{"id":16360,"date":"2026-05-27T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/?p=16360"},"modified":"2026-05-23T14:53:30","modified_gmt":"2026-05-23T12:53:30","slug":"create-qgis-plugin-with-plugin-builder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sigterritoires.fr\/index.php\/en\/create-qgis-plugin-with-plugin-builder\/","title":{"rendered":"[EN]Developing a QGIS Plugin: Creating a Plugin with Plugin Builder"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Creating a QGIS plugin is much easier than it may seem, especially when you are new to programming. Thanks to Plugin Builder<\/strong>, you can generate the complete structure of a QGIS plugin in just a few minutes, without writing any complex code.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this second article of the tutorial series, we will see how to create your first QGIS plugin using Plugin Builder<\/strong>, step by step: installing the tool, choosing the right template, disabling advanced options, and generating the plugin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The goal is to quickly obtain a working plugin in QGIS<\/strong>, in order to understand the overall workflow before progressively diving into Python code.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Contenu <\/p>\nToggle<\/span>
Creating your first plugin with Plugin Builder<\/a><\/li>
What is Plugin Builder?<\/a><\/li>
Installing Plugin Builder<\/a><\/li>
Launching the creation wizard<\/a><\/li>
General plugin information<\/a>
Plugin name and description<\/a><\/li>
Version and author<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
Important technical settings<\/a>
Choosing a template<\/a><\/li>
Options to disable when starting<\/a><\/li>
Plugin class<\/a><\/li>
Menu and icon<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li>
Generating the plugin<\/a><\/li>
Where should the plugin be placed?<\/a><\/li>
Activating the plugin in QGIS<\/a><\/li>
Understanding what Plugin Builder created<\/a><\/li>
Common beginner mistakes<\/a><\/li>
What you have learned<\/a><\/li>
What\u2019s next?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n
<\/span>Creating your first plugin with Plugin Builder<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
In the first article, we explained what QGIS plugins are used for and which files they are made of. Now it\u2019s time to move on to practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The objective of this article is simple: create a functional QGIS plugin without writing complex code<\/strong>, in order to understand the basic development cycle of a plugin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To do this, we will use an essential tool for beginners: Plugin Builder<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/span>What is Plugin Builder?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Plugin Builder is an official QGIS plugin that automatically generates the skeleton of a QGIS plugin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It creates for you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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the folder structure,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
the essential Python files,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
the metadata.txt<\/code> file,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
a plugin that can be immediately loaded into QGIS.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nPlugin Builder helps avoid common beginner mistakes and allows you to focus on what really matters: understanding and modifying an existing plugin<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n<\/span>Installing Plugin Builder<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\nOpen QGIS<\/li>\n\n\n\n Go to Plugins \u2192 Manage and Install Plugins<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n Search for Plugin Builder<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n Install it<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\nOnce installed, Plugin Builder is available from the Plugins<\/strong> menu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n<\/span>Launching the creation wizard<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\nGo to Plugins \u2192 Plugin Builder \u2192 Plugin Builder<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n The creation wizard opens<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nYou will need to fill in several fields. Don\u2019t worry: some of them are purely descriptive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n<\/span>General plugin information<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Plugin name and description<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\nPlugin name<\/strong>: a user-friendly name (e.g. MyFirstPlugin<\/em>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n Description<\/strong>: a short sentence explaining what the plugin does<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nThese details will appear in the QGIS Plugin Manager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n<\/span>Version and author<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\nVersion<\/strong>: start simply with 0.1<\/code><\/li>\n\n\n\n Author<\/strong>: your name or your organization\u2019s name<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n<\/span>Important technical settings<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Choosing a template<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nPlugin Builder offers several templates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For beginners, it is strongly recommended<\/strong> to choose:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Template: Tool button with dialog<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This template is the most educational because:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nit creates a toolbar button in QGIS,<\/li>\n\n\n\n it prepares a simple graphical dialog,<\/li>\n\n\n\n it matches the structure of most common plugins.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nIt will serve as a solid foundation for the next articles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n<\/span>Options to disable when starting<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nFor a first plugin, it is recommended to disable all advanced options<\/strong>, especially:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nInternationalization (translations)<\/li>\n\n\n\n Help (embedded documentation)<\/li>\n\n\n\n Unit testing<\/li>\n\n\n\n Advanced packaging<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nThese features are useful for mature plugins, but they unnecessarily complicate the structure for beginners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We will come back to them later, once the basics are well understood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n<\/span>Plugin class<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nPlugin Builder asks for the name of the main plugin class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nPlugin name: MyFirstPlugin<\/code><\/li>\n\n\n\n Class: MyFirstPlugin<\/code><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nBy convention, using the same name and capitalization helps avoid confusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n<\/span>Menu and icon<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nYou can specify:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nthe menu where the plugin will appear (usually Plugins<\/strong>),<\/li>\n\n\n\n an icon (optional at this stage).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nThese choices can easily be changed later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n<\/span>Generating the plugin<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nOnce all fields are filled:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nClick Generate<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n Choose the destination folder<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\nPlugin Builder automatically creates the plugin folder with all required files.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n<\/span>Where should the plugin be placed?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nFor QGIS to detect the plugin, it must be located in the user plugins directory<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Depending on your system:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nWindows<\/strong> C:\/Users\/...\/AppData\/Roaming\/QGIS\/QGIS3\/profiles\/default\/python\/plugins<\/code><\/li>\n\n\n\n Linux<\/strong> ~\/.local\/share\/QGIS\/QGIS3\/profiles\/default\/python\/plugins<\/code><\/li>\n\n\n\n macOS<\/strong> ~\/Library\/Application Support\/QGIS\/QGIS3\/profiles\/default\/python\/plugins<\/code><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n💡 Tip: Plugin Builder usually suggests the correct folder by default.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n<\/span>Activating the plugin in QGIS<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\nOpen Plugins \u2192 Manage and Install Plugins<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n Go to the Installed<\/strong> tab<\/li>\n\n\n\n Check your plugin<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\nIf everything went well, the plugin appears in the menu and can be activated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 👉 At this stage, the plugin does almost nothing\u2026 and that\u2019s perfectly normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n<\/span>Understanding what Plugin Builder created<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBefore going any further, take some time to open the generated files:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n__init__.py<\/code><\/li>\n\n\n\n metadata.txt<\/code><\/li>\n\n\n\n the main Python file<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nYou should now recognize the elements described in the previous article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n<\/span>Common beginner mistakes<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\nThe plugin does not appear \u2192 wrong folder<\/li>\n\n\n\n Error when loading \u2192 incorrect class name or capitalization<\/li>\n\n\n\n QGIS refuses the plugin \u2192 incorrect minimum QGIS version<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nThese errors are normal and part of the learning process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n<\/span>What you have learned<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBy the end of this article, you now know how to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ninstall Plugin Builder,<\/li>\n\n\n\n generate an empty QGIS plugin,<\/li>\n\n\n\n install it locally,<\/li>\n\n\n\n activate it in QGIS.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nYou have crossed an important milestone: you are officially a QGIS plugin developer<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n<\/span>What\u2019s next?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nIn the next article, we will see:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \nhow to add a button to QGIS,<\/li>\n\n\n\n how to display a simple dialog window,<\/li>\n\n\n\n how to structure the code without getting lost.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n👉 A plugin that does nothing today can become a powerful tool tomorrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Creating a QGIS plugin is much easier than it may seem, especially when you are new to programming. 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