feat(plugins): introduce plugin aliases (#3157)

* working prototype with passing tests

* new tests and passing plugin tests as well

* style(code): cleanups

* cleanup strider from unused search feature

* prototype of removing old plugin block from the config

* aliases working from config file and all tests passing

* fixups and cleanups

* use aliases in layouts

* update test snapshot

* style(fmt): rustfmt

29 files changed, 1217 insertions, 1044 deletions

diff --git a/zellij-utils/assets/config/default.kdl b/zellij-utils/assets/config/default.kdl
index f8dc9a756..c8e61bf43 100644
--- a/zellij-utils/assets/config/default.kdl
+++ b/zellij-utils/assets/config/default.kdl
@@ -186,11 +186,15 @@ keybinds {
 }
 
 plugins {
-    tab-bar { path "tab-bar"; }
-    status-bar { path "status-bar"; }
-    strider { path "strider"; }
-    compact-bar { path "compact-bar"; }
-    session-manager { path "session-manager"; }
+    tab-bar location="zellij:tab-bar"
+    status-bar location="zellij:status-bar"
+    strider location="zellij:strider"
+    compact-bar location="zellij:compact-bar"
+    session-manager location="zellij:session-manager"
+    welcome-screen location="zellij:session-manager" {
+        welcome_screen true
+    }
+    filepicker location="zellij:strider"
 }
 
 // Choose what to do when zellij receives SIGTERM, SIGINT, SIGQUIT or SIGHUP
diff --git a/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/compact.kdl b/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/compact.kdl
index 7871ad40d..0ac57ee34 100644
--- a/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/compact.kdl
+++ b/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/compact.kdl
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 layout {
     pane
     pane size=1 borderless=true {
-        plugin location="zellij:compact-bar"
+        plugin location="compact-bar"
     }
 }
diff --git a/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/compact.swap.kdl b/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/compact.swap.kdl
index 923a117c1..300b4bdf7 100644
--- a/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/compact.swap.kdl
+++ b/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/compact.swap.kdl
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 tab_template name="ui" {
    children
    pane size=1 borderless=true {
-       plugin location="zellij:compact-bar"
+       plugin location="compact-bar"
    }
 }
 
diff --git a/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/default.kdl b/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/default.kdl
index 4434b29b1..460aee8a2 100644
--- a/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/default.kdl
+++ b/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/default.kdl
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 layout {
     pane size=1 borderless=true {
-        plugin location="zellij:tab-bar"
+        plugin location="tab-bar"
     }
     pane
     pane size=2 borderless=true {
-        plugin location="zellij:status-bar"
+        plugin location="status-bar"
     }
 }
diff --git a/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/default.swap.kdl b/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/default.swap.kdl
index 6d5cdb552..71a6dfe95 100644
--- a/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/default.swap.kdl
+++ b/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/default.swap.kdl
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 tab_template name="ui" {
    pane size=1 borderless=true {
-       plugin location="zellij:tab-bar"
+       plugin location="tab-bar"
    }
    children
    pane size=2 borderless=true {
-       plugin location="zellij:status-bar"
+       plugin location="status-bar"
    }
 }
 
diff --git a/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/disable-status-bar.kdl b/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/disable-status-bar.kdl
index 5eca5b0c3..36a194e71 100644
--- a/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/disable-status-bar.kdl
+++ b/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/disable-status-bar.kdl
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 layout {
     pane size=1 borderless=true {
-        plugin location="zellij:tab-bar"
+        plugin location="tab-bar"
     }
     pane
 }
diff --git a/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/strider.kdl b/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/strider.kdl
index 57ec01a7d..966000618 100644
--- a/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/strider.kdl
+++ b/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/strider.kdl
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
 layout {
     pane size=1 borderless=true {
-        plugin location="zellij:tab-bar"
+        plugin location="tab-bar"
     }
     pane split_direction="Vertical" {
         pane size="20%" {
-            plugin location="zellij:strider"
+            plugin location="strider"
         }
         pane
     }
     pane size=2 borderless=true {
-        plugin location="zellij:status-bar"
+        plugin location="status-bar"
     }
 }
diff --git a/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/strider.swap.kdl b/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/strider.swap.kdl
index 579fcc8e9..b53444ff0 100644
--- a/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/strider.swap.kdl
+++ b/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/strider.swap.kdl
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 tab_template name="ui" {
     pane size=1 borderless=true {
-        plugin location="zellij:tab-bar"
+        plugin location="tab-bar"
     }
     pane split_direction="Vertical" {
         pane size="20%" {
-            plugin location="zellij:strider"
+            plugin location="strider"
         }
         pane {
             children
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ tab_template name="ui" {
 
