> What are SPX Plugins?
While the [[Documentation/Graphics Controller/Rundown Settings|rundown]] is the standard view for controlling graphic [[Documentation/Graphic Templates/Overview|templates]], many graphics workflows benefit from a custom UI to control graphics. For this, SPX supports **Plugins** which displays a custom UI which can greatly extend the capabilities of SPX.
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## SPX Plugins
Plugins extend SPX functionality with:
- **Custom Controls** - Additional buttons and controls in the UI
- **Extensions** - Additional user interfaces or panels
- **Custom Functions** - JavaScript functions for specific tasks
## Plugin Examples
### Scoreboard
[Scoreboard](https://spxgraphics.com/store/Scoreboard-plugin-p313595701) is a sports clock extension with an independent user interface.
### SocialPlayout
An upcoming extension for moderating and LIVE playout of social messages from various social media platforms, such as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, etc.
## Plugin Structure
Each plugin has a subfolder with at least an `init.js` file and optionally other folders and files, such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
```
ASSETS/plugins/
└── myPlugin/
├── init.js
├── html/
│ └── panel.html
├── css/
│ └── styles.css
└── js/
└── functions.js
```
## Plugin Library
The `plugins/lib` folder contains common SPX user interface elements used by plugins. More functionality and UI controls will be added here in future releases. These can be checkboxes, dropdown selectors, etc.
> [!TIP] Explore plugins and extensions in the [SPX Store](https://spxgraphics.com/store).
## Global Extras vs Plugins
**Global Extras** (deprecated):
- Defined in [[Documentation/Server/Configurations|config.json]]
- Shown in all projects
- Will be replaced by plugins in future versions
**Plugins** (recommended):
- Easier to install and maintain
- More flexible structure
- Better organization
- Future-proof
## Installing Plugins
1. Place plugin folder in `ASSETS/plugins/`
2. Restart SPX server
3. Plugin will be loaded automatically
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## Read Next
- [[Guides/Tutorials/Create your first SPX plugin|Creating Plugins]] - How to develop your own plugins
- [[Documentation/Graphics Controller/Project Settings|Project Settings]] - Using custom controls in projects
- [[Documentation/Control Interfaces/REST/Overview of SPX API|SPX API]] - API for plugin development
- [[Documentation/Graphics Controller/Overview|Graphics Controller Overview]] - Main controller interface