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docs/develop/integrate/plugins/components/server/hello-world.md

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+---
+title: "Plugin quick start"
+sidebar_position: -10
+---
+
+This tutorial will walk you through the basics of writing a Mattermost plugin with a server component.
+
+Note that the steps below are intentionally very manual to explain all of the pieces fitting together. In practice, we recommend referencing [mattermost-plugin-starter-template](https://github.com/mattermost/mattermost-plugin-starter-template) for helpful build scripts. Also, the plugin API changed in Mattermost 5.2. Consult the [migration](/developers/integrate/plugins/migration) document to upgrade older plugins.
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+Mattermost plugins extend the server using a Go API. In the future, gRPC may be supported, allowing you to write plugins in any language. For now, you'll need a functioning Go environment, so follow [Go's Getting Started](https://golang.org/doc/install) guide if needed.
+
+You'll also need a Mattermost server to install and test the plugin. This server must have [Enable](https://docs.mattermost.com/administration/config-settings.html#enable-plugins) set to true in the [PluginSettings](https://docs.mattermost.com/administration/config-settings.html#plugins-beta) section of its config file. If you want to upload plugins via the System Console or API, you'll also need to set [EnableUploads](https://docs.mattermost.com/administration/config-settings.html#enable-plugin-uploads) to true in the same section.
+
+## Build the plugin
+
+The process that will communicate with the Mattermost server is built using a set of APIs provided by the source code for the Mattermost server.
+
+Download the source code for the Mattermost server:
+
+```bash
+go get -u github.com/mattermost/mattermost/server/v8
+```
+
+Define `$GOPATH`. By default, this is already `$HOME/go`, but it's helpful to make this explicit:
+```shell
+export GOPATH=$HOME/go
+```
+
+Now, create a directory to act as your workspace:
+
+```bash
+mkdir -p $GOPATH/src/my-plugin
+cd $GOPATH/src/my-plugin
+```
+
+Create a file named `plugin.go` with the following contents:
+
+<PluginGoExample name="_helloWorld" />
+
+This plugin will register an HTTP handler that will respond with "Hello, world!" when requested.
+
+Build the executable that will be distributed with your plugin:
+
+```bash
+go build -o plugin.exe plugin.go
+```
+
+
+<Note title="Note">
+Your executable is platform specific! If you're building the plugin for a server running on a different operating system, you'll need to use a slightly different command. For example, if you're developing the plugin from MacOS and deploying to a Linux server, you'll need to use this command:
+</Note>
+
+
+```bash
+GOOS=linux GOARCH=amd64 go build -o plugin.exe plugin.go
+```
+
+Also note that the ".exe" extension is required if you'd like your plugin to run on Windows, but is otherwise optional. Consider referencing [mattermost-plugin-starter-template](https://github.com/mattermost/mattermost-plugin-starter-template) for helpful build scripts.
+
+Now, we'll need to define the required manifest describing your plugin's entry point. Create a file named `plugin.json` with the following contents:
+
+```json
+{
+    "id": "com.mattermost.server-hello-world",
+    "name": "Hello World",
+    "server": {
+        "executable": "plugin.exe"
+    }
+}
+```
+
+This manifest gives the server the location of your executable within your plugin bundle. Consult the [manifest reference](/developers/integrate/plugins/manifest-reference) for more details, including how to define a cross-platform bundle by defining multiple executables, and how to define a minimum required server version for your plugin.
+
+Note that you may also use `plugin.yaml` to define the manifest.
+
+Bundle the manifest and executable into a tar file:
+
+```bash
+tar -czvf plugin.tar.gz plugin.exe plugin.json
+```
+
+You should now have a file named `plugin.tar.gz` in your workspace. Congratulations! This is your first server plugin!
+
+## Install the plugin
+
+Install the plugin in one of the following ways:
+
+1) Through System Console UI:
+
+```text
+- Log in to Mattermost as a System Admin.
+- Open the System Console at `/admin_console`
+- Navigate to *Plugins > Plugin Management** and upload the `plugin.tar.gz` you generated above.
+- Click **Enable** under the plugin after it has uploaded.
+```
+
+2) Or, manually:
+
+    - Extract `plugin.tar.gz` to a folder with the same name as the plugin id you specified in ``plugin.json``, in this case `com.mattermost.server-hello-world/`.
+    - Add the plugin to the directory set by **PluginSettings > Directory** in your ``config.json`` file. If none is set, defaults to `./plugins` relative to your Mattermost installation directory. The resulting directory structure should look something like:
+
+      ```
+      mattermost/
+          plugins/
+              com.mattermost.server-hello-world/
+                  plugin.json
+                  plugin.exe
+      ```
+    - Restart the Mattermost server.
+
+Once you've installed the plugin in one of the ways above, browse to `https://<your-mattermost-server>/plugins/com.mattermost.server-hello-world`, and you'll be greeted by your plugin.