Discuss what plugins are, pros and cons of them, why we need them, and the types of plugins we can use
Plugins do similar things that normal scripts do, so why would we need them? Plugins are more convenient for artists to use and have a number of advantages.
If they have so many advantages, why don't we always use plugins? These are some of the disadvantages of using plugins
All of the cons relate to being a developer. For an artist, plugins are a 100% a better option in the end. This is also why plugins are being introduced after most of the core concepts have been discussed. Understanding the core concepts are going to make learning about and using plugins easier.
Tip
When starting a plugin, you can make progress much faster if you use Scripter as long as possible. Being able to instantly see results without having to restart Krita can save hours of time.
Knowing plugins are great and easy for people to use, I am sure you want to be using them. When you create a plugin there are two types of plugins that can be created.
Picking which one to choose depends on what type of functionality you want to have. If there is a large user interface like Scripter, extensions are a better bet. If it is a new color selector or toolbox you always want on the screen, dockers would be better.
Plugins are managed through the configuration area in Krita under the Python Plugin Manager. From the main menu go to Settings > Configure Krita . From there there will be a python plugin manager area on the left.
What is listed are all the plugins that are available to Krita when it starts. The plugins that are checked are the ones that are active. The ones that are not active are not loaded. When you select a plugin, there is a description about it below.
When you enable or disable plugins, you will need to restart Krita to see the changes take effect.
We had an overview of what plugins are and why they are useful. We also went over the types of plugins that you can make as well as how to manage them from the user interface in Krita. Next we we will get back into coding and start creating our first plugin.
Tip
If your plugin isn't loading, check the python plugin area in the configuration. If the plugin is greyed out, that means there is some coding error happening. If you hover your mouse over the plugin, a tooltip will appear telling you where the error is happening.
Head to the Krita artists where we have a dedicated area for plugin development and give any feedback you might have.