intellij-sdk-code-samples/basics/plugin_structure/plugin_content.md

---
title: Plugin Content
---

There are two possible ways of organizing plugin content:

1. A plugin consisting of one `.jar` file placed in the plugins directory:

    The archive should contain the configuration file (`META-INF/plugin.xml`), 
    plugin icon files (`META-INF/pluginIcon*.svg`), 
    and the classes that implement the plugin functionality. The configuration file 
    specifies the plugin name, description, version, vendor, the supported IntelliJ IDEA version, 
    plugin components, actions and action groups, and action user interface placement.
    See the [Plugin Icon File](plugin_icon_file.md) page for more information about plugin icon svg files.

   ```
   .IntelliJIDEAx0/
     plugins/
       sample.jar/
         com/foo/...
         ...
         ...
         META-INF/
           plugin.xml
           pluginIcon.svg
           pluginIcon_dark.svg
   ```
   

2. Plugin files located in a `.jar` file that is placed in the lib folder:

   ```
   .IntelliJIDEAx0/
     plugins/
       Sample/
         lib/
           libfoo.jar
           libbar.jar
           Sample.jar/
             com/foo/...
             ...
             ...
             META-INF/
               plugin.xml
               pluginIcon.svg
               pluginIcon_dark.svg
   ```

   All jars from the `lib` folder are automatically added to the classpath.