#2097: Configure Ide Plugins in the GUI

CHANGELOG.adoc

@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ This file documents all notable changes to https://github.com/devonfw/IDEasy[IDE
 
 Release with new features and bugfixes:
 
-
 The full list of changes for this release can be found in https://github.com/devonfw/IDEasy/milestone/47?closed=1[milestone 2026.07.002].
 
 == 2026.07.001
@@ -23,9 +22,14 @@ Release with new features and bugfixes:
 * https://github.com/devonfw/IDEasy/issues/822[#822] : Added Cwd path limit in shell
 * https://github.com/devonfw/IDEasy/issues/1689[#1689]: Fix misleading message in `set-version` when the version is already installed
 * https://github.com/devonfw/IDEasy/issues/1517[#1517]: Fix IDEasy MSI does not configure Windows Terminal for git-bash
-* https://github.com/devonfw/IDEasy/issues/1227[#1227]: Added Setup instrcutions to the Windows installer
+* https://github.com/devonfw/IDEasy/issues/1227[#1227]: Added Setup instructions to the Windows installer
 * https://github.com/devonfw/IDEasy/issues/2114[#2114]: Fix false "Cygwin is not supported" warning in Git Bash
 * https://github.com/devonfw/IDEasy/issues/865[#865]: az not working on Mac
+* https://github.com/devonfw/IDEasy/issues/1936[#1936]: Improve localization of GUI
+* https://github.com/devonfw/IDEasy/issues/2045[#2045]: Add tool selection and version or edition configuration to GUI
+* https://github.com/devonfw/IDEasy/issues/2097[#2097]: Configure Ide plugins in the GUI
+
+
 * https://github.com/devonfw/IDEasy/issues/2026[#2026]: Create UvRepository and UvBasedCommandlet
 
 The full list of changes for this release can be found in https://github.com/devonfw/IDEasy/milestone/46?closed=1[milestone 2026.07.001].
@@ -100,8 +104,6 @@ Release with new features and bugfixes:
 * https://github.com/devonfw/IDEasy/issues/1904[#1904]: Add Inso CLI to IDEasy commandlets
 * https://github.com/devonfw/IDEasy/issues/1952[#1952]: Ability for platform specific dependencies
 * https://github.com/devonfw/IDEasy/issues/1950[#1950]: Fix exit autocompletion
-* https://github.com/devonfw/IDEasy/issues/1936[#1936]: Improve localization of GUI
-
 * https://github.com/devonfw/IDEasy/issues/1958[#1958]: Fix git pull on settings with local branch without remote
 
 The full list of changes for this release can be found in https://github.com/devonfw/IDEasy/milestone/44?closed=1[milestone 2026.05.001].

cli/src/main/java/com/devonfw/tools/ide/tool/eclipse/Eclipse.java

@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ protected void configureToolArgs(ProcessContext pc, ProcessMode processMode, Lis
   }
 
   @Override
-  protected boolean isPluginUrlNeeded() {
+  public boolean isPluginUrlNeeded() {
 
     return true;
   }

cli/src/main/java/com/devonfw/tools/ide/tool/plugin/PluginBasedCommandlet.java

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 import java.nio.file.Path;
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Properties;
 import java.util.Set;
 
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
@@ -87,15 +88,45 @@ private void loadPluginsFromDirectory(ToolPlugins map, Path pluginsPath) {
   /**
    * @return {@code true} if {@link ToolPluginDescriptor#url() plugin URL} property is needed, {@code false} otherwise.
    */
-  protected boolean isPluginUrlNeeded() {
+  public boolean isPluginUrlNeeded() {
 
