favorite plugins

[Ofnuts]

(05-03-2023, 04:56 PM)retroarchgirl Wrote: What exactly is the difference between a script and a plugin? Can they do different things (for example things a plugin can do, but not a script) or does it not matter if you are not a developer?

Technically...

A script is a bit of code which is interpreted by the dedicated script-fu executor. It takes its parameters on start-up and then it run till the end.

• Pros:
  • light-weight,
    
  • easy to run anywhere
    
  • easy to write since the dialog to get user inputs is auto-generated
    
• Cons:
  • programming language that dates back to the stone age,
    
  • very limited interaction with the outside world, I'm not even sure you can read a text file
    
  • possible conflicts with other scripts since they all share the same execution environment
    

A  Gimp plugin is an independent program that knows how to talk to Gimp (ask data from it, request actions, return data...). It can be a binary or not (mostly Python).

For the binary kind:

• Pros:
  • Unlimited power
    
  • Can have its own UI
    
• Cons:
  • Requires a version compiled for each platform.
    
  • Writing a decent interactive UI can becomes a significant part of the work
    

For the Python kind:

• Pros:
  • Near-unlimited power
    
  • Can have its own UI or use the auto-generated dialog (in which case it looks a lot like a script)
    
• Cons:
  • Requires a working Python runtime (not a problem on Windows where Gimp has its own built-in).
    
  • Writing a decent interactive UI can become a significant part of the work
    

Then there are GEGL plugins, that aren't Gimp plugins but can be used by Gimp (GEGL is Gimp's graphical core).