Core concepts
ReliaForge runs Python operations tools as plugins. Developers supply the tools; the platform loads them, checks dependencies, reads configuration, and manages their start and stop operations.
What is a plugin?
A plugin is a directory containing Python code and a manifest.json file. The file gives ReliaForge the plugin's name, version, entry point, and dependencies.
The code can provide a query API, collect data in the background, or run a runbook service. The author decides what it does. The plugin tutorial shows how to turn a Python function into an API your team can call.
What happens when I start it?
The backend checks the plugin's settings, prepares its resources, and calls its startup code. Dependencies must be running first. Stopping it calls the author's cleanup code, such as closing clients and ending background tasks.
The console shows two kinds of status:
| Status | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Run state | Whether the plugin is running, stopped, or has encountered an error |
| Health | Whether the running service reports a problem; a running plugin can report degraded health |
Starting a plugin makes its service available. To perform a query or another business operation, call the service's API.
How do I use its service?
Each plugin defines its own API under /api/v1/plugins/{plugin_id}. Follow the author's usage instructions for its endpoints, parameters, and responses. In local development, you can also browse the APIs at http://127.0.0.1:8000/api/v1/docs.
The console shows plugin status and start and stop controls. A plugin's business interface is provided by its author.
How do plugins work together?
A plugin can share a Python service with other plugins. For example, demo shares demo.greeting; the bundled runbook plugin uses it to build a text preview.
The provider lists the service name in capabilities. A consumer lists the provider in dependencies before requesting the service. These fields describe cooperation between plugins; HTTP endpoints are defined in the plugin's router.
Where do I configure a plugin?
Set the plugin's environment variables before starting the backend. Its PluginSettings class defines the accepted fields. For example, the generated sample_tool reads its message from RELIAFORGE_SAMPLE_TOOL_MESSAGE.
The console shows field definitions, including types and defaults, rather than current values. Secret values and secret defaults are omitted. See the backend's configuration examples when adding settings to your own plugin.