     return false;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Creates a new plugin properties file in the project settings and returns the resulting {@link ToolPluginDescriptor}. The plugin is created as active by
+   * default.
+   *
+   * @param name the plugin name (used as the properties file name).
+   * @param id the plugin id (e.g. marketplace or extension identifier).
+   * @param url the plugin URL (update site / marketplace URL); may be {@code null} when not needed.
+   * @return the created {@link ToolPluginDescriptor}.
+   */
+  public ToolPluginDescriptor createPlugin(String name, String id, String url, String tags) {
+
+    Path pluginsDir = getPluginsConfigPath();
+    this.context.getFileAccess().mkdirs(pluginsDir);
+    Path pluginFile = pluginsDir.resolve(name + IdeContext.EXT_PROPERTIES);
+    Properties props = new Properties();
+    if (id != null && !id.isBlank()) {
+      props.setProperty("id", id);
+    }
+    props.setProperty("active", "true");
+    if (url != null && !url.isBlank()) {
+      props.setProperty("url", url);
+    }
+    if (tags != null && !tags.isBlank()) {
+      props.setProperty("tags", tags);
+    }
+    this.context.getFileAccess().writeProperties(props, pluginFile);
+    this.plugins = null;
+    return new ToolPluginDescriptor(id, name, url, null, true, Tag.parseCsv(tags));
+  }
+
   /**
    * @return the {@link Path} to the folder with the plugin configuration files inside the settings.
    */
-  protected Path getPluginsConfigPath() {
+  public Path getPluginsConfigPath() {
 
     return this.context.getSettingsPath().resolve(this.tool).resolve(IdeContext.FOLDER_PLUGINS);
   }
@@ -129,6 +160,7 @@ protected void postInstall(ToolInstallRequest request) {
 
   /**
    * Deletes all installed plugins for this {@link IdeToolCommandlet} by deleting the plugins installation folder and all plugin marker files.
+   *
    * @param pluginsInstallationPath the {@link Path} to the plugins installation folder.
    */
   private void deleteAllPlugins(Path pluginsInstallationPath) {
@@ -304,6 +336,21 @@ public ToolPluginDescriptor getPlugin(String key) {
     return pluginDescriptor;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Persists the {@link ToolPluginDescriptor#active() active} flag for the given plugin to its properties file in the project settings.
+   *
+   * @param plugin the {@link ToolPluginDescriptor} whose active state to save.
+   * @param active {@code true} to activate, {@code false} to deactivate.
+   */
+  public void savePluginActive(ToolPluginDescriptor plugin, boolean active) {
+
+    Path pluginFile = getPluginsConfigPath().resolve(plugin.name() + IdeContext.EXT_PROPERTIES);
+    Properties props = this.context.getFileAccess().readProperties(pluginFile);
+    String activeKey = props.containsKey("plugin_active") ? "plugin_active" : "active";
+    props.setProperty(activeKey, Boolean.toString(active));
+    this.context.getFileAccess().writeProperties(props, pluginFile);
+  }
+
   /**
    * @param plugin the in{@link ToolPluginDescriptor#active() active} {@link ToolPluginDescriptor} that is skipped for regular plugin installation.
    */

cli/src/main/java/com/devonfw/tools/ide/tool/vscode/Vscode.java

@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ protected String getBinaryName() {
   }
 
   @Override
-  protected Path getPluginsConfigPath() {
+  public Path getPluginsConfigPath() {
 
     if (EDITION_VSCODIUM.equals(getConfiguredEdition())) {
       Path vscodiumPluginsPath = this.context.getSettingsPath().resolve(EDITION_VSCODIUM).resolve(IdeContext.FOLDER_PLUGINS);

cli/src/test/java/com/devonfw/tools/ide/tool/plugin/PluginBasedCommandletTest.java

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import java.nio.file.Path;
 
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Properties;
 import java.util.Set;
 
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.BeforeAll;
@@ -62,17 +63,18 @@ void testGetPluginsMap() {
   void testInstallPluginsWithForce() {
 
     //arrange
-    context.getStartContext().setForcePlugins(true);
-    final ExamplePluginBasedCommandlet pluginBasedCommandlet = new ExamplePluginBasedCommandlet(context, TOOL, tags);
+    IdeTestContext localContext = newContext(PROJECT_BASIC, null, true);
+    localContext.getStartContext().setForcePlugins(true);
+    final ExamplePluginBasedCommandlet pluginBasedCommandlet = new ExamplePluginBasedCommandlet(localContext, TOOL, tags);
 
