Distribution and versioning

You share a plugin as a single folder. The recipient puts that folder in a plugin folder and enables it in the Plugin Manager.

Files to include

File	Include?	Description
`plugin.json`	Yes	Directly in the folder
Your dll	Yes	The `dll` path in `plugin.json`
Other dlls you use (NuGet packages and so on)	Yes	Next to your dll. Also include the `.deps.json` from the build output.
`.pdb`	Optional	Error locations (line numbers) appear in the log.
`NP.Editor.Sdk.dll`	No	The editor’s copy is used. Exclude it in the csproj with `Private=false`.
Large data	Optional	Keep it in the folder and locate it with `host.PluginDir`.

road_tools\
├─ plugin.json
├─ RoadTools.dll
├─ RoadTools.deps.json
├─ RoadTools.pdb
└─ data\
   └─ presets.json

Pick the files above from the dotnet build -c Release output folder and zip them. Tell recipients the following:

Unzip and put the road_tools folder in the plugin folder (Tools › Open plugin folder).
In Tools › Plugin Manager…, click Rescan.
The first time, click Trusted — load in the security warning.

The editor also loads plugins placed in the plugins\ folder under the editor install folder.

Increment version in plugin.json following semver (major.minor.patch). It appears in the Plugin Manager Version column.

What changed	Part to increment	Example
Bug fixes only	patch	1.2.0 → 1.2.1
Added features (save format and commands unchanged)	minor	1.2.1 → 1.3.0
Changed command names · world logic types · settings keys · save format	major	1.3.0 → 2.0.0

World logic Type and field Name values are saved in map files (scene.json). If you change them, rules in old maps become Unknown type.
Do not change the id. Settings files and user-rebound shortcuts are saved by id.

Set sdk to the minimum version of the features you actually use.

If you set it too high, users of older editors cannot use the plugin.
If you set it too low, loading on an older editor fails because of missing members (Version mismatch).
Do not use ranges without an upper bound (>=1.0). The plugin could load in a broken state on the next major.

Promise	Details
Within the same major	Types and members are only added. They are never renamed or removed.
New fields	Added as trailing fields with default values. Old code compiles unchanged.
Breaking changes	The major is incremented (2.0). `^1.x` plugins stop safely with Version mismatch and the editor keeps running.
Behavior	The meaning of registration points does not change within the same major.

Per-version changes are in the SDK changelog.

A plugin is code that runs on this computer with the same permissions as the editor, without signature checks.

Prevented	Not prevented
Exceptions in plugin code → only that plugin is disabled (isolation)	Infinite loops · stack overflows · process exit
Cleanup of registrations, drawings and the camera for disabled plugins	Reading · writing · deleting files
	Network access

Incremented version in plugin.json.
sdk is the minimum version of the features used.
The folder does not contain NP.Editor.Sdk.dll.
It enables with Rescan when placed in a fresh user folder.
Menus and panels are not duplicated or left behind after enable → disable → enable.

The detailed list is under “Pre-release checklist” in Troubleshooting.