2022-03-22 20:07:32 +00:00
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---
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layout: docs
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page_title: Plugin System
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description: Learn about Vault's plugin system.
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---
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# Plugin System
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All Vault auth methods and secrets engines are considered plugins. This simple concept
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allows both built-in and external plugins to be treated like Legos. Any plugin
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can exist at multiple different locations. Different versions of a plugin may
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be at each location, with each version differing from Vault's version.
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2022-04-08 19:27:04 +00:00
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@include 'plugin-file-permissions-check.mdx'
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2022-03-22 20:07:32 +00:00
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## Built-In Plugins
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Built-in plugins are shipped with Vault, often for commonly used implementations,
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and require no additional operator intervention to run. Built-in plugins are
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just like any other backend code inside Vault.
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To use a different or edited version of a built-in plugin, the plugin must be
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run as an external plugin. See [Overriding Built-in Plugins](/docs/upgrading/plugins#overriding-built-in-plugins)
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for details on how to override a built-in plugin in-place.
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## External Plugins
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External plugins are not shipped with Vault and require additional operator
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intervention to run.
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To run an external plugin, a binary of the plugin is required. Plugin
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binaries can be obtained from [releases.hashicorp.com](https://releases.hashicorp.com/)
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or they can be [built from source](/docs/plugins/plugin-development#building-a-plugin-from-source).
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Vault's external plugins are completely separate, standalone applications that
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Vault executes and communicates with over RPC. Each time a Vault secret engine
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or auth method is mounted, a new process is spawned. However, database plugins
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can be made to implement [plugin multiplexing](/docs/plugins/plugin-architecture#plugin-multiplexing)
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which allows a single plugin process to be used for multiple database
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connections.
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