     //act
     pluginBasedCommandlet.installPlugins(
-        List.of(ToolPluginDescriptor.of(context.getSettingsPath().resolve(ANY_EDIT_PLUGIN_PATH), context, false)),
-        new ProcessContextTestImpl(context));
+        List.of(ToolPluginDescriptor.of(localContext.getSettingsPath().resolve(ANY_EDIT_PLUGIN_PATH), localContext, false)),
+        new ProcessContextTestImpl(localContext));
 
     //assert - Check if we skip the markerfile-check because we force the plugins to install
-    assertThat(context).logAtSuccess().hasMessage("Successfully ended step 'Install plugin anyedit'.");
-    assertThat(context).log().hasNoMessageContaining("Skipping installation of plugin '{}' due to existing marker file: ");
+    assertThat(localContext).logAtSuccess().hasMessage("Successfully ended step 'Install plugin anyedit'.");
+    assertThat(localContext).log().hasNoMessageContaining("Skipping installation of plugin '{}' due to existing marker file: ");
   }
 
   @Test
@@ -101,6 +103,69 @@ void testMarkerFileContainsVersionSegment() {
     assertThat(markerFilePath.getFileName().toString()).contains("plugin-name.version-1.2.3_build_4");
   }
 
+  @Test
+  void testIsPluginUrlNeeded_returnsFalseByDefault() {
+
+    ExamplePluginBasedCommandlet commandlet = new ExamplePluginBasedCommandlet(context, TOOL, null);
+
+    assertThat(commandlet.isPluginUrlNeeded()).isFalse();
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  void testCreatePlugin_createsPropertiesFileWithActiveTrue() throws IOException {
+
+    IdeTestContext localContext = newContext(PROJECT_BASIC, null, false);
+    ExamplePluginBasedCommandlet commandlet = new ExamplePluginBasedCommandlet(localContext, TOOL, null);
+
+    ToolPluginDescriptor result = commandlet.createPlugin("create-basic-plugin", "com.example.basic", null, null);
+
+    assertThat(result.name()).isEqualTo("create-basic-plugin");
+    assertThat(result.id()).isEqualTo("com.example.basic");
+    assertThat(result.active()).isTrue();
+
+    Path pluginFile = commandlet.getPluginsConfigPath().resolve("create-basic-plugin.properties");
+    assertThat(pluginFile).exists();
+    Properties props = new Properties();
+    try (var in = Files.newInputStream(pluginFile)) {
+      props.load(in);
+    }
+    assertThat(props.getProperty("active")).isEqualTo("true");
+    assertThat(props.getProperty("id")).isEqualTo("com.example.basic");
+    assertThat(props.containsKey("url")).isFalse();
+    assertThat(props.containsKey("tags")).isFalse();
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  void testCreatePlugin_writesUrlAndTagsWhenProvided() throws IOException {
+
+    IdeTestContext localContext = newContext(PROJECT_BASIC, null, false);
+    ExamplePluginBasedCommandlet commandlet = new ExamplePluginBasedCommandlet(localContext, TOOL, null);
+
+    commandlet.createPlugin("create-full-plugin", "com.example.full", "https://example.com/update", "java,ide");
+
+    Path pluginFile = commandlet.getPluginsConfigPath().resolve("create-full-plugin.properties");
+    Properties props = new Properties();
+    try (var in = Files.newInputStream(pluginFile)) {
+      props.load(in);
+    }
+    assertThat(props.getProperty("url")).isEqualTo("https://example.com/update");
+    assertThat(props.getProperty("tags")).isEqualTo("java,ide");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  void testCreatePlugin_clearsCacheSoNewPluginAppearsInGetPlugins() {
+
+    IdeTestContext localContext = newContext(PROJECT_BASIC, null, true);
+    ExamplePluginBasedCommandlet commandlet = new ExamplePluginBasedCommandlet(localContext, TOOL, null);
+
+    assertThat(commandlet.getPlugins().getByName("create-cache-plugin")).isNull();
+
+    commandlet.createPlugin("create-cache-plugin", "com.example.cache", null, null);
+
+    assertThat(commandlet.getPlugins().getByName("create-cache-plugin")).isNotNull();
+    assertThat(commandlet.getPlugins().getByName("create-cache-plugin").active()).isTrue();
+  }
+
   @Test
   void testCreatePluginMarkerFileDeletesOtherVersionMarkers() {
 

gui/src/main/java/com/devonfw/ide/gui/MainController.java

@@ -7,8 +7,13 @@
 import java.util.Locale;
 import java.util.Map;
 import javafx.fxml.FXML;
+import javafx.fxml.FXMLLoader;
+import javafx.scene.Parent;
 import javafx.scene.control.Button;
 import javafx.scene.control.ComboBox;
+import javafx.scene.control.Tab;
+import javafx.scene.control.TabPane;
+import javafx.scene.control.Tooltip;
 
