paseo/public-docs/plugins/migration.md

title, description, nav, order, category

title	description	nav	order	category
Migrate a plugin to runtime entries	Mechanical migration from a mixed plugin entry to explicit client and server entries.	Migration	47	Plugins

Migrate a plugin to runtime entries

Use this guide to update plugins written for Paseo 0.7 or earlier to the current client/server entry format, introduced in 0.8.

Give this page to a coding agent with the plugin directory as its working directory. Execute the steps in order. Do not keep a compatibility entry.

1. Classify the existing code

Start from the old shape:

my-plugin/
  paseo-plugin.json
  package.json
  tsconfig.json
  index.ts
  greeting.client.tsx
  greeting.server.ts
  greeting.shared.ts

The finished shape is:

my-plugin/
  paseo-plugin.json
  package.json
  tsconfig.json
  index.client.tsx
  index.server.ts
  client/greeting.tsx
  server/greeting.ts
  shared/greeting.ts

Create only the entries the plugin needs. At least one is required. Components and client callbacks need the client entry. RPC handlers and Node APIs need the server entry.

2. Rename files and directories

Apply these rules exactly:

1. Replace the mixed root entry with index.client.tsx, index.server.ts, or both.
2. Move every name.client.ts or name.client.tsx to client/name.ts or client/name.tsx.
3. Move every name.server.ts or name.server.tsx to server/name.ts or server/name.tsx.
4. Move every name.shared.ts or name.shared.tsx to shared/name.ts or shared/name.tsx.
5. Preserve nested feature directories under the matching runtime directory.
6. Update relative imports after every move.
7. Keep paseo-plugin.json, package.json, and tsconfig.json at the root.
8. Delete the old root entry. Paseo does not load it.

The directories are the compiler boundaries. A file beneath client/ compiles only into the app bundle, a file beneath server/ only into the daemon bundle, and shared/ into both. Filename suffixes such as *.client.tsx no longer mean anything, and a code module left at the plugin root is a compile error.

3. Move every registration

Use this table as the complete registration checklist.

Old registration and location	New registration and location
plugin.handle(contract, handler) in the old root entry	server.handle(contract, handler) in index.server.ts
plugin.addSurface(id, Component) in the old root entry	client.addScreen({ id, title, Component }) in index.client.tsx
plugin.addSidebarItem({ id, title, icon, surface }) in the old root entry	client.addSidebarHeaderItem({ id, title, Component }) in index.client.tsx; see sidebar items
New sidebar footer contribution	client.addSidebarFooterItem({ id, title, Component }) in index.client.tsx
New file panel contribution	client.addFilePanel(panel) in index.client.tsx
plugin.addWorkspacePanel(panel) in the old root entry	client.addWorkspacePanel(panel) in index.client.tsx
plugin.addCommandCenterItem(item) in the old root entry	client.addCommandCenterItem(item) in index.client.tsx
plugin.addClientSlashCommand(command) in the old root entry	client.addSlashCommand(command) in index.client.tsx
plugin.addClientSide(fn) in the old root entry	Delete the wrapper and move the body of fn into the default client entry function
client.addComposerPill(pill) inside the old client callback	client.addComposerPill(pill) inside index.client.tsx or an imported client/ function
New header contribution	client.addHeaderButton({ id, workspaceId, button })
plugin.addAttachmentSource(source) in the old root entry	client.addAttachmentSource(source) in index.client.tsx
New settings screen contribution	client.addSettingsScreen(screen) in index.client.tsx; see settings screens
plugin.addTheme(theme) in the old root entry	client.addTheme(theme) in index.client.tsx
plugin.addTimelineTransformer(transformer) in the old root entry	client.addTimelineTransformer(transformer) in index.client.tsx
plugin.addTimelineRenderer(renderer) in the old root entry	client.addTimelineRenderer(renderer) in index.client.tsx
import { defineRpc, defineAttachmentSource } from "@getpaseo/plugin/server" in shared files	import { defineRpc, defineAttachmentSource } from "@getpaseo/plugin"
ZodOutput<typeof contract.input> handler parameter types	RpcInput<typeof contract> from @getpaseo/plugin; RpcOutput for return types

Register the screen that replaces an addSidebarItem under that item's id to keep saved links working. A /plugin/<plugin>/sidebar/<id> link, and the older /plugin/<plugin>/<id>, opens the addSidebarItem with that id, or else the screen with that id.

