set plugin_dirs to empty to disable plugins

test/test_plugins.py

@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
 def reset_plugins():
     plugin_ies.value = {}
     plugin_pps.value = {}
-    plugin_dirs.value = ['external']
+    plugin_dirs.value = ['default']
     plugin_specs.value = {}
     all_plugins_loaded.value = False
     plugins_enabled.value = True
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ def test_set_plugin_dirs(self):
         set_plugin_dirs(custom_plugin_dir)
 
         self.assertEqual(plugin_dirs.value, [custom_plugin_dir])
-        self.assertNotIn('external', plugin_dirs.value)
+        self.assertNotIn('default', plugin_dirs.value)
         load_plugins(EXTRACTOR_PLUGIN_SPEC)
 
         self.assertIn(f'{PACKAGE_NAME}.extractor.package', sys.modules.keys())
@@ -225,9 +225,9 @@ def test_invalid_plugin_dir(self):
     def test_add_plugin_dirs(self):
         custom_plugin_dir = str(TEST_DATA_DIR / 'plugin_packages')
 
-        self.assertEqual(plugin_dirs.value, ['external'])
+        self.assertEqual(plugin_dirs.value, ['default'])
         add_plugin_dirs(custom_plugin_dir)
-        self.assertEqual(plugin_dirs.value, ['external', custom_plugin_dir])
+        self.assertEqual(plugin_dirs.value, ['default', custom_plugin_dir])
 
         load_plugins(EXTRACTOR_PLUGIN_SPEC)
 

yt_dlp/YoutubeDL.py

@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
     plugin_overrides,
     plugin_pps,
     all_plugins_loaded,
-    plugins_enabled,
+    plugin_dirs,
 )
 from .minicurses import format_text
 from .networking import HEADRequest, Request, RequestDirector
@@ -4070,9 +4070,6 @@ def get_encoding(stream):
 
         write_debug(f'Proxy map: {self.proxies}')
         write_debug(f'Request Handlers: {", ".join(rh.RH_NAME for rh in self._request_director.handlers.values())}')
-        if os.environ.get('YTDLP_NO_PLUGINS'):
-            write_debug('Plugins are forcibly disabled')
-            return
 
         for plugin_type, plugins in (('Extractor', plugin_ies), ('Post-Processor', plugin_pps)):
             display_list = [
@@ -4085,12 +4082,12 @@ def get_encoding(stream):
                 continue
             write_debug(f'{plugin_type} Plugins: {", ".join(sorted(display_list))}')
 
-        if not plugins_enabled.value:
+        if not plugin_dirs.value:
             write_debug('Plugins are disabled')
-
+        else:
-        plugin_dirs = plugin_directories()
+            loaded_plugin_directories = plugin_directories()
-        if plugin_dirs and plugins_enabled.value:
+            if loaded_plugin_directories:
-            write_debug(f'Plugin directories: {plugin_dirs}')
+                write_debug(f'Plugin directories: {loaded_plugin_directories}')
 
     @functools.cached_property
     def proxies(self):

yt_dlp/__init__.py

@@ -430,11 +430,9 @@ def metadataparser_actions(f):
     }
 
     # Other options
-    opts.plugin_dirs = opts.plugin_dirs or []
+    opts.plugin_dirs = opts.plugin_dirs
-    if 'no-external' not in opts.plugin_dirs:
+    if opts.plugin_dirs is None:
-        opts.plugin_dirs.append('external')
+        opts.plugin_dirs = ['default']
-    else:
-        opts.plugin_dirs.remove('no-external')
 
     if opts.playlist_items is not None:
         try:
@@ -993,11 +991,6 @@ def _real_main(argv=None):
     # load all plugins into the global lookup
     _set_plugin_dirs(*opts.plugin_dirs)
 
