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Plugins extend the functionality of the Stellar CLI by adding custom commands. The Stellar CLI automatically detects and loads any executable (which doesn’t have to be a binary) in your PATH that starts with stellar-.

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How Plugins Work

Plugins are executables (scripts or binaries) that follow a simple naming convention: they must start with stellar-. When you run a command like stellar hello, the CLI first checks for a built-in command. If none is found, it searches for a plugin named stellar-hello in your PATH and executes it if found.

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Installing Plugins

You can install plugins that are made available publicly. For example, you can install rs-stellar-strkey using Rust’s cargo:
This installs the stellar-strkey binary in your ~/.cargo/bin directory. Make sure this directory is in your $PATH for the CLI to detect it.
Security WarningBe careful! Plugins have the same access to your system as the Stellar CLI itself. Only install plugins from sources you trust.

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Listing Available Plugins

To list available plugins on your system, use the command stellar plugin ls:

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Creating a New Plugin

To create a plugin, you need an executable file in your PATH that starts with stellar-. This example shows how to create a simple plugin using bash (works on Unix-based systems or Windows’ WSL).

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Step 1: Create the Plugin File

Create a new file named stellar-hello in a directory that’s in your PATH (for example, ~/.bin):

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Step 2: Add the Plugin Code

Add the following content to the file:

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Step 3: Make It Executable

Make the file executable:

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Step 4: Verify Installation

If everything is set up correctly (the directory is in your PATH and the file is executable), you should see your plugin listed:

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Step 5: Use Your Plugin

You can now execute your plugin by calling stellar hello:

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Plugin Naming and Subcommands

The Stellar CLI automatically searches for plugins when no built-in command matches. This works for both simple commands and subcommands. For example, if you create a plugin named stellar-contract-bindings-ruby, users can execute it using either:
  • stellar contract-bindings-ruby (with dashes)
  • stellar contract bindings ruby (with spaces as subcommands)
The CLI converts spaces to dashes when searching for the plugin executable, so both formats work.
If you’re using GitHub to host your plugin’s repository, consider adding a stellar-cli-plugin repository topic. This way, your plugin will be listed by stellar plugin search.

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Troubleshooting

If the Stellar CLI can’t find your plugin, check the following:
  • Naming: Ensure the file starts with stellar-
  • Permissions: Verify it’s executable using chmod +x
  • PATH: Check that the plugin’s directory is in your PATH environment variable
  • Shell: Restart your terminal or reload your shell configuration (e.g., run source ~/.zshrc or source ~/.bashrc)
You can verify your plugin is in your PATH by running:
If this returns a path, your plugin is accessible. If it returns nothing, the plugin’s directory is not in your PATH.