pluginlib 0.5.0

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Overview
========

Pluginlib makes creating plugins for your project simple.

Step 1: Define plugin parent classes
------------------------------------

All plugins are subclasses of parent classes. To create a parent class, use the
@Parent_ decorator.

The @Parent_ decorator can take a plugin type for accessing child plugins
of the parent. If a plugin type isn't given, the class name will be used.

The @Parent_ decorator can also take a ``group`` keyword which
restricts plugins to a specific plugin group. ``group`` should be specified if plugins for
different projects could be accessed in an single program, such as with libraries and frameworks.
For more information, see the `Plugin Groups`_ section.

Methods required in child plugins should be labeled as abstract methods.
Plugins without these methods or with parameters
that don't match, will not be loaded.
For more information, see the `Abstract Methods`_ section.

.. code-block:: python

"""
sample.py
"""
import pluginlib

@pluginlib.Parent('parser')
class Parser(object):

@pluginlib.abstractmethod
def parse(self, string):
pass

Step 2: Define plugin classes
-----------------------------

To create a plugin, subclass a parent class and include any required methods.

Plugins can be customized through optional class attributes:

`_alias_`_
Changes the name of the plugin which defaults to the class name.

`_version_`_
Sets the version of the plugin. Defaults to the module ``__version__`` or ``None``
If multiple plugins with the same type and name are loaded, the plugin with
the highest version is used. For more information, see the Versions_ section.

`_skipload_`_
Specifies the plugin should not be loaded. This is useful when a plugin is a parent class
for additional plugins or when a plugin should only be loaded under certain conditions.
For more information see the `Conditional Loading`_ section.


.. code-block:: python

"""
sample_plugins.py
"""
import json
import sample

class JSON(sample.Parser):

_alias_ = 'json'

def parse(self, string):
return json.loads(string)

Step 3: Load plugins
--------------------

Plugins are loaded when the module they are in is imported. PluginLoader_
will load modules from specified locations and provides access to them.

PluginLoader_ can load plugins from several locations.
- A program's standard library
- `Entry points`_
- A list of modules
- A list of filesystem paths

Plugins can also be blacklisted. See the Blacklists_ section for more information.

Plugins are accessible through the PluginLoader.plugins_ property,
a nested dictionary accessible through dot notation.

.. code-block:: python

import pluginlib
import sample

loader = pluginlib.PluginLoader(modules=['sample_plugins'])
plugins = loader.plugins
parser = plugins.parser.json()
print(parser.parse('{"json": "test"}'))

.. _Entry points: https://packaging.python.org/specifications/entry-points/

.. _PluginLoader: http://pluginlib.readthedocs.io/en/latest/api.html#pluginlib.PluginLoader
.. _PluginLoader.plugins: http://pluginlib.readthedocs.io/en/latest/api.html#pluginlib.PluginLoader.plugins
.. _@Parent: http://pluginlib.readthedocs.io/en/latest/api.html#pluginlib.Parent
.. _\_alias\_: http://pluginlib.readthedocs.io/en/latest/api.html#pluginlib.Plugin._alias_
.. _\_version\_: http://pluginlib.readthedocs.io/en/latest/api.html#pluginlib.Plugin._version_
.. _\_skipload\_: http://pluginlib.readthedocs.io/en/latest/api.html#pluginlib.Plugin._skipload_

.. _Versions: http://pluginlib.readthedocs.io/en/latest/concepts.html#versions
.. _Blacklists: http://pluginlib.readthedocs.io/en/latest/concepts.html#blacklists
.. _Abstract Methods: http://pluginlib.readthedocs.io/en/latest/concepts.html#abstract-methods
.. _Conditional Loading: http://pluginlib.readthedocs.io/en/latest/concepts.html#conditional-loading
.. _Plugin Groups: http://pluginlib.readthedocs.io/en/latest/concepts.html#plugin-groups