lnbits/docs/guide/extension-install.md

Extension Install

Anyone can create an extension by following the example extension.

Extensions can be installed by an admin user after the LNbits instance has been started.

Configure Repositories

Go to Manage Server > Server > Extensions Manifests

An Extension Manifest is a link to a JSON file which contains information about various extensions that can be installed (repository of extensions). Multiple repositories can be configured. For more information check the Manifest File section.

LNbits administrators should configure their instances to use repositories that they trust (like the lnbits-extensions one).

Warning Extensions can have bugs or malicious code, be careful what you install!!

Install New Extension

Only administrator users can install or upgrade extensions.

Go to Manage Extensions > Add Remove Extensions

A list of extensions that can be installed is displayed:

Note If the extension is installed from a GitHub repo, then the GitHub star count will be shown.

Click the Manage button in order to install a particular release of the extension.

Note An extension can be listed in more than one repository. The admin user must select which repository it wants to install from.

Select the version to be installed (usually the last one) and click Install. One can also check the Release Notes first.

Note:

For Github repository: the order of the releases is the one in the GitHub releases page

For Explicit Release: the order of the releases is the one in the "extensions" object

The extension has been installed but it cannot be accessed yet. In order to activate the extension toggle it in the Activated state.

Go to Manage Extensions (as admin user or regular user). Search for the extension and enable it.

Uninstall Extension

On the Install page click Manage for the extension you want to uninstall:

The installed release is highlighted in green.

Click the Uninstall button for the release or the one in the bottom.

Users will no longer be able to access the extension.

Note The database for the extension is not removed. If the extension is re-installed later, the data will be accessible.

Manifest File

The manifest file is just a JSON file that lists a collection of extensions that can be installed. This file is of the form:

{
    "extensions": [...]
    "repos": [...]
}

There are two ways to specify installable extensions:

Explicit Release

It goes under the extensions object and it is of the form:

        {
            "id": "lnurlp",
            "name": "LNURL Pay Links",
            "version": 1,
            "shortDescription": "Upgrade to version 111111111",
            "icon": "receipt",
            "details": "All charge names should be <code>111111111</code>. API panel must show: <br>",
            "archive": "https://github.com/lnbits/lnbits-extensions/raw/main/new/lnurlp/1/lnurlp.zip",
            "hash": "a22d02de6bf306a7a504cd344e032cc6d48837a1d4aeb569a55a57507bf9a43a",
            "htmlUrl": "https://github.com/lnbits/lnbits-extensions/tree/main/new/lnurlp/1",
            "infoNotification": "This is a very old version"
        }

Fields Detailed Description

Field	Type		Description
id	string	mandatory	The ID of the extension. Must be unique for each extension. It is also used as the path in the URL.
name	string	mandatory	User friendly name for the extension. It will be displayed on the installation page.
version	string	mandatory	Version of this release. Semantic versoning is recommended.
shortDescription	string	optional	A few words about the extension. It will be displayed on the installation page.
icon	string	optional	quasar valid icon name
details	string (html)	optional	Details about this particular release
archive	string	mandatory	URL to the zip file that contains the extension source-code
hash	string	mandatory	The hash (sha256) of the zip file. The extension will not be installed if the hash is incorrect.
htmlUrl	string	optional	Link to the extension home page.
infoNotification	string	optional	Users that have this release installed will see a info message for their extension. For example if the extension support will be terminated soon.
criticalNotification	string	optional	Reserved for urgent notifications. The admin user will receive a message each time it visits the Install page. One example is if the extension has a critical bug.

This mode has the advantage of strictly specifying what releases of an extension can be installed.

GitHub Repository

It goes under the repos object and it is of the form:

{
    "id": "withdraw",
    "organisation": "lnbits",
    "repository": "withdraw-extension"
}

Field	Type	Description
id	string	The ID of the extension. Must be unique for each extension. It is also used as the path in the URL.
organisation	string	The GitHub organisation (eg: lnbits)
repository	string	The GitHub repository name (eg: withdraw-extension)

The admin user will see all releases from the Github repository: