使用Express + Vercel和PluginLab创建一个ChatGPT插件
Table of Contents:
- Introduction
- Signing up to Plugin Lab
- Choosing a Template
- Deploying the Plugin on Virtual
- Creating an Express API
- Building a Coffee Shop Plugin
- Testing the Plugin Locally
- Pushing Changes on GitHub and Deployment on Virtual
- Updating the Manifest File and Open API Specification
- Reinstalling the Plugin on Chat GPT
- Conclusion
Introduction
Hi, everyone! I'm Kevin, one of the co-founders of Plane Lab. In this tutorial, I'll be guiding You through the process of creating an Express JS weather GPT plugin using Versal GitHub and Plugin Lab. We'll start by signing up for Plugin Lab and then move on to choosing and deploying a template on Virtual. After that, we'll Create our own Express API and build a coffee shop plugin. Finally, we'll test the plugin locally, push changes on GitHub, update the Manifest file and Open API specification, and reinstall the plugin on Chat GPT. Let's get started!
1. Signing up to Plugin Lab
To begin, head over to PluginLab.ai and sign up for a free account. Plugin Lab is a tool created by us at Plane Lab to help you create chat GPT plugins. It offers templates and features like user event tracking, authentication, and monetization. Once you've signed up, you'll be redirected to the Plugin Lab onboarding page.
2. Choosing a Template
On the Plugin Lab onboarding page, you'll have the option to create a new plugin or start from a template. Since Plugin Lab provides various templates, it's a good idea to choose one to get started quickly. In this tutorial, we'll be using the Express weather GPT template. This template allows us to create an Express API deployed on Virtual that communicates with the weather API.
3. Deploying the Plugin on Virtual
Next, click on the "Deploy" button to create the repository for your plugin on Virtual. If you don't have a Virtual or GitHub account, you'll need to create one. Make sure to link your Virtual account to your GitHub account. Once the repository is created, you'll be prompted to add the weather API key as an environment variable. You can get the API key by signing up for a weather API account.
4. Creating an Express API
After deploying the plugin on Virtual, you'll be redirected back to Plugin Lab. Here, the Second step will already be filled out for you. Take note of the plugin URL provided by Plugin Lab. Now, we'll create our own endpoint by defining an Express API. For example, we can create an endpoint for retrieving a list of coffees from a coffee shop. We can then create a function to handle this endpoint and return a JSON response containing the coffee details.
5. Building a Coffee Shop Plugin
In this step, we'll focus on customizing the plugin to create a coffee shop plugin. We'll replace the weather API functionality with our own coffee shop API. We'll remove the weather.js file, update the logo, and make changes to the API endpoints and responses. We'll also ensure that the plugin runs smoothly by testing it locally using Versal.
6. Testing the Plugin Locally
Before pushing any changes to GitHub, it's essential to test our plugin locally to ensure everything is working as expected. We can use Versal Dev to serve our API locally. If you don't have Versal, you can install it using npm. Once set up, you can make requests to the API endpoints and verify that the responses are correct.
7. Pushing Changes on GitHub and Deployment on Virtual
Once we're satisfied with the local testing, we can push the changes to our GitHub repository. This will trigger a new deployment on Virtual, updating our plugin automatically. We'll also update the Manifest file and Open API specification to reflect the changes we've made.
8. Updating the Manifest File and Open API Specification
To inform Chat GPT how to use our plugin, we need to update the Manifest file and Open API specification. We'll change the logo, description, and other necessary details. We can also use Chat GPT to generate the Open API specification for us. Once the updates are made, we can save the changes to the Manifest file and Open API specification.
9. Reinstalling the Plugin on Chat GPT
Since the Open API specification is fetched each time Chat GPT makes a request to our plugin, we need to reinstall the plugin to ensure that the changes take effect. We can reinstall the plugin by copying the Plugin URL from Plugin Lab and pasting it into the Chat GPT plugin installation page.
10. Conclusion
Congratulations! You've successfully created an Express JS weather GPT plugin using Versal GitHub and Plugin Lab. In this tutorial, we covered the process of signing up for Plugin Lab, choosing a template, deploying the plugin on Virtual, creating an Express API, building a coffee shop plugin, testing it locally, pushing changes on GitHub, updating the Manifest file and Open API specification, and reinstalling the plugin on Chat GPT. Feel free to explore other features offered by Plugin Lab, such as authentication and monetization, to enhance your plugin even further.
Highlights:
- Sign up for a free Plugin Lab account to create chat GPT plugins.
- Choose from various templates to get started quickly.
- Deploy your plugin on Virtual and GitHub for easy development and deployment.
- Create an Express API to handle custom functionality for your plugin.
- Customize the plugin to create a coffee shop plugin or any other desired functionality.
- Test the plugin locally using Versal Dev to ensure it works properly.
- Push changes on GitHub and deploy them to Virtual automatically.
- Update the Manifest file and Open API specification to inform Chat GPT about your plugin's functionality.
- Reinstall the plugin on Chat GPT to Apply the updates.
FAQ:
Q: Can I use Plugin Lab without a Virtual or GitHub account?
A: No, both Virtual and GitHub accounts are required to deploy and manage your plugins.
Q: Can I customize the Manifest file and Open API specification?
A: Yes, you can customize these files to provide relevant information about your plugin and its functionality.
Q: How can I test my plugin locally?
A: You can use Versal Dev to serve your API locally and test the plugin's functionality before deploying it.
Q: Can I update my plugin after it has been installed on Chat GPT?
A: Yes, you can update your plugin by making changes to the Manifest file and Open API specification. However, you will need to reinstall the plugin on Chat GPT for the updates to take effect.
Q: Are there any additional features provided by Plugin Lab?
A: Yes, Plugin Lab offers features like authentication and monetization for enhanced plugin functionality. You can find more information in the provided links.