# Plugin Management

Installing or updating plugins on cacti is a simple procedure. For most of the plugins a few basic steps are enough, which are described below. Each plugin directory should contain a README.md file. We recommend to study this file. It may contain important installation information.

## Installing Plugins

1. Download the plugin to cactidir/cacti/plugins

       git clone https://github.com/Cacti/plugin_thold.git

       mv plugin_thold /var/www/html/cacti/plugins

2. Now assign the proper permissions to the folder

       chown -R apache:apache plugin_thold

3. From `Console > Configuration > Plugins` Install the plugin by Clicking on the wrench Icon as showng below.

   Below you will now see the THOLD plugin available to install in this case we are installing thold

4. After installing the plugin by clicking on the grey gear you will now how to enable it this can be done via clicking on the green check mark

After this, the Plugin is installed and enabled. However, there will likely be onfiguration that must take place after the Plugin is enabled. See the Plugin documentation for instructions on how to configure and use them.

## Updating a Plugin

Updating a plugin not only keeps you up to date with the latest release of the code for that plugin. It also allows you to keep all of your settings for that plugin ensure you DO NOT UNINSTALL the plugin. You must instead disable the plugin which will not drop the SQL tables and thus save your settings.

1. Disable the Plugin you want to update

2. Backup the current Plugin folder typically in `<path_cacti>/plugins/plugin_name`

       cp -R /var/www/html/cacti/plugin/thold /tmp

3. git pull or download the new version of the Plugin

       git pull

4. Change name of Plugin folder i.e plugin_thold to thold

       mv plugin_thold thold

5. Assign proper permissions usually either www-data for Ubuntu/debian or apache for CentOS/RHEL

       chown -R apache:apache thold

6. Re-enable the Plugin in the Console

### Video Walkthrough

## Unistall a Plugin

To uninstall a plugin go into the plugins page `Console > Configuration > Plugins` Click on the plugin to Disable the plugin.

Click on the red dot beside the plugin to uninstall the plugin a dialogue box will appear now click uninstall.

This will uninstall the plugin from cacti but will NOT remove the files from the server to do that you must manually remove the plugin until you remove the files the plugin will show to be available to be installed.

> WARNING: Uninstalling a Cacti Plugin generally also removes any database tables that that Plugin created, which means your data! Before uninstalling Plugins, it would be wise to have a backup strategy in place in case you accidentally uninstall a Plugin and loose your data!

### Dependencies in plugins

Some dependencies such as THOLD aka Thresholds rely on another plugin in this case thold reliese on the monitor plugin which is missing in this case you will see the below messege box in order to continue you must install the required plugin.

### Delete plugin data and settings

Some plugins have new functionality and allow you to delete data and plugin settings and start from scratcg. This can be done with the trash can icon in Console > Configuration > Plugins

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