# Plugin development and distribution in 2019

**URL:** <https://forum.ansible.com/t/plugin-development-and-distribution-in-2019/30738>\
**Category:** Ansible Developer\
**Created:** [July 9, 2019, 7:52pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/plugin-development-and-distribution-in-2019/30738 "2019-07-09T19:52:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Ryan\_Small](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a88e4f/32.png) [@Ryan\_Small](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Ryan_Small)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 7:52pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/plugin-development-and-distribution-in-2019/30738/1 "2019-07-09T19:52:30Z")

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How do you distribute, install, and make plugins in virtual environments discoverable in 2019? A similar question was asked in 2017. I’m wondering if there is an update?

[Paraphrasing what Alexander asked in 2017:](https://groups.google.com/d/msg/ansible-devel/A8GCSshJmgY/6_G-BVz0AAAJ)

I want to develop an Ansible dynamic inventory plugin and deploy it to a repository so users can install it with ‘pip install’. How will Ansible detect the presence of installed plugin?  
How do I make my plugin discoverable by Ansible when installed into virtualenv?

Thank you,

Ryan Small

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**Author:** ![sivel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/sivel/32/1198_2.png) [@sivel](https://forum.ansible.com/u/sivel)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 7:55pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/plugin-development-and-distribution-in-2019/30738/2 "2019-07-09T19:55:36Z")

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We have not gone down the path of python packaging for plugins, nor do we plan to do so.

We have recently launched collection support as our official means of shipping plugins: [https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/devel/collections\_tech\_preview.html](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/devel/collections_tech_preview.html)