

​Using Dependency Injection

​Hooks and Events

​Troubleshooting

​Plugin Not Appearing in Admin Panel

​Plugin Class Not Found

​Plugin Enabled But Not Working

​Example Implementation

​Related Guides

​Need Help?

Professional Support

Troubleshooting Guide

What are Aikeedo Plugins?

Prerequisites

Step-by-Step Plugin Creation

Step 1: Create the Plugin Directory

Step 2: Create the composer.json File

Step 3: Create the Plugin Class

Step 4: Directory Structure

Step 5: Install the Plugin

Step 6: Enable the Plugin

Best Practices

Advanced Topics

Plugin with Public Assets

Using Dependency Injection

Hooks and Events

Troubleshooting

Plugin Not Appearing in Admin Panel

Plugin Class Not Found

Plugin Enabled But Not Working

Example Implementation

Related Guides

Need Help?