Support loading plugins by package name string

Enhanced ObjectQL to allow plugins to be specified as package name strings in the config, in addition to direct plugin instances. Updated types and example app to demonstrate plugin loading by package name. Refactored plugin-audit exports and moved its test logic to a separate main.ts.

Author: hotlong

examples/app-using-preset/objectql.config.ts

@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ import * as path from 'path';
 const db = new ObjectQL({
     connection: `sqlite://${path.join(__dirname, 'preset.sqlite3')}`,
     // Load the project-management capabilities as a preset
-    presets: ['@example/project-management']
+    presets: ['@example/project-management'],
+    plugins: ['@example/plugin-audit']
 });
 
 export default db;

examples/app-using-preset/package.json

@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@
     "repl": "objectql repl"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@example/project-management": "workspace:*"
+    "@example/project-management": "workspace:*",
+    "@example/plugin-audit": "workspace:*"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@objectql/core": "workspace:*",

examples/plugin-audit/src/index.ts

@@ -1,19 +1,6 @@
-import db from '../objectql.config';
+// Export the plugin for external usage
+export * from './audit.plugin';
 
-async function main() {
-    await db.init();
-    
-    const noteRepo = db.createContext({ userId: 'u001' }).object('note');
-
-    console.log('--- Creating Note ---');
-    // Should trigger [Audit] log
-    const note = await noteRepo.create({
-        content: 'Hello Project Plugin!'
-    });
-
-    console.log('--- Deleting Note ---');
-    // Should trigger [Audit] log
-    await noteRepo.delete(note.id);
-}
-
-main().catch(console.error);
+// Make it the default export as well for easier consumption
+import { AuditLogPlugin } from './audit.plugin';
+export default AuditLogPlugin;

examples/plugin-audit/src/main.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import db from '../objectql.config';
+
+async function main() {
+    await db.init();
+    
+    const noteRepo = db.createContext({ userId: 'u001' }).object('note');
+
+    console.log('--- Creating Note ---');
+    // Should trigger [Audit] log
+    const note = await noteRepo.create({
+        content: 'Hello Project Plugin!'
+    });
+
+    console.log('--- Deleting Note ---');
+    // Should trigger [Audit] log
+    await noteRepo.delete(note.id);
+}
+
+main().catch(console.error);

packages/core/src/index.ts

@@ -48,7 +48,11 @@ export class ObjectQL implements IObjectQL {
 
         if (config.plugins) {
             for (const plugin of config.plugins) {
-                this.use(plugin);
+                if (typeof plugin === 'string') {
+                    this.loadPluginFromPackage(plugin);
+                } else {
+                    this.use(plugin);
+                }
             }
         }
 
@@ -68,6 +72,57 @@ export class ObjectQL implements IObjectQL {
         }
     }
 
+    private loadPluginFromPackage(packageName: string) {
+        let mod: any;
+        try {
+            const modulePath = require.resolve(packageName, { paths: [process.cwd()] });
+            mod = require(modulePath);
+        } catch (e) {
+            throw new Error(`Failed to resolve plugin '${packageName}': ${e}`);
+        }
+
+        // Helper to find plugin instance
+        const findPlugin = (candidate: any): ObjectQLPlugin | undefined => {
+             if (!candidate) return undefined;
+             
+             // 1. Try treating as Class
+             if (typeof candidate === 'function') {
+                 try {
+                     const inst = new candidate();
+                     if (inst && typeof inst.setup === 'function') {
+                         return inst; // Found it!
+                     }
+                 } catch (e) {
+                     // Not a constructor or instantiation failed
+                 }
+             }
+
+             // 2. Try treating as Instance
+             if (candidate && typeof candidate.setup === 'function') {
+                 if (candidate.name) return candidate;
+             }
+             return undefined;
+        };
+
+        // Search in default, module root, and all named exports
+        let instance = findPlugin(mod.default) || findPlugin(mod);
+        
+        if (!instance && mod && typeof mod === 'object') {
+            for (const key of Object.keys(mod)) {
+                if (key === 'default') continue;
+                instance = findPlugin(mod[key]);
+                if (instance) break;
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (instance) {
+            this.use(instance);
+        } else {
+            console.error(`[PluginLoader] Failed to find ObjectQLPlugin in '${packageName}'. Exports:`, Object.keys(mod));
+            throw new Error(`Plugin '${packageName}' must export a class or object implementing ObjectQLPlugin.`);
+        }
+    }
+
     addPackage(name: string) {
         this.loader.loadPackage(name);
     }

packages/types/src/types.ts

@@ -53,9 +53,10 @@ export interface ObjectQLConfig {
      */
     presets?: string[];
     /**
-     * List of plugins to load.
+     * List of plugins to load. 
+     * Can be an instance of ObjectQLPlugin or a package name string.
      */
-    plugins?: ObjectQLPlugin[];
+    plugins?: (ObjectQLPlugin | string)[];
 }
 
 export interface IObjectQL {