jEdit supports plugins, loadable modules of code that extend the editor's functionality. This chapter covers installation and usage of plugins; information on developing plugins is in the next chapter.
A plugin is basically a JAR (Java Archive) file which contains Java code and possibly other resources. Plugins must be placed in a specific directory for jEdit to load them when it is starting.
In jEdit versions prior to 2.3, plugin installation and removal was somewhat complicated, because you had to track down the directories involved, unzip into the right spot, etc. Now, using plugins has become much easier with the "Plugin Manager" in jEdit 2.3 and above.
Plugins>Plugin Manager will display the plugin manager window. It shows a list of all installed plugins. Clicking on a plugin will display information about it.
Figure 9-1. The Plugin Manager window
To remove some plugins, select them and click Remove Selected Plugins. This will issue a confirmation dialog box first.