Import PluginClientContext from @getpaseo/plugin/client and PluginServerContext from @getpaseo/plugin/server. Remove imports of the old context type. Client registrations return idempotent removal functions, except header buttons and composer pills, which return { update, remove } handles. Preserve any remover the plugin calls before teardown; Paseo removes outstanding registrations after the entry cleanup runs.

Composer pills

Update the plugin project's @getpaseo/plugin dependency, then run npm run typecheck. The old contribution is missing the required button field, PluginComposerPillProps is no longer exported, and calling the new registration as a function is a TypeScript error. A project pinned to the old SDK still checks against the old contract; installing or reloading a plugin does not run TypeScript's type checker.

Replace the pill's Component with button.icon and button.label, move title into button, and move onPress into button.behavior. Cleanup changes from calling the returned function to calling its .remove() method.

const pill = client.addComposerPill({
  id: "review",
  workspaceId,
  agentId,
  button: {
    title: "Open review",
    icon: "Scan",
    label: "Review",
    behavior: { kind: "action", onPress: openReview },
  },
});

pill.update({ label: "Review · 3", visible: true });
// Client entry cleanup:
pill.remove();

Move dynamic text from the former component into updates from your model or SDK subscription. Custom icon components may still use hooks. Composer pills always show icon and label and never show chevrons. See buttons for menus, popovers, and visibility.

4. Separate imports

Move hooks (usePaseo, useRpc, useSettings, useAgent, useWorkspace) and client contribution types from @getpaseo/plugin to @getpaseo/plugin/client. Move Icon to @getpaseo/plugin/client/ui. Import server contexts and lifecycle contracts from @getpaseo/plugin/server. Shared helpers (defineRpc, defineSettings, defineAttachmentSource), schemas, and plain data types stay on the root. These rules include type imports. See Runtime modules for the complete contract.

Move the remaining SDK subpaths under their runtime owner:

Old entry	Current entry
@getpaseo/plugin/react-native	@getpaseo/plugin/client/ui
@getpaseo/plugin/client/react-native	@getpaseo/plugin/client/ui
@getpaseo/plugin/ui	@getpaseo/plugin/client/ui
@getpaseo/plugin/provider	@getpaseo/plugin/server/provider
@getpaseo/plugin/acp	@getpaseo/plugin/server/acp

The pre-0.8 entries and the old @paseo/plugin scope are removed. /client/host is private to Paseo's app integration and is never a plugin-author import.

The client entry imports only client/, shared/, and client-safe packages. The server entry imports only server/, shared/, and server-safe packages. A node: import in the client entry or anything reachable from it is a compile error. Never import a component into the server entry merely to wire its registration; that registration belongs in the client entry.

UI imports in v0.13

Use /client/ui for all Paseo UI components and UI hooks. The previous entry remains an undocumented compatibility alias until 2027-04-20.

For paced timeline text, replace useRevealedText(text, phase) and the surrounding Text with <StreamedText text={text} phase={phase} style={style} /> from /client/ui. Use SettingsSection for plugin settings headings; SettingsGroup is deprecated.

5. Recognize half-migration errors

Compiler or load error	Meaning and fix
This plugin has no requirements.paseo	Complete the migration and declare the range in step 7.
This plugin was made for an older version of Paseo	The directory still has only the old root entry. Create a runtime entry, move registrations, then delete the old file.
Plugin entry points are missing: expected index.client.ts or index.client.tsx and/or index.server.ts or index.server.tsx	No supported entry exists. Add at least one exact filename.
server-only module cannot be imported into the plugin client bundle: <file>	A client import reaches server/. Move the call behind an RPC and import its contract from shared/.
client-only module cannot be imported into the plugin server bundle: <file>	A server import reaches client/. Move that registration and import to the client entry.
Plugin modules belong in client/, server/, or shared/: <file>	A code module is still at the plugin root. Move it into the matching directory and fix its imports.
Node module cannot be imported into the plugin client bundle: node:<name> imported by <file>	Client code imports a Node API. Move the operation to server/, expose an RPC in shared/, and call it from the client.
TypeScript reports that PluginContext, addClientSide, or addClientSlashCommand does not exist	Replace the old context types and registrations using the table above.

