Create and synchronize a plugin manifest

Use the typed source manifest supplied by phials-plugin-example. It is the single authority for identity, compatibility, permissions, public links, and icon preload declarations.

Edit the source manifest

Replace the starter values in src/plugin.manifest.ts:

import { definePluginManifest } from "../sdk/manifest-schema";

export const pluginManifest = definePluginManifest({
	id: "acme.review-tools",
	name: "Review Tools",
	version: "0.1.0",
	minAppVersion: "1.4.0",
	pluginApiVersion: "1.0.0",
	author: "Acme",
	description: "Adds review commands and file annotations.",
	repository: "https://github.com/acme/review-tools",
	icons: ["phoundry-mono:check"],
	permissions: [],
});

Keep package.json.version equal to the source manifest. It is a validated package projection, not a second authority.

Derive the runtime definition

Use definePlugin() so runtime identity is generated from the same source:

import { definePlugin } from "../sdk/manifest-schema";
import { pluginManifest } from "./plugin.manifest";

export default definePlugin(pluginManifest, {
	providers: [],
});

The runtime definition owns providers, settings, database schema, and lifecycle hooks. It does not repeat source-manifest identity or icon preload metadata.

Build the synchronized manifest

npm run build

The build:

1. validates src/plugin.manifest.ts with field-specific errors;
2. checks package.json.version against the source manifest;
3. generates the data-only public/manifest.json;
4. builds the plugin’s ES module and CSS;
5. copies the generated projection to dist/manifest.json.

Inspect the generated release:

npm run validate

Do not edit either generated JSON manifest. A later source-manifest sync replaces it.

Keep development install atomic

The starter development installer reads the ID from the validated release manifest and places the artifact set at:

<PHIALS_HOME>/plugins/acme.review-tools/
├── main.js
├── manifest.json
└── styles.css

The directory name, release manifest ID, and exported plugin ID must agree. See Install a development plugin locally.

Do not rename the install folder independently or copy a manifest from another build.

Know what synchronization does not mean

The typed source manifest projects one identity graph:

src/plugin.manifest.ts
├─ definePlugin() → runtime identity
├─ generation → public/manifest.json → dist/manifest.json
└─ validation → package version, release tag, registry, candidate checksum

Generation does not:

• infer permissions from source code
• choose compatibility versions
• invent public metadata
• change the permanent plugin ID

You own those decisions, and validation verifies them.

Update one source, then rebuild

For release-wide version alignment, continue to Choose a plugin release version.

Reference

• Plugin manifest field reference
• Public SDK support contract