Previously docusaurus.config.ts had `onBrokenLinks: 'warn'`, so broken
internal links produced advisory warnings during build but didn't gate
merges. Tightening to `throw` surfaces every broken internal route at
build time. Three classes of issue fell out:
1. Stale `/docs/...` and `/docs/6.0.0/...` references in the 6.0.0
versioned snapshot. The user-facing docs section was renamed
`docs` → `user-docs` (routeBasePath) at some point after 6.0.0 was
cut, but the snapshot's links still pointed at the old prefix. The
live site redirects /docs/* → /user-docs/* at runtime, but
Docusaurus's onBrokenLinks checker doesn't honor redirects.
Bulk-rewrote /docs/* → /user-docs/* across the snapshot (and one
/docs/api → /developer-docs/api).
2. Bare-relative MDX links like `[Label](./mcp)` (no .md/.mdx
extension). Docusaurus renders an absolute href in SSR HTML, so
static crawlers see correct links — BUT React Router's `<Link>`
component on the client side resolves the bare path relative to
the current URL on click, so when the page URL has a trailing
slash (e.g. /extensions/overview/), `./mcp` becomes
/extensions/overview/mcp (404). This is exactly the broken-flow a
user reported on /developer-docs/extensions/overview/. Added the
`.md`/`.mdx` extension to all 44 such links across 17 files; this
makes Docusaurus resolve them to the canonical doc URL at the
<Link> level, so SPA navigation works regardless of trailing slash.
3. Miscellaneous content fixes:
- 4 `/configuration/feature-flags` references in 6.0.0 snapshot
pointed at a page that doesn't exist in that version (the
dedicated feature-flags page was added later). Repointed to the
`#feature-flags` anchor inside `configuring-superset.mdx`.
- 3 references to `superset-core/src/superset_core/rest_api/decorators.py`
in extensions docs were rendered as relative URLs, resolving to
/developer-docs/extensions/superset-core/... (404). Converted to
absolute GitHub URLs.
- 1 `/storybook/?path=...` link in extensions/components/index.mdx
pointed at a non-existent route. Repointed to the existing
`/developer-docs/testing/storybook` page that explains how to
run Storybook locally.
- 4 unclosed-paren markdown links in 6.0.0 installation-methods.mdx
(pre-existing source bugs).
Build now passes with `onBrokenLinks: 'throw'`. Note that
`onBrokenAnchors` is still `'warn'` (default); a separate effort
should tighten that and fix the surviving anchor warnings (currently
~60 instances of `/community#superset-community-calendar`).
3.5 KiB
title, sidebar_position
| title | sidebar_position |
|---|---|
| Overview | 1 |
Overview
Apache Superset's extension system enables organizations to build custom features without modifying the core codebase. Inspired by the VS Code extension model, this architecture addresses a long-standing challenge: teams previously had to fork Superset or make invasive modifications to add capabilities like query optimizers, custom panels, or specialized integrations—resulting in maintenance overhead and codebase fragmentation.
The extension system introduces a modular, plugin-based architecture where both built-in features and external extensions use the same well-defined APIs. This "lean core" approach ensures that any capability available to Superset's internal features is equally accessible to community-developed extensions, fostering a vibrant ecosystem while reducing the maintenance burden on core contributors.
What are Superset Extensions?
Superset extensions are self-contained .supx packages that extend the platform's capabilities through standardized contribution points. Each extension can include both frontend (React/TypeScript) and backend (Python) components, bundled together and loaded dynamically at runtime using Webpack Module Federation.
Extension Capabilities
Extensions can provide:
- Custom UI Components: New panels, views, and interactive elements
- Commands and Menus: Custom actions accessible via menus and keyboard shortcuts
- REST API Endpoints: Backend services under the
/extensions/namespace - MCP Tools and Prompts: AI agent capabilities for enhanced user assistance
UI Components for Extensions
Extension developers have access to pre-built UI components via @apache-superset/core/components. Browse all available components on the UI Components page and filter by Extension Compatible to see components available to extensions.
Next Steps
- Quick Start - Build your first extension with a complete walkthrough
- Architecture - Design principles and system overview
- Dependencies - Managing dependencies and understanding API stability
- Contribution Types - Available extension points
- Development - Project structure, APIs, and development workflow
- Deployment - Packaging and deploying extensions
- MCP Integration - Adding AI agent capabilities using extensions
- Security - Security considerations and best practices
- Tasks - Framework for creating and managing long running tasks
- Community Extensions - Browse extensions shared by the community