Plugin runtime and troubleshooting

Configured plugins

Plugins listed in esdev.json run in a separate isolate on its own thread, under esdev's full development grant. The application's --deny-* flags and scoped permissions do not restrict that plugin isolate. A configured plugin is code you chose to run with esdev's authority.

A synchronous handler blocks the plugin isolate and delays other hooks using it. The application runs separately. Keep handlers async and wait for I/O with await so other hook calls can make progress.

Programmatic builds

Plugins passed to build() from runtime:build run in the calling program's isolate, under its grants. A plugin that reads a file needs FileRead, like anything else in that program.

The bundler works on threads of its own and posts hook calls to that isolate; several can be in flight at once. A synchronous handler blocks the calling program too, including a server it runs. An async handler awaiting I/O lets the program and other hooks continue.

See also

• runtime:build — the options, the Bundle, and every field of a hook's answer

• Internals: the bundler bridge — how a hook call gets from a parallel Rust bundler into a single-threaded isolate and back, and what it costs

• runtime:watch — the other half of an incremental dev server