# Recommended workflow for building plugins

**URL:** <https://forum.opentap.io/t/recommended-workflow-for-building-plugins/898>\
**Category:** General\
**Tags:** plugin\
**Created:** [October 13, 2022, 6:47pm UTC](https://forum.opentap.io/t/recommended-workflow-for-building-plugins/898 "2022-10-13T18:47:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![beepboop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@beepboop](https://forum.opentap.io/u/beepboop)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 6:47pm UTC](https://forum.opentap.io/t/recommended-workflow-for-building-plugins/898/1 "2022-10-13T18:47:16Z")

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Hi Everybody  
What is the recommended workflow to build plugins for open tap I’ve seen posts about copying .dll files , juggling with version numbers, hand filing package.xml files and wot not.

1,Should I github to a folder called OpenTap and build the files there ?  
2.Once this is done do I still need to install all the plugins SDK ,demo,wpf, basicsteps etc or are they automatically installed with the build?  
3. Where to develop the plugin ? in the SDK folder in the examples folder or just in the OpenTap folder ?

1. Once the plugin has been complied do you still need to 'install it" with the CLI ?

So what I’m really looking for is a step by step "how to get started with plugins " is there one anywhere ?

Thanks BB

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**Author:** ![brennen\_direnzo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.opentap.io/brennen_direnzo/32/6_2.png) [@brennen\_direnzo](https://forum.opentap.io/u/brennen_direnzo)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 7:18pm UTC](https://forum.opentap.io/t/recommended-workflow-for-building-plugins/898/2 "2022-10-13T19:18:18Z")

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Welcome @beepboop

There are a few different ways. Some people have an older approach, and it is dependent on how you are deploying the plugin in the end, but from a “Getting Started” perspective, there is documentation here:

> **[Getting Started | OpenTAP](https://doc.opentap.io/Developer%20Guide/Getting%20Started%20in%20Visual%20Studio/#sdk-package)**
>
> OpenTAP is an Open Source project for fast and easy development and execution of automated tests.

You can also find some video walkthroughs here:  
https://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=PLsMWeWj3dGeqOzdbUn6-orjuKrVHZeMQ1&wmode=transparent&rel=0&autohide=1&showinfo=1&enablejsapi=1

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![beepboop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@beepboop](https://forum.opentap.io/u/beepboop)\
**Post date:** [October 14, 2022, 5:55pm UTC](https://forum.opentap.io/t/recommended-workflow-for-building-plugins/898/3 "2022-10-14T17:55:57Z")

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Thanks Brennen,

> [@brennen\_direnzo](#):
>
> is dependent on how you are deploying the plugin in the end

I would say non-enterprise, we are a team of 2 and will implement a single end solution.

BB

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**Author:** ![brennen\_direnzo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.opentap.io/brennen_direnzo/32/6_2.png) [@brennen\_direnzo](https://forum.opentap.io/u/brennen_direnzo)\
**Post date:** [October 14, 2022, 6:08pm UTC](https://forum.opentap.io/t/recommended-workflow-for-building-plugins/898/4 "2022-10-14T18:08:14Z")

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In that case, I think you can follow the standard getting started flow and just do packaging following this guide:

> **[OpenTAP](https://doc.opentap.io/Developer%20Guide/Plugin%20Packaging%20and%20Versioning/#plugin-packaging-and-versioning)**
>
> OpenTAP is an Open Source project for fast and easy development and execution of automated tests.