package-ida-plugin

Packaging IDA Pro Plugins

This skill helps package IDA Pro plugins for distribution via the IDA Plugin Manager and the plugins.hex-rays.com repository. It covers creating and updating the ida-plugin.json manifest, packaging archives, and publishing via GitHub Releases.

Overview

The IDA Plugin Manager is a self-service ecosystem for discovering, installing, and sharing IDA plugins:

• Discovery: A daily indexer scans GitHub for repositories containing ida-plugin.json
• Repository: Published at plugins.hex-rays.com and github.com/HexRaysSA/plugin-repository
• Client: HCLI command-line tool (hcli plugin install <name>)
• Compatibility: IDA Pro 9.0+ (full support)

Critical: Understanding Plugin Root Directory

The ida-plugin.json file defines the root of the plugin. When a plugin is installed, only the directory containing ida-plugin.json (and its subdirectories) is copied to $IDAUSR/plugins/. Nothing outside this directory is included.

Assessing Directory Structure Compatibility

Before packaging, verify that your plugin's structure is self-contained:

# GOOD: All plugin code is in the same directory as ida-plugin.json
my-repo/
├── ida-plugin.json        # Plugin root
├── my_plugin.py           # Entry point - INCLUDED
├── my_plugin_lib/         # Supporting code - INCLUDED
│   └── helpers.py
├── README.md              # Plugin README - INCLUDED (shown on web)
└── assets/
    └── logo.png           # Logo - INCLUDED

# BAD: Plugin code outside the ida-plugin.json directory
my-repo/
├── plugin/
│   └── ida-plugin.json    # Plugin root is here
├── src/                   # NOT INCLUDED - outside plugin root!
│   └── my_plugin.py       # This file won't be installed!
└── README.md              # NOT INCLUDED - wrong directory!

Compatibility Checklist

When assessing an existing plugin, verify:

1. Entry point location: Is entryPoint in the same directory as ida-plugin.json?
2. All imports resolvable: Are all Python imports within the plugin root or in pythonDependencies?
3. No parent directory references: Does the code use ../ to access files outside the plugin root?
4. Assets included: Are logos, data files, or resources inside the plugin root?
5. README placement: Is README.md in the plugin root (not repo root) for web display?