There are a few ways to install plugins, and they vary with different versions of Confluence. They are listed below in the preferred order.

The Plugin Repository

If you are using Confluence 2.0 or above, the best way to get Confluence plugins is using the Plugin Repository. All the plugins on this site which are compatible with Confluence 2.0 or above (with the notable exception of the Utilities Plugin) can be installed and updated via the repository.

Procedure

1. Install the Confluence Repository Client.
2. Access the repository client user interface by going to <your server>/admin/repository/plugins.action.
3. Review the list and click 'Install' (or 'Update') on the desired plugin.

Pros

• Plugins are updated without restarting Confluence.
• Upgrading to new versions is easy.
• Version history and plugin status are all available in one location.

Cons

• Only works in Confluence 2.0+
• Does not list every plugin.

Uploading via Administration

Procedure

1. Download the plugin.
2. Navigate to the 'Administration > Plugins' section.
3. If the plugin has already been installed, select it and uninstall it.
4. Upload the plugin jar.

Pros

• Plugins can be updated without restarting Confluence.

Cons

• Only works in Confluence 1.4+
• Does not work properly in Confluence 1.4.3 specifically.
• Some plugins do not work when uploaded.
• If the plugin contains components, uninstalling and uploading will break the plugin. CONF-4041

WEB-INF/lib

Procedure

1. Download the plugin.
2. Copy the 'jar' file into the WEB-INF/lib directory of your Confluence installation.
3. Restart Confluence

Pros

• This is the safest way to install plugins.
• It will work for all plugins in all versions of Confluence.
• It is the only way to install plugins for Confluence 1.3

Cons

• You have to restart Confluence for the plugin to update.
• Some more recent plugins will not work when installed this way. Check the plugin documentation for details.

Uninstalling

The method to uninstall a plugin will depend on the method used to install it in the first place. To determine which of the installation methods was used, do the following:

1. Navigate to the 'Administration > Plugins' section.
2. Select the plugin you wish to install. You should get something like this:
   
3. If it has an 'Uninstall plugin' link like above, it was uploaded and can be uninstalled by clicking the link. If not, continue to the next step.
4. Find the WEB-INF/lib directory for your Confluence web application.
5. Look for the plugin. There are two main conventions for plugin names in Confluence:
   • 'plugins-[plugin name][-X.X].jar' (e.g. 'plugins-scaffolding-1.4.jar')
   • '[plugin name]-plugin[-X.X].jar' (e.g. 'scaffolding-plugin-1.4.13.jar')
6. Once you have located the plugin, delete or move it and restart the web application (usually by restarting the web server).