# Application plugin architecture

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/application-plugin-architecture/59825>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [May 7, 2006, 5:26am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/application-plugin-architecture/59825 "2006-05-07T05:26:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![brandonpt](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/6f9a4e/32.png) [@brandonpt](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/brandonpt)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2006, 5:26am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/application-plugin-architecture/59825/1 "2006-05-07T05:26:29Z")

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I am interested in adding a plugin architecture to the rails app I am  
writing, and I was wondering if anyone had any good ideas of how to  
implement this, or pointers to projects that have already done this.  
“plugin” is obviously a popular word in the rails community, so  
searching isn’t much help.

The basic requirements are that the app plugins should be able to  
extend functionality (like add behavior or state) and modify the user  
interface. The first one is obviously simple in rails, but I want to  
be able to do it in a “safe” way, so that plugins can’t clobber each  
other.

In statically typed languages, you would just implement this by  
creating an interface, registering plugins that implemented that  
interface, and calling those plugins at specific extension points.  
Would this be the best approach in rails? I’m interested to hear if  
anyone has any thoughts or examples.

Thanks,  
Brandon