1 files changed, 173 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/docs/gettingstarted/developers/sample_plugin.rst b/docs/gettingstarted/developers/sample_plugin.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0426606f4c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/gettingstarted/developers/sample_plugin.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,173 @@
+.. _sample_plugin:
+
+.. toctree::
+
+Integrating a complete plugin with VPP
+======================================
+
+Overview
+________
+ 
+This section shows how a VPP plugin developer can modify VPP scripts to add and load their plugin as a node in VPP. 
+
+As an example we will integrate the **Sample Plugin** found in *vpp/src/examples/sample-plugin/sample* The VPP Sample Plugin is a small plugin that demonstrates simple implementation of a macswap algorithim. Since it is a VPP plugin, it has runtime integration with the VPP graph hierachy, API, and CLI.
+
+This section will not go into the details of the plugin itself. For a deeper dive into the sample plugin see the annotations in `sample.c <https://docs.fd.io/vpp/18.11/da/d30/sample_8c.html>`_,  or go to the next page for general VPP C API usage.
+
+Setup
+_____
+
+Each plugin has their own automake file (\*.am) used by *configure.ac*, as well as a separate directory containing C files for the plugin. The directory containing these for each plugin is *vpp/src/plugins*
+
+To get a basic idea for how a VPP automake plugin file specifies its C files, here is part of the Sample Plugin automake file, *sample.am*
+
+.. code-block:: console
+    
+    sample_plugin_la_SOURCES =      \
+        sample/sample.c             \
+        sample/node.c               \
+        sample/sample_plugin.api.h
+
+    API_FILES += sample/sample.api
+
+    nobase_apiinclude_HEADERS +=            \
+      sample/sample_all_api_h.h             \
+      sample/sample_msg_enum.h              \
+      sample/sample.api.h
+
+
+The Sample Plugin is located in *vpp/src/examples/sample-plugin/sample*, so as mentioned above we will need to copy its contents into *vpp/src/plugins*
+
+In your */vpp* directory, or the directory above */src*, run:
+
+.. code-block:: console
+    
+    $ cp -r src/examples/sample-plugin/sample src/plugins
+    $ cp src/examples/sample-plugin/sample.am src/plugins
+
+Modifying configure.ac and Makefile.am
+______________________________________
+
+We now need to modify the plugin sections of the VPP automake and configuration scripts so that VPP builds correctly with your new plugin.
+
+Using a text editor such as *vi*, add the following entry to the plugins section in *vpp/src/configure.ac*
+
+.. code-block:: console
+    
+    PLUGIN_ENABLED(sample)
+
+For reference, the plugins section of that file looks like this:
+
+.. code-block:: console
+
+    ###############################################################################
+    # Plugins
+    ###############################################################################
+
+    # Please keep alphabetical order
+    PLUGIN_ENABLED(abf)
+    PLUGIN_ENABLED(acl)
+    PLUGIN_ENABLED(avf)
+    PLUGIN_ENABLED(cdp)
+    PLUGIN_ENABLED(dpdk)
+    PLUGIN_ENABLED(flowprobe)
+
+
+Using a text editor such as *vi*, now add the following entry to the plugins section in *vpp/src/plugins/Makefile.am*
+
+.. code-block:: console
+
+    if ENABLE_SAMPLE_PLUGIN
+    include sample.am
+    endif
+
+For reference, the plugins section of that file looks something like this:
+
+.. code-block:: console
+
+    vppapitestpluginsdir = ${libdir}/vpp_api_test_plugins
+    vpppluginsdir = ${libdir}/vpp_plugins
+
+    if ENABLE_ABF_PLUGIN
+    include abf.am
+    endif
+
+    if ENABLE_ACL_PLUGIN
+    include acl.am
+    endif
+
+    if ENABLE_AVF_PLUGIN
+    include avf.am
+    endif
+
+Building and Running
+____________________
+
+
+Build VPP by using the main Makefile found in */vpp/Makefile*
+
+.. code-block:: console
+    
+    $ make build
+
+.. note::
+
+    If you want to have a fresh debug build and compile every VPP file from scratch, you can wipe all compiled files and build VPP with:
+
+    .. code-block:: console
+    
+        $ make rebuild
+
+    However this will take much longer than just running *make build*
+
+Run VPP and make sure the plugin is loaded. Below is the command for running the VPP debug binary, accompanied with sample output.
+
+.. code-block:: console
+    
+    $ make run
+    vlib_plugin_early_init:361: plugin path /vpp/build-root/install-vpp_debug-native/vpp/lib/vpp_plugins:/vpp/build-root/install-vpp_debug-native/vpp/lib64/vpp_plugins
+    load_one_plugin:189: Loaded plugin: abf_plugin.so (ACL based Forwarding)
+    load_one_plugin:189: Loaded plugin: acl_plugin.so (Access Control Lists)
+    load_one_plugin:189: Loaded plugin: avf_plugin.so (Intel Adaptive Virtual Function (AVF) Device Plugin)
+    load_one_plugin:191: Loaded plugin: cdp_plugin.so
+    ...
+    load_one_plugin:189: Loaded plugin: sample_plugin.so (Sample of VPP Plugin)
+    ...
+    load_one_vat_plugin:67: Loaded plugin: avf_test_plugin.so
+    load_one_vat_plugin:67: Loaded plugin: mactime_test_plugin.so
+    load_one_vat_plugin:67: Loaded plugin: sample_test_plugin.so
+    ...
+        _______    _        _   _____  ___ 
+     __/ __/ _ \  (_)__    | | / / _ \/ _ \
+     _/ _// // / / / _ \   | |/ / ___/ ___/
+     /_/ /____(_)_/\___/   |___/_/  /_/    
+
+    DBGvpp# 
+
+.. note::
+
+    Notice when running the debug build that (\*_test_plugin.so) is also loaded, which is meant for testing your plugin.
+
+To enable the sample plugin, use this command:
+
+.. code-block:: console
+    
+    DBGvpp# sample macswap <interface name>
+
+To disable the sample plugin, use this command:
+
+.. code-block:: console
+    
+    DBGvpp# sample macswap <interface name> disable
+
+
+Great! Now you've successfully added your plugin as a VPP node.
+
+
+Additional remarks 
+__________________
+
+How the build process works for plugins is that the (\*.api) plugin file is automatically translated to a JSON file (\*.api.json) in *vpp/build-root/install-vpp_debug-native/vpp/share/vpp/api/plugins*, which the code generator then parses and generates a C header file (\*.api.h) in *vpp/build-root/install-vpp_debug-native/vpp/include/vpp_plugins/\**.
+
+After the build process is completed you finally end up with two plugin files (\*_plugin.so and \*_test_plugin.so) found in *vpp/build-root/install-vpp_debug-native/vpp/lib64/vpp_plugins* and *vpp/build-root/install-vpp_debug-native/vpp/lib64/vpp_api_test_plugins* respectively, that are loaded at runtime during a debug binary run of VPP (*make run*).
+