nushell-plugins/INSTALLATION_QUICK_START.md

Nushell Distribution - Quick Start

📦 For End Users

1. Extract Distribution

tar -xzf nushell-plugins-distribution.tar.gz
cd nushell-plugins-distribution

2. See Available Plugins

./install_from_manifest.nu --list

3. Install Preferred Option

Option A: Install Essential Plugins (Recommended)

./install_from_manifest.nu --preset essential

Option B: Install Development Tools

./install_from_manifest.nu --preset development

Option C: Install Everything

./install_from_manifest.nu --all

Option D: Install Specific Plugins

./install_from_manifest.nu --select auth kms orchestrator

Option E: Preview First (Dry-Run)

./install_from_manifest.nu --all --check

4. Verify Installation

nu -c "plugin list"

5. Restart Shell

exit && nu

---

🔧 For Distribution Creators

1. Create Distribution Directory

mkdir -p distribution/bin
# Copy nushell binary and plugins here
cp nu distribution/
cp nu_plugin_* distribution/bin/

2. Generate Manifest

./scripts/create_distribution_manifest.nu distribution/bin \
  --output distribution/DISTRIBUTION_MANIFEST.json

3. Add Installer

cp scripts/install_from_manifest.nu distribution/

4. Package Distribution

tar -czf nushell-plugins-distribution.tar.gz distribution/

5. Distribute Package

# Share the tar.gz file with users
# They extract it and run: ./install_from_manifest.nu

---

🎯 Common Scenarios

"I want the essential plugins to get started"

./install_from_manifest.nu --preset essential

"I want to preview what will be installed first"

./install_from_manifest.nu --all --check

"I want to install only Nushell binary, no plugins"

./install_from_manifest.nu --nu-only

"I want to install plugins only, skip Nushell"

./install_from_manifest.nu --plugins-only --all

"I want to install but skip registration"

./install_from_manifest.nu --all --install-only
# Then manually register: nu -c "plugin add ~/.local/bin/nu_plugin_auth"

"Just register plugins that are already installed"

./install_from_manifest.nu --all --register-only

---

📋 Plugin Descriptions

Plugin	Purpose
nu_plugin_auth	Authentication (JWT, MFA)
nu_plugin_kms	Encryption & KMS
nu_plugin_orchestrator	Orchestration operations
nu_plugin_kcl	KCL configuration
nu_plugin_tera	Template rendering
nu_plugin_highlight	Syntax highlighting
nu_plugin_image	Image processing
nu_plugin_clipboard	Clipboard operations
nu_plugin_hashes	Hash functions
nu_plugin_qr_maker	QR code generation
nu_plugin_fluent	Localization
nu_plugin_desktop_notifications	Desktop notifications
nu_plugin_port_extension	Port extensions

---

🆘 Troubleshooting

Q: "Manifest not found" error? A: Ensure DISTRIBUTION_MANIFEST.json is in the same directory as the installer, or use --manifest flag:

./install_from_manifest.nu --manifest /path/to/manifest.json

Q: Plugins installed but not appearing in plugin list? A: They need to be registered. Use:

./install_from_manifest.nu --all --register-only

Q: Want to uninstall plugins? A: Manually remove them:

rm ~/.local/bin/nu_plugin_*
nu -c "plugin rm auth kms"  # Remove from config

Q: Something went wrong, want to try again? A: Use dry-run first:

./install_from_manifest.nu --all --check

---

✨ Next Steps

After installation:

1. Restart your shell: exit && nu
2. Verify plugins: nu -c "plugin list"
3. Use new plugins: Check plugin documentation
4. Configure: Edit ~/.config/nushell/env.nu if needed

Enjoy your enhanced Nushell environment! 🚀