Installation

Installation

Requirements

Component	Minimum
.NET SDK	8.0
OS (host)	Windows (x64)
Runtime	.NET NativeAOT (plugin-side)

Plugins are compiled with PublishAot=true and must export unmanaged entry points. The host must also be built with NativeAOT or contain the CLR if loading non-AOT plugins.

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Adding NativePluginKit to a Project

Option 1 — NuGet

<PackageReference Include="NativePluginKit" Version="1.0.0" />

Option 2 — Project Reference

If you are working inside the same solution:

<ProjectReference Include="..\NativePluginKit\NativePluginKit.csproj" />

Option 3 — Git Submodule

git submodule add https://github.com/GoWelkinDev/NativePluginKit.git

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Host-Side Setup

In your client's initialization code, build a HostApiTable and create a PluginLoader:

using NativePluginKit.Loader;
using NativePluginKit.Loader.Constants;

var api = HostApiBridgeBuilder.Create(
    transition: (scenePathPtr, fadeOut) => { /* ... */ },
    printLog:   (messagePtr)   => { /* ... */ }
);

var loader = new PluginLoader(
    logAction: msg => Console.WriteLine(msg),
    apiTable:  api,
    apiVersion: new Version(1, 0, 0)
);

loader.LoadPluginsFromDirectory(
    Path.Combine(AppContext.BaseDirectory, "plugins")
);

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Plugin-Side Setup

1. Create a new Class Library targeting net8.0.

2. Add the following to the .csproj:

   <PublishAot>true</PublishAot>
   <NativeLib>Shared</NativeLib>
   <IlcExportUnmanagedEntrypoints>true</IlcExportUnmanagedEntrypoints>
   <RuntimeIdentifier>win-x64</RuntimeIdentifier>

3. Reference NativePluginKit (see above).

4. Add a class inheriting from Plugin (see the tutorial).

5. Build the plugin:

   dotnet publish -c Release -r win-x64

6. Copy the resulting YourPlugin.dll into the host's plugins/ folder.