Distribution
Choose between private and public distribution modes. Private plugins are auto-approved. Public plugins require review and appear in the marketplace.
Distribution Modes
Every plugin has a distribution field that controls who can install it.
Private Plugins
- Installable only within your own stores
- Auto-approved on creation — no review required
- Ideal for internal tools, custom integrations, and plugins under active development
- Not discoverable in the marketplace
- Can be promoted to public distribution later
Public Plugins
- Listed in the marketplace, visible and installable by all merchants
- Requires review and approval before going live
- Searchable and discoverable by all platform users
- Subject to platform policies and ongoing compliance
Plugin Statuses
| Status | Description |
|---|---|
draft | Plugin created but not yet submitted for review |
pending_review | Submitted — awaiting review team decision |
approved | Live in the marketplace (public) or approved for private use |
rejected | Review failed — review notes are provided. You can edit and resubmit. |
A suspended plugin (post-publish policy violation) is removed from the marketplace and all installations are paused. The status remains approved internally but the plugin is not publicly accessible.
Going Public
To convert a private plugin to a public listing:
- Go to the Developer Portal → your plugin
- Click Publish to Marketplace
- Distribution changes to
publicand a review is triggered automatically - Once approved, the plugin appears in the marketplace
You do not need to redeploy — the version already on record is what the review team evaluates.
Creating a Plugin
When you create a plugin through the Developer Portal or CLI, you set the distribution at creation time:
# CLI — prompts for distribution during setup
whatalo initOr via the Developer Portal creation form, where you select Private or Public during initial setup.
After Approval
When your public plugin is approved:
- It appears immediately in the marketplace under its category
- Merchants can search for it by name, category, or keyword
- Installation, subscription, and revenue tracking begin from the Developer Portal dashboard
- You can continue iterating — see Updates & Versioning
Updates & Versioning
How to ship updates to approved plugins. Understand pending changes, scope consent, and how to use the deploy command in CI/CD.
Security Best Practices
Essential security guidelines for plugin developers — webhook verification, secret management, scope minimization, input validation, and token handling.