Merge pull request #57 from 0xCCY/main

feat(testing): update instructions for testing

_sidebar.md

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 - [**Usage Tips**](/usage-tips.md)
 - [**Plugin Directory**](/plugins.md)
 - Plugin Development
+    - [**Get Started**](/plugin-dev.md)
     - [**plugin.json**](/plugin.json.md)
     - Dotnet Plugins
       - [**Development Guide**](/develop-dotnet-plugins.md)
@@ -17,7 +18,10 @@
       - [**Set up your project**](/nodejs-setup-project.md)
       - [**Write the code**](/nodejs-write-code.md)
       - [**Add your plugin to Flow**](/nodejs-release-project.md)
+    - Testing Plugins
+      - [**Testing Guide**](/testing.md)
     - JSONRPC
       - [**JSON RPC Introduction**](/json-rpc.md)
-    - [**Porting Plugins**](/port-plugins.md)
+    - Porting Plugins
+      - [**Porting Plugins Guide**](/port-plugins.md)
 - [**How To Create a Theme**](/how-to-create-a-theme.md)

json-rpc.md

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 > [JSON-RPC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JSON-RPC) is a remote procedure call protocol encoded in JSON.
 
-In Flow Launcher, we use JSON-RPC as a **local** procedure call protocol to bind Flow and other program languages.
+In Flow Launcher, we use JSON-RPC as a **local** procedure call protocol to bind Flow and other program languages ([**Python plugin**](/py-develop-plugins.md) and [**JavaScript/TypeScript plugin**](/nodejs-develop-plugins.md)).
 
 So we need to build a **common API** between Flow and Plugin.
 
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ API is located [here](https://github.com/Flow-Launcher/Flow.Launcher/blob/master
 - `Flow.Launcher.HideApp`: hide flow launcher
 - `Flow.Launcher.ShowApp`: show flow launcher
 - `Flow.Launcher.ShowMsg`: show messagebox
-- `Flow.Launcher.GetTranslation`:  get translation of current language
+- `Flow.Launcher.GetTranslation`: get translation of current language
 - `Flow.Launcher.OpenSettingDialog`: open setting dialog
 - `Flow.Launcher.GetAllPlugins`: get all loaded plugins
 - `Flow.Launcher.StartLoadingBar`: start loading animation in flow launcher
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ API is located [here](https://github.com/Flow-Launcher/Flow.Launcher/blob/master
 
 ```json
 {
-    "method": "Flow Launcher API Name",
-    "parameters": []
+  "method": "Flow Launcher API Name",
+  "parameters": []
 }
 ```
 

plugin-dev.md

@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# Get Started
+
+Welcome to the comprehensive guide to plugin development in Flow Launcher.
+
+## Types of plugin implementation
+
+While Flow Launcher is written in C#, plugins can be written natively or in other languages.
+
+### Natively (no intergration needed)
+
+- [**C# (.NET framework)**](/develop-dotnet-plugins.md)
+
+### Using JSON-RPC
+
+For other languages, Flow launcher communicates with the plugin via [JSON-RPC](/json-rpc.md).
+
+Currently supported languages are:
+
+- [**Python**](/py-develop-plugins.md)
+- [**JavaScript / TypeScript (NodeJS)**](/nodejs-develop-plugins.md)

testing.md

@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+### Testing your plugin
+
+After successfully building a plugin, it can be tested locally by moving the output files into Flow Launcher's `FlowLauncher\Plugins` directory accessible via the `userdata` command in Flow Launcher. Alternatively, if you are building .Net (C# or F#) plugins you can have your IDE build the artefact directly to that location (remember not to check this build output path into Git though). 
+
+
+### Detail Steps
+
+1. Execute `userdata` in Flow Launcher.
+2. Navigate into the `Plugins` folder.
+3. Move exisiting plugin with the same `Plugin ID` as specify in `plugin.json` away from the folder (_**if more than one plugin have the same `Plugin ID`, none of them will be loaded**_).
+4. Copy and paste the newly built plugin folder into this folder.
+5. Execute `Restart Flow Launcher` to reload the new plugin.
+
+Tip: .Net plugins (e.g. C# and F#) will require you to restart flow every time you make a change and build a new artefact to reload the plugin, but Python and JS/TS plugins you can edit the plugin directly.