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
@@ -17,6 +22,7 @@
 import com.devonfw.ide.gui.context.ProjectManager;
 import com.devonfw.ide.gui.modal.IdeDialog;
 import com.devonfw.ide.gui.nls.NlsService;
+import com.devonfw.ide.gui.settings.ToolSettingsController;
 
 /**
  * Controller of the main screen of the dashboard GUI.
@@ -49,6 +55,15 @@ public class MainController {
   @FXML
   private Button vsCodeOpen;
 
+  @FXML
+  private TabPane tabPane;
+
+  @FXML
+  private Tab mainTab;
+
+  @FXML
+  private Tab toolConfigTab;
+
   private final String directoryPath;
 
   private final Map<String, Locale> languageMap;
@@ -73,6 +88,13 @@ public MainController(String directoryPath, NlsService nlsService) {
   private void initialize() {
     setProjectsComboBox();
     initLanguageComboBox();
+    toolConfigTab.setDisable(true);
+    toolConfigTab.setTooltip(new Tooltip(nlsService.get("toolConfigDisabled")));
+    tabPane.getSelectionModel().selectedItemProperty().addListener((obs, oldTab, newTab) -> {
+      if (newTab == toolConfigTab) {
+        loadToolConfigContent();
+      }
+    });
   }
 
   private void initLanguageComboBox() {
@@ -148,7 +170,6 @@ private void openVsCode() {
     openIDE("vscode");
   }
 
-
   private void setProjectsComboBox() {
 
     assert (directoryPath != null) : "directoryPath is null! Please check the setup of your environment variables (IDE_ROOT)";
@@ -163,6 +184,7 @@ private void setProjectsComboBox() {
       setWorkspaceComboBox();
 
       selectedWorkspace.setDisable(false);
+
     });
   }
 
@@ -185,9 +207,24 @@ private void setWorkspaceComboBox() {
       eclipseOpen.setDisable(false);
       intellijOpen.setDisable(false);
       vsCodeOpen.setDisable(false);
+      toolConfigTab.setDisable(false);
+      // If tool config is already open, reload it to reflect the new context
+      if (toolConfigTab.isSelected()) {
+        loadToolConfigContent();
+      }
+      // Pre-warm ide-urls git repo in background so the first open is fast
+      Thread preWarm = new Thread(() -> {
+        try {
+          IdeGuiStateManager.getInstance().getCurrentContext().getUrls();
+        } catch (Exception ignored) {
+        }
+      });
+      preWarm.setDaemon(true);
+      preWarm.start();
     });
   }
 
+
   private void openIDE(String inIde) {
 
     IdeGuiStateManager
@@ -198,6 +235,22 @@ private void openIDE(String inIde) {
         .run();
   }
 
+  private void loadToolConfigContent() {
+
+    try {
+      ToolSettingsController controller = new ToolSettingsController(nlsService);
+      FXMLLoader loader = new FXMLLoader(getClass().getResource("/com/devonfw/ide/gui/tools-config.fxml"));
+      loader.setController(controller);
+      loader.setResources(nlsService.getResourceBundle());
+      Parent content = loader.load();
+      controller.setOnClose(() -> tabPane.getSelectionModel().select(mainTab));
+      toolConfigTab.setContent(content);
+    } catch (Exception e) {
+      LOG.error("Failed to load tool config view", e);
+      new IdeDialog(IdeDialog.AlertType.ERROR, e.getMessage()).showAndWait();
+    }
+  }
+
   private void updateContext(String selectedProjectName, String selectedWorkspaceName) {
     try {
       IdeGuiStateManager.getInstance().switchContext(selectedProjectName, selectedWorkspaceName);