definePlugin

definePlugin() is the required entry point helper for Node .lia plugins.

It declares the plugin's inputs and outputs once, then .main(...) attaches the implementation. liatir build validates this shape and generates manifest.json from the declared schema.

Signature

definePlugin({
  inputs: Record<string, Field>,
  outputs: Record<string, Field>,
}).main(handler)

The default export must be the result of .main(...).

Minimal TypeScript plugin

import { definePlugin, field, type PluginContext } from "@liatir/api";

// Docs: https://liatir.com/docs/plugins
const liatirPlugin = definePlugin({
  inputs: {
    text: field.string({
      label: "Text",
      description: "Text to analyze.",
      required: true,
      default: "hello from Liatir",
    }),
  },
  outputs: {
    length: field.number({
      label: "Length",
      description: "Number of characters in the input text.",
      format: "integer",
    }),
  },
});

export default liatirPlugin.main(async ({ input, Liatir }: PluginContext<typeof liatirPlugin>) => {
  // Write your plugin logic here. Inputs and outputs are defined once above.

  return {
    length: input.text.length,
  };
});

What liatir build checks

liatir build rejects Node plugins when:

• the default export is missing;
• the default export is only definePlugin(...) without .main(...);
• inputs is not an object;
• outputs is not an object;
• an input field uses an unsupported input type;
• an output field uses an unsupported output type.

Important rules

• Do not export run(inputs) directly.
• Do not maintain a separate Node .lia-manifest.json.
• Do not write internal result markers to stdout yourself.
• Return an object whose keys match the declared output keys.

Related pages

• field builders
• PluginContext
• Liatir Node bridge
• .lia Bundle Format