DSH Plugin FAQ: 20 Questions About DeepSeek Harness Plugins

Here are twenty of the most common questions about DeepSeek Harness plugins — the short answers first, with links for the details.

Basics

1. What is a DSH plugin? A DSH plugin is a package that extends DeepSeek Harness with a focused capability — a tool, skill, memory store, UI enhancement, workflow, or integration. The framework’s design principle is everything is a plugin.

2. What does DSH stand for? DSH is the abbreviation of DeepSeek Harness, DeepSeek’s open-source agent framework. DSH plugin and DeepSeek Harness plugin mean the same thing.

3. Is a DeepSeek plugin the same as a DSH plugin? DeepSeek plugin is the broader umbrella; DSH plugin specifically means an extension for DeepSeek Harness. Today they’re often used interchangeably because DeepSeek Harness is where the plugin ecosystem lives. See What Is a DeepSeek Plugin?.

4. Is DeepSeek Harness free? Yes — MIT License, self-hosted, bring your own model API keys.

Finding and installing plugins

5. Where do I find DSH plugins? This directory, the GitHub dsh-plugin topic, the community awesome list, and the dsh-market tool inside the harness.

6. How do I install a DSH plugin? One command: dsh plugin add github:owner/repo. Full guide: How to Install DSH Plugins.

7. Can I install from npm? Yes: dsh plugin add @scope/package.

8. Can I install a local plugin? Yes: dsh plugin add ./path/to/plugin — ideal for development.

9. How do I uninstall a plugin? dsh plugin remove <name>, then restart the harness.

10. Why can’t the harness find my plugin? The repository must be public and tagged with the dsh-plugin topic; npm plugins must be published.

Safety

11. Are DSH plugins safe? Most are, but they run with your dsh process’s permissions. Verify source, license, and activity. See the safety guide.

12. Do plugins run code at install time? GitHub-sourced plugins may run build scripts during installation; the harness asks for approval first.

13. Should I pin commits? Yes — dsh plugin add github:owner/repo#sha makes installs reproducible and reviewable.

14. What licenses should I prefer? MIT and Apache-2.0 are common and permissive. Avoid plugins with no license.

15. Can I sandbox plugins? Use a dedicated dsh profile for untrusted plugins if your harness supports it.

Building and contributing

16. Can I build my own DSH plugin? Yes — JavaScript/TypeScript with the plugin dev kit. Tutorial: Build a DSH Plugin.

17. How do I get my plugin listed here? Tag it dsh-plugin on GitHub and submit it.

18. How long does a simple plugin take to build? 30-60 minutes with the official template for a simple tool or skill.

The ecosystem

19. How big is the DSH plugin ecosystem? Hundreds of public plugins exist, indexed from GitHub; this directory curates a quality subset that grows continuously.

20. What’s next for DeepSeek Harness plugins? DeepSeek Harness is a developer preview, so plugin APIs may change before a stable release. The ecosystem is young — new categories (memory, vision, multi-agent) are the fastest-growing areas. Watch the blog for updates.

Still have questions?

The plugin directory has an FAQ on every plugin page, the installation guide covers the mechanics, and the safety guide covers risk. If you maintain a plugin, the submit page explains how to get listed.