     }
     pane size=2 borderless=true {
-        plugin location="zellij:status-bar"
+        plugin location="status-bar"
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/welcome.kdl b/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/welcome.kdl
index 1884fe1f0..0ee72ce04 100644
--- a/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/welcome.kdl
+++ b/zellij-utils/assets/layouts/welcome.kdl
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 layout {
     pane borderless=true {
-        plugin location="zellij:session-manager" {
-            welcome_screen true
-        }
+        plugin location="welcome-screen"
     }
 }
 session_serialization false // this will apply only to the initial welcome screen layout, and is intended to prevent lots of garbage sessions left around
diff --git a/zellij-utils/src/cli.rs b/zellij-utils/src/cli.rs
index 595293f4e..e5b65d394 100644
--- a/zellij-utils/src/cli.rs
+++ b/zellij-utils/src/cli.rs
@@ -627,7 +627,7 @@ pub enum CliAction {
         in_place: bool,
         #[clap(short, long, value_parser)]
         move_to_focused_tab: bool,
-        url: Url,
+        url: String,
         #[clap(short, long, value_parser)]
         configuration: Option<PluginUserConfiguration>,
         #[clap(short, long, value_parser)]
diff --git a/zellij-utils/src/input/actions.rs b/zellij-utils/src/input/actions.rs
index b19529e48..18ed0a8da 100644
--- a/zellij-utils/src/input/actions.rs
+++ b/zellij-utils/src/input/actions.rs
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
 
