manifest.json

The manifest.json file is the first file that is read by the Caido application when a plugin is installed. It defines the plugin's structure and contains metadata used by the Caido installer.

{
  "id": "authmatrix",
  "name": "AuthMatrix",
  "version": "0.2.0",
  "description": "Grid-based authorization testing across multiple users and roles.",
  "author": {
    "name": "Caido Labs Inc.",
    "email": "dev@caido.io",
    "url": "https://github.com/caido-community/authmatrix"
  },
  "plugins": [
    {
      "kind": "frontend",
      "id": "authmatrix-frontend",
      "name": "Authmatrix Frontend",
      "entrypoint": "frontend/script.js",
      "style": "frontend/style.css",
      "backend": {
        "id": "authmatrix-backend"
      },
      "assets": "frontend/assets"
    },
    {
      "kind": "backend",
      "id": "authmatrix-backend",
      "name": "Authmatrix Backend",
      "runtime": "javascript",
      "entrypoint": "backend/script.js",
      "assets": "frontend/assets"
    },
    {
      "kind": "workflow",
      "id": "authmatrix-workflow",
      "name": "Authmatrix Workflow",
      "definition": "workflow/definition.json"
    }
  ]
}

Here's a summary of each field (required fields are marked with an asterisk *)

Main Fields

Field	Required	Description
id	Yes	Must be unique and must only consist of lowercase letters, numbers, hyphens and underscores (_the order of which must satisfy the regex: ^[a-z][a-z0-9]+(?:[_-][a-z0-9]+)\*$_).
version	Yes	The version of your plugin package. Follows the MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH syntax.
name	No	The name of your plugin package. If not supplied, the id will be used as the name.
description	No	A description of the plugin package .
Author	No	See the author fields.
Plugins	Yes	Array of plugins. See the plugin fields.

Author Fields

The author field is optional and may be used for crediting purposes.

Field	Required	Description
name	No	The name of the author.
email	No	The email address of the author.
url	No	A URL to the author's website.

Plugins Fields

The plugins field is required and must contain an array of plugins.

Plugins can be of type frontend, backend or workflow.

TIP

You can define multiple plugins of the same type. For example, you can define 3 different frontend plugins that will interact with the same backend plugin.

Frontend Plugins

Field	Required	Description
kind	Yes	Must be of type frontend
id	Yes	Must be unique and must only consist of lowercase letters, numbers, hyphens and underscores (_the order of which must satisfy the regex: ^[a-z][a-z0-9]+(?:[_-][a-z0-9]+)\*$).
entrypoint	Yes	Specifies the location of the primary script to be executed when the plugin is launched.
name	No	The cosmetic plugin package name displayed in the Plugins table. If not supplied, the id will be used as the name.
style	No	Specifies the location of the CSS file to be used to stylize elements of your plugin.
backend	No	This object contains the id of the associated backend plugin. Specifying this field will allow the frontend plugin to communicate with the backend plugin via sdk.backend.
assets	No	Extra assets to be bundled with the plugin and loadable at runtime.

Backend Plugins

Field	Required	Description
kind	Yes	Must be of type backend
id	Yes	Must be unique and must only consist of lowercase letters, numbers, hyphens and underscores (_the order of which must satisfy the regex: ^[a-z][a-z0-9]+(?:[_-][a-z0-9]+)\*$).
entrypoint	Yes	Specifies the location of the primary script to be executed when the plugin is launched.
runtime	Yes	Specifies that JavaScript code will be executed.
name	No	The name of your plugin. If not supplied, the id will be used as the name.
assets	No	Extra assets to be bundled with the plugin and loadable at runtime.

Workflow Plugins

Field	Required	Description
kind	Yes	Must be of type workflow
id	Yes	Must be unique and must only consist of lowercase letters, numbers, hyphens and underscores (_the order of which must satisfy the regex: ^[a-z][a-z0-9]+(?:[_-][a-z0-9]+)\*$).
definition	Yes	Specifies the location of workflow json definition.
name	No	The name of your plugin. If not supplied, the id will be used as the name.