AI Gateway provides a plugin marketplace with built-in extension plugins for features such as authentication, authorization, traffic control, and security protection. You can also upload custom plugins to extend the capabilities of your gateway. This topic describes how to install, enable, and uninstall plugins.
Plugin introduction
Plugins in the AI Gateway Plug-in are categorized into the following three types based on their source:
Official plugins: Plugins released by Higress to the plugin marketplace.
Community plugins: Plugins contributed by the Higress community to the plugin marketplace.
Custom plugins: Plugins that you upload to the plugin marketplace for your own use.
Install and enable plugins
To install a plugin, add it from the AI Gateway Plug-in to a specific gateway instance. For a plugin to take effect, you must install it, configure its rules, and then enable it.
Plugin rules are divided into the following three types based on their scope:
MCP/Route Level Plugin Rules: Apply to specific routes. These rules take effect when a request matches the specified route.
Domain-level plug-in rules: Apply to domain names. Rules for specific domain names have a higher matching priority than rules for wildcard domain names.
Instance-level plug-in rules: Apply globally to the gateway instance. This rule is used as a fallback when no routing-level or domain-level rules are matched.
AI Gateway provides two methods to install plugins:
Only dedicated AI Gateway instances support installing and enabling plugins. The Serverless edition does not support this feature.
Method 1: Install from the plugin marketplace
Log on to the AI Gateway console.
In the navigation pane on the left, choose Plug-in. In the top menu bar, select a region.
On the Plug-in page, use the Quick Navigation section to find a plugin by type or search for it by name. Click Install on the plugin card. In the Install Plug-in dialog box, select the target gateway instance and click OK.
In the Configuration section, click Rule Configuration in the Actions column for the target gateway instance. On the rule configuration page, select a Effective Scope.
If you select MCP/Route Level Plugin Rules or Domain-level plug-in rules, click Add Rule, and turn on the Status switch, which is enabled by default. Select a Target, configure the Plug-in Rules, and then click OK.
If you select Instance-level Plug-in rules, turn on the Status switch, configure the Plug-in Rules, and then click Save.
Method 2: Install from the gateway instance page
Log on to the AI Gateway console.
In the navigation pane on the left, choose Instance. In the top menu bar, select a region.
On the Instance page, click the target instance ID.
In the navigation pane on the left, choose Plug-in. In the top menu bar, select a region.
Click Install Plug-in. On the Install Plugin page, use the Quick Navigation section to find a plugin by type or search for it by name. Click the plugin card. In the dialog box that appears, click Install and Configure.
In the Configure Rules dialog box, configure rules for the selected plugin, select a scope, and click OK.
(Optional) On the gateway instance page, click Plugins in the navigation pane on the left. In the list of plugins, click Configure Rules in the Actions column for the desired plugin to configure its rules and select a scope.
If you select MCP/Route Level Plugin Rules or Domain-level plug-in rules, click Add Rule, and turn on the Status switch, which is enabled by default. Select a Target, configure the Plug-in Rules, and then click OK.
If you select Instance-level Plug-in rules, turn on the Status switch, configure the Plug-in Rules, and then click Save.
Uninstall plugins
Background
You can uninstall a plugin to completely remove it from a gateway. AI Gateway provides two methods to uninstall plugins:
If a plugin has enabled rules, you must disable them before you uninstall the plugin. If a plugin is not enabled, uninstalling it also deletes its configured rules.
Method 1: Uninstall from the plugin marketplace
Log on to the AI Gateway console.
In the navigation pane on the left, choose Plug-in. In the top menu bar, select a region.
On the Plug-in page, use the Quick Navigation section to find a plugin by type or search for it by name. Click the card of the plugin that you want to uninstall.
Click the Configuration tab. In the Actions column for the gateway instance from which you want to uninstall the plugin, click Uninstall.
In the confirmation dialog box, click OK. A success message is displayed.
Method 2: Uninstall from the gateway instance page
Log on to the AI Gateway console.
In the navigation pane on the left, choose Instance. In the top menu bar, select a region.
On the Instance page, click the target instance ID.
In the navigation pane on the left, choose Plug-in. In the top menu bar, select a region.
In the plugin list, find the plugin you want to uninstall and click Uninstall in the Actions column.
In the confirmation dialog box, click OK. A success message is displayed.