-    if not opts.plugins_enabled:
-        _disable_plugins()
-    else:
-        _load_all_plugins()
-
     with YoutubeDL(ydl_opts) as ydl:
         pre_process = opts.update_self or opts.rm_cachedir
         actual_use = all_urls or opts.load_info_filename

yt_dlp/_globals.py

@@ -21,8 +21,7 @@ def __repr__(self, /):
 # Plugins
 plugin_specs = Indirect({})
 all_plugins_loaded = Indirect(False)
-plugins_enabled = Indirect(True)
+plugin_dirs = Indirect(['default'])
-plugin_dirs = Indirect(['external'])
 plugin_ies = Indirect({})
 plugin_overrides = Indirect(defaultdict(list))
 plugin_pps = Indirect({})

yt_dlp/options.py

@@ -415,13 +415,12 @@ def _alias_callback(option, opt_str, value, parser, opts, nargs):
         action='append',
         help=(
             'Path to an additional directory to search for plugins. '
-            'This option can be used multiple times to add multiple directories. '
+            'This option can be used multiple times to add multiple directories. '))
-            'Add "no-external" to disable searching default external plugin directories (outside of python environment)'))
     general.add_option(
         '--no-plugins',
-        dest='plugins_enabled',
+        dest='plugin_dirs',
-        action='store_false',
+        action='store_const',
-        default=True,
+        const=[],
         help='Do not load plugins')
     general.add_option(
         '--flat-playlist',

yt_dlp/plugins.py

@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
     plugin_dirs,
     all_plugins_loaded,
     plugin_specs,
-    plugins_enabled,
     Indirect,
 )
 
@@ -82,7 +81,7 @@ def dirs_in_zip(archive):
     return ()
 
 
-def external_plugin_paths():
+def default_plugin_paths():
     def _get_package_paths(*root_paths, containing_folder):
         for config_dir in orderedSet(map(Path, root_paths), lazy=True):
             # We need to filter the base path added when running __main__.py directly
@@ -141,7 +140,7 @@ def __init__(self, *packages):
     def search_locations(self, fullname):
 
         candidate_locations = itertools.chain.from_iterable(
-            external_plugin_paths() if candidate == 'external' else candidate_plugin_paths(candidate)
+            default_plugin_paths() if candidate == 'default' else candidate_plugin_paths(candidate)
             for candidate in plugin_dirs.value
         )
 
@@ -158,7 +157,7 @@ def search_locations(self, fullname):
                 write_string(f'Permission error while accessing modules in "{e.filename}"\n')
 
     def find_spec(self, fullname, path=None, target=None):
-        if not plugins_enabled.value:
+        if not plugin_dirs.value:
             return None
 
         if fullname not in self.packages:
@@ -206,7 +205,7 @@ def get_regular_classes(module, module_name, suffix):
 def load_plugins(plugin_spec: PluginSpec):
     name, suffix = plugin_spec.module_name, plugin_spec.suffix
     regular_classes = {}
-    if os.environ.get('YTDLP_NO_PLUGINS') or plugins_enabled.value is False:
+    if os.environ.get('YTDLP_NO_PLUGINS') or len(plugin_dirs.value) == 0:
         return regular_classes
 
     for finder, module_name, _ in iter_modules(name):
@@ -233,7 +232,7 @@ def load_plugins(plugin_spec: PluginSpec):
     # Compat: old plugin system using __init__.py
     # Note: plugins imported this way do not show up in directories()
     # nor are considered part of the yt_dlp_plugins namespace package
-    if 'external' in plugin_dirs.value:
+    if 'default' in plugin_dirs.value:
         with contextlib.suppress(FileNotFoundError):
             spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(
                 name,
@@ -287,4 +286,4 @@ def disable_plugins():
         # note: we can't detect all cases when plugins are loaded (e.g. if spec isn't registered)
         raise YoutubeDLError('Plugins have already been loaded. Cannot disable plugins after loading plugins.')
 
-    plugins_enabled.value = False
+    plugin_dirs.value = []