Plugins

Plugins for Cloud Window

Add widgets, launcher actions and shortcuts to your desktop. Each plugin runs in a sandbox on your computer, with only the permissions you approve.

Choose Install and sign in to your Cloud Window account. Your computer opens to the plugin, shows what it can access and installs it when you approve.

Install by computer address

Cloud Window's Preferences, Plugins section: Dev Servers, Focus Timer and GitHub installed and running, each with a switch, and a field to install a plugin from GitHub.

Included with Cloud Window

Reviewed and updated with each release.

Dev Servers

Developer · 1.0.0 · MIT

Lists the web servers running on your computer, with each project, tool and page title. Choose one to open it in a browser window, or search the launcher by port.

Recognizes Vite, Next.js, Astro, Rails, Django, Flask, Jupyter and Hugo
Lists the most recently started servers first
Optional notification when a server starts

Permissions

Add widgets, launcher actions and shortcuts
Open windows and post notifications
Runs a program that can read and write only its own files
Sees which of your programs are serving on ports, with their commands and folders
Connects to no internet hosts

The PR menu in the Cloud Window menu bar: two pull requests waiting for review, with who asked and when, and three of your own with their checks: failing, passing and approved, running as a draft.

GitHub

Developer · 1.0.0 · MIT

Shows the number of pull requests awaiting your review in the menu bar, and highlights it when checks fail on one of yours. The list includes your open pull requests with check and review status.

Uses your existing GitHub CLI sign-in
Notifications for new review requests and failing checks
Option+Shift+G opens your review requests

Permissions

Add widgets, launcher actions and shortcuts
Open windows and post notifications
Runs a program that can read and write only its own files
Runs gh api graphql with values it chooses, signed in as you
Connects to api.github.com

The Focus menu in the Cloud Window menu bar during a session: 25 minutes left, with Pause, Five more minutes, Stop and the number of sessions today.

Focus Timer

Productivity · 1.0.0 · MIT

Start and pause focus sessions with Option+Shift+F. The time remaining appears in the menu bar, with notifications at the start and end of each break.

25- and 50-minute sessions, with automatic breaks
Continues across devices and restarts
Daily session count

Permissions

Add widgets, launcher actions and shortcuts
Open windows and post notifications
Runs a program that can read and write only its own files
Connects to no internet hosts

Security

Review permissions before installing.

Install opens your computer, which reads the plugin and lists its permissions. Nothing runs until you approve.

The Install Plugin dialog for GitHub, showing its description, permissions and settings.

Sandboxed files and programsPlugins run under Node's permission model. A plugin can read only its own folder and write only its data folder. It cannot start programs or load native code; the desktop runs only the exact commands its manifest lists.
Approved permissions onlyDesktop actions use the same permissions, rate limits and activity log as agents. Programs such as gh must be listed by name and run without a shell.
Pinned versionsPlugins from GitHub install at a specific commit. An update that requests new permissions stays off until you approve it.
Complete removalTurning a plugin off removes its widgets, launcher actions and shortcuts. Removing it also deletes its files and data.
Network accessNetwork access is not restricted. The install dialog lists the hosts each plugin says it uses.

Build

Build a plugin

A plugin is a manifest and a JavaScript file, with no build step or dependencies. The desktop provides its API as globalThis.cloudwindow and renders what the plugin declares on every device.

Create a plugin
In a terminal on your Cloud Window computer:
```
cloudwindow plugin new my-plugin --id you.my-plugin
cloudwindow plugin validate my-plugin
```
This creates cloudwindow-plugin.json, provider.mjs and a README. validate runs the same checks as the installer.