 use super::command::RunCommandAction;
 use super::layout::{
-    FloatingPaneLayout, Layout, RunPlugin, RunPluginLocation, SwapFloatingLayout, SwapTiledLayout,
-    TiledPaneLayout,
+    FloatingPaneLayout, Layout, PluginAlias, RunPlugin, RunPluginLocation, RunPluginOrAlias,
+    SwapFloatingLayout, SwapTiledLayout, TiledPaneLayout,
 };
 use crate::cli::CliAction;
 use crate::data::{Direction, Resize};
@@ -217,9 +217,9 @@ pub enum Action {
     LeftClick(Position),
     RightClick(Position),
     MiddleClick(Position),
-    LaunchOrFocusPlugin(RunPlugin, bool, bool, bool, bool), // bools => should float,
+    LaunchOrFocusPlugin(RunPluginOrAlias, bool, bool, bool, bool), // bools => should float,
     // move_to_focused_tab, should_open_in_place, skip_cache
-    LaunchPlugin(RunPlugin, bool, bool, bool, Option<PathBuf>), // bools => should float,
+    LaunchPlugin(RunPluginOrAlias, bool, bool, bool, Option<PathBuf>), // bools => should float,
     // should_open_in_place, skip_cache, Option<PathBuf> is cwd
     LeftMouseRelease(Position),
     RightMouseRelease(Position),
@@ -246,19 +246,19 @@ pub enum Action {
     /// Query all tab names
     QueryTabNames,
     /// Open a new tiled (embedded, non-floating) plugin pane
-    NewTiledPluginPane(RunPlugin, Option<String>, bool, Option<PathBuf>), // String is an optional name, bool is
+    NewTiledPluginPane(RunPluginOrAlias, Option<String>, bool, Option<PathBuf>), // String is an optional name, bool is
     // skip_cache, Option<PathBuf> is cwd
     NewFloatingPluginPane(
-        RunPlugin,
+        RunPluginOrAlias,
         Option<String>,
         bool,
         Option<PathBuf>,
         Option<FloatingPaneCoordinates>,
     ), // String is an optional name, bool is
     // skip_cache, Option<PathBuf> is cwd
-    NewInPlacePluginPane(RunPlugin, Option<String>, bool), // String is an optional name, bool is
+    NewInPlacePluginPane(RunPluginOrAlias, Option<String>, bool), // String is an optional name, bool is
     // skip_cache
-    StartOrReloadPlugin(RunPlugin),
+    StartOrReloadPlugin(RunPluginOrAlias),
     CloseTerminalPane(u32),
     ClosePluginPane(u32),
     FocusTerminalPaneWithId(u32, bool), // bool is should_float_if_hidden
@@ -351,14 +351,20 @@ impl Action {
                 let cwd = cwd
                     .map(|cwd| current_dir.join(cwd))
                     .or_else(|| Some(current_dir));
-                let user_configuration = configuration.unwrap_or_default();
                 if let Some(plugin) = plugin {
-                    let location = RunPluginLocation::parse(&plugin, cwd.clone())
-                        .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to parse plugin loction {plugin}: {}", e))?;
-                    let plugin = RunPlugin {
-                        _allow_exec_host_cmd: false,
-                        location,
-                        configuration: user_configuration,
+                    let plugin = match RunPluginLocation::parse(&plugin, cwd.clone()) {
+                        Ok(location) => {
+                            let user_configuration = configuration.unwrap_or_default();
+                            RunPluginOrAlias::RunPlugin(RunPlugin {
+                                _allow_exec_host_cmd: false,
+                                location,
+                                configuration: user_configuration,
+                            })
+                        },
+                        Err(_) => RunPluginOrAlias::Alias(PluginAlias::new(
+                            &plugin,
+                            &configuration.map(|c| c.inner().clone()),
+                        )),
                     };
                     if floating {
                         Ok(vec![Action::NewFloatingPluginPane(
@@ -571,14 +577,13 @@ impl Action {
             CliAction::QueryTabNames => Ok(vec![Action::QueryTabNames]),
             CliAction::StartOrReloadPlugin { url, configuration } => {
                 let current_dir = get_current_dir();
-                let run_plugin_location = RunPluginLocation::parse(&url, Some(current_dir))
-                    .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to parse plugin location: {}", e))?;
-                let run_plugin = RunPlugin {
-                    location: run_plugin_location,
-                    _allow_exec_host_cmd: false,
-                    configuration: configuration.unwrap_or_default(),
-                };
-                Ok(vec![Action::StartOrReloadPlugin(run_plugin)])
+                let run_plugin_or_alias = RunPluginOrAlias::from_url(
+                    &url,
+                    &configuration.map(|c| c.inner().clone()),
+                    None,
+                    Some(current_dir),
+                )?;
+                Ok(vec![Action::StartOrReloadPlugin(run_plugin_or_alias)])
             },
             CliAction::LaunchOrFocusPlugin {
                 url,
@@ -589,15 +594,14 @@ impl Action {
                 skip_plugin_cache,
             } => {
                 let current_dir = get_current_dir();
-                let run_plugin_location = RunPluginLocation::parse(url.as_str(), Some(current_dir))
-                    .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to parse plugin location: {}", e))?;
-                let run_plugin = RunPlugin {
-                    location: run_plugin_location,
-                    _allow_exec_host_cmd: false,
-                    configuration: configuration.unwrap_or_default(),
-                };
+                let run_plugin_or_alias = RunPluginOrAlias::from_url(
+                    url.as_str(),
+                    &configuration.map(|c| c.inner().clone()),
+                    None,
+                    Some(current_dir),
+                )?;
                 Ok(vec![Action::LaunchOrFocusPlugin(
-                    run_plugin,
+                    run_plugin_or_alias,
                     floating,
                     move_to_focused_tab,
                     in_place,
@@ -612,16 +616,14 @@ impl Action {
                 skip_plugin_cache,
             } => {
                 let current_dir = get_current_dir();
-                let run_plugin_location =
-                    RunPluginLocation::parse(url.as_str(), Some(current_dir.clone()))
-                        .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to parse plugin location: {}", e))?;
-                let run_plugin = RunPlugin {
-                    location: run_plugin_location,
-                    _allow_exec_host_cmd: false,
-                    configuration: configuration.unwrap_or_default(),
-                };
+                let run_plugin_or_alias = RunPluginOrAlias::from_url(
+                    &url.as_str(),
+                    &configuration.map(|c| c.inner().clone()),
+                    None,
+                    Some(current_dir.clone()),
+                )?;
                 Ok(vec![Action::LaunchPlugin(
-                    run_plugin,
+                    run_plugin_or_alias,
                     floating,
                     in_place,
                     skip_plugin_cache,
diff --git a/zellij-utils/src/input/config.rs b/zellij-utils/src/input/config.rs
index eb8fe521d..cf6620a9c 100644
--- a/zellij-utils/src/input/config.rs
+++ b/zellij-utils/src/input/config.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ use std::convert::TryFrom;
 
