16. Developing Python Plugins

It is possible to create plugins in the Python programming language. In comparison with classical plugins written in C++ these should be easier to write, understand, maintain and distribute due to the dynamic nature of the Python language.

Python plugins are listed together with C++ plugins in QGIS plugin manager. They are searched for in ~/(UserProfile)/python/plugins and these paths:

  • UNIX/Mac: (qgis_prefix)/share/qgis/python/plugins

  • Windows: (qgis_prefix)/python/plugins

For definitions of ~ and (UserProfile) see Core and External plugins.

Note

By setting QGIS_PLUGINPATH to an existing directory path, you can add this path to the list of paths that are searched for plugins.