Describe the plugin

{
  "schemaVersion": 1,
  "id": "you.standup",
  "name": "Standup",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "summary": "Minutes until standup, and the link to join.",
  "publisher": { "name": "You" },
  "license": "MIT",
  "categories": ["productivity"],
  "grants": ["extend:write", "desktop:act"],
  "provider": { "entry": "provider.mjs" },
  "settings": [
    { "key": "time", "type": "text", "label": "Standup time", "default": "09:30" },
    { "key": "link", "type": "text", "label": "Meeting link" }
  ]
}

Add a widget

const cw = globalThis.cloudwindow;
await cw.ready;

function minutesUntil(hhmm) {
  const [h, m] = hhmm.split(':').map(Number);
  const at = new Date(); at.setHours(h, m, 0, 0);
  if (at < Date.now()) at.setDate(at.getDate() + 1);
  return Math.round((at - Date.now()) / 60000);
}

const join = (url) => ({ tool: 'windows_open', args: { kind: 'browser', url } });

cw.every(30, async () => {
  const left = minutesUntil(cw.settings.time);
  await cw.widget('standup', {
    compact: { label: 'Standup', value: `${left}m`,
               tone: left <= 5 ? 'warn' : 'normal' },
    popover: { title: 'Standup', rows: [
      cw.settings.link ? { label: 'Join now', action: join(cw.settings.link) }
                       : { label: 'Add the meeting link in Preferences' },
      { label: 'Snooze the reminder', action: cw.signal('snooze') },
    ] },
  });
});
cw.on('signal', (name) => { if (name === 'snooze') cw.status('Snoozed'); });

Install and test
Push the folder to GitHub. In Preferences → Plugins, enter the repository address under From GitHub and choose Review…. The plugin log is under Details.

API reference

ready: Resolves with { plugin, settings, dataDir }.
settings: Current settings, with defaults applied. Use on('settings', fn) for changes.
widget(id, declaration): Adds or updates a menu bar widget: compact (label up to 8 characters, value up to 12, tone normal, warn or alert), optional popover with up to 12 rows, optional click. Up to six per plugin.
action(id, declaration): Adds a launcher action with a label, detail, keywords and action. Up to 20 per plugin.
signal(name, data): An action that notifies your plugin when a row or button is chosen. Handle it with on('signal', fn).
notify(title, detail): Posts a notification. Up to six per minute.
call(tool, args): Calls any desktop tool allowed by the plugin's grants. These are the same tools agents use over MCP.
run(program, args): Runs a command listed in the manifest, exactly, without a shell. Resolves with { code, stdout, stderr }.
listening(): With permissions.listening: the ports your programs are serving on, with each program's command and folder.
every(seconds, fn): Runs immediately, then at the interval. Errors are logged.
log(), error(), status(text): Writes to the plugin log, or sets its status in Preferences.
dataDir: A writable folder that persists across restarts and is deleted with the plugin.

Manifest reference

id: publisher.name in lowercase. IDs are permanent and cannot be reused by another repository.
grants: Desktop permissions: extend:write (widgets, launcher, shortcuts), desktop:act (windows, notifications), desktop:read, browser:read, files:read, settings:write. Shell access is not available.
permissions.programs: Exact commands the plugin can run, such as "git status --porcelain". { "command": "gh api graphql", "fields": true } also allows -f name=value pairs. Shells and interpreters are not allowed.
permissions.listening: true to see which programs are serving on ports.
permissions.network: Hosts the plugin connects to, shown in the install dialog. Not enforced.
settings: Fields of type text, number, boolean, select or secret. Secret values are never displayed after saving.
contributes: Launcher actions and Option shortcuts declared without code.

JSON Schema: /plugins/manifest.schema.json

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Can a plugin read my files?

Only with the files:read permission, which the install dialog lists. Otherwise a plugin can read only its own folder.

Can a plugin access the internet?

Yes. Network access is not restricted. The install dialog lists the hosts each plugin declares, and plugins included with Cloud Window connect only to those hosts.

How are plugins updated?

Included plugins update with Cloud Window. Plugins from GitHub stay at the installed commit until you choose Check for Update. Updates that request new permissions stay off until you approve them.

Do plugins work on phones and tablets?

Yes. Plugins run on your computer, so their widgets work in any browser you use Cloud Window from.

How do I remove a plugin?

In Preferences → Plugins, open the plugin’s details and choose Remove. Its widgets, launcher actions, shortcuts, files and data are removed.

Plugins for Cloud Window

Included with Cloud Window

Dev Servers

GitHub

Focus Timer

Community

Review permissions before installing.

Build a plugin

Create a plugin

Describe the plugin

Add a widget

Install and test

Submit a plugin

Publish

Validate

Submit

Plugin ideas

Frequently asked questions