An add-on could be a set of extensions, customizations, xml configurations, applications, templates or any new services packaged in a zip archive. In other words, an add-on could be whatever that extends eXo Platform capabilities by adding services, resources, and more.
The easiest way to manage add-ons is to use the eXo Add-ons Manager that is shipped by default in all 4.2 editions. The eXo Add-ons Manager defines a standard approach of packaging, installing/uninstalling and updating the available add-ons. With the eXo Add-ons Manager, you, as administrators, can enhance your management of the add-ons installed on the eXo Platform instances via the Command Line Interface (known as CLI), in a simple manner.
Basically, start with the launch scripts:
$PLATFORM_HOME/addon (Windows, Linux / Mac OX)
$PLATFORM_HOME/addon.bat (Windows)
In the Native Installer, find these files under the $NATIVE_INSTALLER_DIR/apps/exoplatform/ folder.
When running the addon script only, you can view different sets of commands, arguments and options.
The global syntax is in the format addon [command] [arguments] [options], where:
[command] is either of: list, install, uninstall, describe.
[arguments] are ones specific to an add-on (Id and version).
[options] are switch options that can be global or specific to the command (started with -- or -).
Also, you could add the following useful options:
--help / -h - Views all the needed information of the command line program.
--verbose / -v - Prints the verbose log for debugging/diagnostic purpose.
By walking through the following topics in this chapter, you will know how to manage add-ons in eXo Platform via the CLI: