# pcb-rnd hacking - plugin naming conventions

- export plugins start with export_; these render to a non-native format that can not be then loaded
- native formats are prefixed with io_; even if your plugin can now only load or save, if it's possible to do a load-save-load round-trip without data loss, it's an io_
- interactive, often GUI, frontends are prefixed with hid_
- footprint access plugins start with fp_
- lib_ plugins are libraries used by other plugins; they are disabled by default and are enabled through the plugin dependency system
- anything else is considered a feature plugin and has no specific prefix.