6. Worked example: plugin-examples/local-plugin

Only the entry files and import paths change. Component and handler bodies move without edits.

Before:

local-plugin/
  index.ts
  main.client.tsx
  increment.server.ts
  increment.shared.ts

// index.ts
import type { PluginContext } from "@getpaseo/plugin";
import { contributeClient, ExamplePanel } from "./main.client";
import { increment } from "./increment.server";
import { incrementRpc } from "./increment.shared";

export default function contribute(plugin: PluginContext) {
  plugin.handle(incrementRpc, increment);
  plugin.addWorkspacePanel({
    id: "counter",
    title: "Plugin counter",
    icon: "Blocks",
    context: "workspace",
    locations: ["workspace", "explorer"],
    Component: ExamplePanel,
  });
  plugin.addCommandCenterItem({
    id: "open-counter",
    title: "Open plugin counter",
    icon: "Blocks",
    context: "workspace",
    onSelect({ openPanel }) {
      openPanel("counter");
    },
  });
  plugin.addClientSide(contributeClient);
  return () => {};
}

After:

local-plugin/
  index.client.tsx
  index.server.ts
  client/main.tsx        # was main.client.tsx
  server/increment.ts    # was increment.server.ts
  shared/increment.ts    # was increment.shared.ts

// index.client.tsx
import type { PluginClientContext } from "@getpaseo/plugin/client";
import { contributeClient, ExamplePanel } from "./client/main";

export default function contribute(client: PluginClientContext) {
  client.addWorkspacePanel({
    id: "counter",
    title: "Plugin counter",
    icon: "Blocks",
    context: "workspace",
    locations: ["workspace", "explorer"],
    Component: ExamplePanel,
  });
  client.addCommandCenterItem({
    id: "open-counter",
    title: "Open plugin counter",
    icon: "Blocks",
    context: "workspace",
    onSelect({ openPanel }) {
      openPanel("counter");
    },
  });
  return contributeClient(client);
}

// index.server.ts
import type { PluginServerContext } from "@getpaseo/plugin/server";
import { increment } from "./server/increment";
import { incrementRpc } from "./shared/increment";

export default function contribute(server: PluginServerContext) {
  server.handle(incrementRpc, increment);
  return () => {};
}

Import path changes inside the moved files:

 // client/main.tsx
-import { incrementRpc } from "./increment.shared";
+import { incrementRpc } from "../shared/increment";

 // server/increment.ts
-import { incrementRpc } from "./increment.shared";
+import { incrementRpc } from "../shared/increment";

contributeClient already took a PluginClientContext and returned cleanup, so the client entry calls it directly and returns its cleanup. A plugin whose addClientSide callback also registered pills or subscriptions keeps that code; only the wrapper goes away.

7. Declare the Paseo requirement

After migrating the entries and imports, add the minimum runtime version to paseo-plugin.json:

{
  "id": "my-plugin",
  "requirements": { "paseo": ">=0.8.0" }
}

Keep your existing ID and build commands. Missing requirements.paseo means <0.8.0, so Paseo 0.8 and later reject the plugin even if its files have been moved. Adding the field alone does not migrate the code. Update the local @getpaseo/plugin development dependency to the version you target and reinstall dependencies before typechecking.

See requirements for range and prerelease semantics.

8. Verify the migration

Run:

npm run typecheck
paseo plugin reload <plugin-id>
paseo plugin ls

Require running with no error. Exercise every contribution. For plugins with RPCs, call the client action and verify the server result. For client-only plugins, confirm the contribution loads without a server process. Call any stored registration remover twice and verify the second call is a no-op.