dpdata-plugin

name	dpdata-plugin
description	Create and install dpdata plugins (especially custom Format readers/writers) using Format.register(...) and pyproject.toml entry_points under 'dpdata.plugins'. Use when extending dpdata with new formats or distributing plugins as separate Python packages.

dpdata-plugin

dpdata loads plugins in two ways:

1. Built-in plugins in dpdata.plugins.* (imported automatically)
2. External plugins exposed via Python package entry points: dpdata.plugins

This skill focuses on external plugin packages, the recommended way to add new formats without modifying dpdata itself.

What can be extended?

Most commonly: add a new Format (file reader/writer) via:

from dpdata.format import Format


@Format.register("myfmt")
class MyFormat(Format): ...

How dpdata discovers plugins

dpdata imports dpdata.plugins during normal use (e.g. dpdata.system imports it). That module:

• imports every built-in module in dpdata/plugins/*.py
• then loads all entry points in group dpdata.plugins

So an external plugin package only needs to ensure that importing the entry-point target triggers the @Format.register(...) side effects.

Minimal external plugin package (based on plugin_example/)