getting-started.md

Getting Started

Five-minute orientation. For the full framework reference see the upstream docs site (https://nih-plug.robbertvanderhelm.nl/) and README.md.

Build a single plugin

cargo xtask bundle gain --release

Output lands in target/bundled/. CI uses cargo xtask known-packages to enumerate plugins — see bundler.toml.

Build everything

cargo build --workspace

Slow (every plugin compiles). Use the per-crate build for day-to-day work.

Run the test suite

cargo test --locked --workspace --features "simd,standalone,zstd"

Never run cargo test --all-features — logic_nih_plug_iced has mutually exclusive features. The --features "simd,standalone,zstd" set is what CI uses; see .github/workflows/build.yml.

Cross-compile / per-target

cargo xtask bundle gain --release --target x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
cargo xtask bundle-universal -p gain --release   # macOS universal

Toolchain

Plugin	Toolchain	Why
most plugins	stable	default
crossover, diopser	nightly	uses std::simd via the simd feature

Hard rules

From AGENTS.md §5:

1. process() is real-time. No allocations, no blocking, no println!.
2. initialize() is the only place that may allocate heavily.
3. Cross-thread = Arc<AtomicF32>, parking_lot::Mutex (try_lock), or crossbeam channels.
4. Params need stable #[id = "…"] and #[persist = "…"] attrs.
5. Use nih_log! / nih_dbg! from logic_nih_plug::debug, not println! / dbg!.

Next steps

• Plugin skeleton walkthrough →
• DSP & GUI modules →
• Bundling & distribution →