 use super::keybinds::Keybinds;
 use super::options::Options;
-use super::plugins::{PluginsConfig, PluginsConfigError};
+use super::plugins::{PluginAliases, PluginsConfigError};
 use super::theme::{Themes, UiConfig};
 use crate::cli::{CliArgs, Command};
 use crate::envs::EnvironmentVariables;
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ pub struct Config {
     pub keybinds: Keybinds,
     pub options: Options,
     pub themes: Themes,
-    pub plugins: PluginsConfig,
+    pub plugins: PluginAliases,
     pub ui: UiConfig,
     pub env: EnvironmentVariables,
 }
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ impl Config {
         self.options = self.options.merge(other.options);
         self.keybinds.merge(other.keybinds.clone());
         self.themes = self.themes.merge(other.themes);
-        self.plugins = self.plugins.merge(other.plugins);
+        self.plugins.merge(other.plugins);
         self.ui = self.ui.merge(other.ui);
         self.env = self.env.merge(other.env);
         Ok(())
@@ -237,11 +237,11 @@ impl Config {
 mod config_test {
     use super::*;
     use crate::data::{InputMode, Palette, PaletteColor, PluginTag};
-    use crate::input::layout::RunPluginLocation;
+    use crate::input::layout::{RunPlugin, RunPluginLocation};
     use crate::input::options::{Clipboard, OnForceClose};
-    use crate::input::plugins::{PluginConfig, PluginType, PluginsConfig};
+    use crate::input::plugins::{PluginConfig, PluginType};
     use crate::input::theme::{FrameConfig, Theme, Themes, UiConfig};
-    use std::collections::HashMap;
+    use std::collections::{BTreeMap, HashMap};
     use std::io::Write;
     use tempfile::tempdir;
 
@@ -591,60 +591,54 @@ mod config_test {
     fn can_define_plugin_configuration_in_configfile() {
         let config_contents = r#"
             plugins {
-                tab-bar { path "tab-bar"; }
-                status-bar { path "status-bar"; }
-                strider {
-                    path "strider"
-                    _allow_exec_host_cmd true
+                tab-bar location="zellij:tab-bar"
+                status-bar location="zellij:status-bar"
+                strider location="zellij:strider"
+                compact-bar location="zellij:compact-bar"
+                session-manager location="zellij:session-manager"
+                welcome-screen location="zellij:session-manager" {
+                    welcome_screen true
                 }
-                compact-bar { path "compact-bar"; }
+                filepicker location="zellij:strider"
             }
         "#;
         let config = Config::from_kdl(config_contents, None).unwrap();
-        let mut expected_plugin_configuration = HashMap::new();
+        let mut expected_plugin_configuration = BTreeMap::new();
         expected_plugin_configuration.insert(
-            PluginTag::new("tab-bar"),
-            PluginConfig {
-                path: PathBuf::from("tab-bar"),
-                run: PluginType::Pane(None),
-                location: RunPluginLocation::Zellij(PluginTag::new("tab-bar")),
-                _allow_exec_host_cmd: false,
-                userspace_configuration: Default::default(),
-            },
+            "tab-bar".to_owned(),
+            RunPlugin::from_url("zellij:tab-bar").unwrap(),
         );
         expected_plugin_configuration.insert(
-            PluginTag::new("status-bar"),
-            PluginConfig {
-                path: PathBuf::from("status-bar"),
-                run: PluginType::Pane(None),
-                location: RunPluginLocation::Zellij(PluginTag::new("status-bar")),
-                _allow_exec_host_cmd: false,
-                userspace_configuration: Default::default(),
-            },
+            "status-bar".to_owned(),
+            RunPlugin::from_url("zellij:status-bar").unwrap(),
         );
         expected_plugin_configuration.insert(
-            PluginTag::new("strider"),
-            PluginConfig {
-                path: PathBuf::from("strider"),
-                run: PluginType::Pane(None),
-                location: RunPluginLocation::Zellij(PluginTag::new("strider")),
-                _allow_exec_host_cmd: true,
-                userspace_configuration: Default::default(),
-            },
+            "strider".to_owned(),
+            RunPlugin::from_url("zellij:strider").unwrap(),
         );
         expected_plugin_configuration.insert(
-            PluginTag::new("compact-bar"),
-