Plugins: Remove externalCorePlugins feature toggle (#108386)

remove externalCorePlugins feature toggle

docs/sources/datasources/testdata/_index.md

@@ -126,13 +126,9 @@ This feature is experimental and requires Grafana version 10.3.0 or later.
 
 If you want to use a version of TestData different from the one shipped with Grafana, follow these steps:
 
-1. Enable the [feature toggle](https://grafana.com/docs/grafana/latest/setup-grafana/configure-grafana/feature-toggles/) `externalCorePlugins`.
 1. Set the configuration field `as_external` for the plugin to `true`. An example configuration would be:
 
    ```ini
-   [feature_toggles]
-   externalCorePlugins = true
-
    [plugin.grafana-testdata-datasource]
    as_external = true
    ```

docs/sources/setup-grafana/configure-grafana/_index.md

@@ -2655,8 +2655,6 @@ If `true`, propagate the tracing context to the plugin backend and enable tracin
 
 Load an external version of a core plugin if it has been installed.
 
-Experimental. Requires the feature toggle `externalCorePlugins` to be enabled.
-
 <hr>
 
 ### `[plugin.grafana-image-renderer]`

docs/sources/setup-grafana/configure-grafana/feature-toggles/index.md

@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ Most [generally available](https://grafana.com/docs/release-life-cycle/#general-
 | `transformationsRedesign`              | Enables the transformations redesign                                                                                                                          | Yes                |
 | `awsAsyncQueryCaching`                 | Enable caching for async queries for Redshift and Athena. Requires that the datasource has caching and async query support enabled                            | Yes                |
 | `dashgpt`                              | Enable AI powered features in dashboards                                                                                                                      | Yes                |
-| `externalCorePlugins`                  | Allow core plugins to be loaded as external                                                                                                                   | Yes                |
 | `panelMonitoring`                      | Enables panel monitoring through logs and measurements                                                                                                        | Yes                |
 | `formatString`                         | Enable format string transformer                                                                                                                              | Yes                |
 | `kubernetesClientDashboardsFolders`    | Route the folder and dashboard service requests to k8s                                                                                                        | Yes                |

packages/grafana-data/src/types/featureToggles.gen.ts

@@ -257,11 +257,6 @@ export interface FeatureToggles {
   */
   lokiRunQueriesInParallel?: boolean;
   /**
-  * Allow core plugins to be loaded as external
-  * @default true
-  */
-  externalCorePlugins?: boolean;
-  /**
   * Automatic service account and token setup for plugins
   */
   externalServiceAccounts?: boolean;

pkg/plugins/config/config.go

@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ type PluginManagementCfg struct {
 
 // Features contains the feature toggles used for the plugin management system.
 type Features struct {
-	ExternalCorePluginsEnabled  bool
 	SkipHostEnvVarsEnabled      bool
 	SriChecksEnabled            bool
 	PluginsCDNSyncLoaderEnabled bool

pkg/services/featuremgmt/registry.go

@@ -420,13 +420,6 @@ var (
 			FrontendOnly: false,
 			Owner:        grafanaObservabilityLogsSquad,
 		},
-		{
-			Name:        "externalCorePlugins",
-			Description: "Allow core plugins to be loaded as external",
-			Stage:       FeatureStageGeneralAvailability,
-			Owner:       grafanaPluginsPlatformSquad,
-			Expression:  "true", // enabled by default
-		},
 		{
 			Name:              "externalServiceAccounts",
 			Description:       "Automatic service account and token setup for plugins",

pkg/services/featuremgmt/toggles_gen.csv

@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@ aiGeneratedDashboardChanges,experimental,@grafana/dashboards-squad,false,false,t
 reportingRetries,preview,@grafana/grafana-operator-experience-squad,false,true,false
 sseGroupByDatasource,experimental,@grafana/observability-metrics,false,false,false
 lokiRunQueriesInParallel,privatePreview,@grafana/observability-logs,false,false,false
-externalCorePlugins,GA,@grafana/plugins-platform-backend,false,false,false
 externalServiceAccounts,preview,@grafana/identity-access-team,false,false,false
 panelMonitoring,GA,@grafana/dataviz-squad,false,false,true
 enableNativeHTTPHistogram,experimental,@grafana/grafana-backend-services-squad,false,true,false

pkg/services/featuremgmt/toggles_gen.go

@@ -227,10 +227,6 @@ const (
 	// Enables running Loki queries in parallel
 	FlagLokiRunQueriesInParallel = "lokiRunQueriesInParallel"
 
-	// FlagExternalCorePlugins
-	// Allow core plugins to be loaded as external
-	FlagExternalCorePlugins = "externalCorePlugins"
-
 	// FlagExternalServiceAccounts
 	// Automatic service account and token setup for plugins
 	FlagExternalServiceAccounts = "externalServiceAccounts"

pkg/services/featuremgmt/toggles_gen.json

@@ -1250,7 +1250,8 @@
       "metadata": {
         "name": "externalCorePlugins",
         "resourceVersion": "1750434297879",
-        "creationTimestamp": "2023-09-22T08:50:13Z"
+        "creationTimestamp": "2023-09-22T08:50:13Z",
+        "deletionTimestamp": "2025-07-21T09:49:02Z"
       },
       "spec": {
         "description": "Allow core plugins to be loaded as external",

pkg/services/pluginsintegration/pipeline/steps.go

@@ -223,10 +223,6 @@ func NewAsExternalStep(cfg *config.PluginManagementCfg) *AsExternal {
 
 // Filter will filter out any plugins that are marked to be disabled.
 func (c *AsExternal) Filter(cl plugins.Class, bundles []*plugins.FoundBundle) ([]*plugins.FoundBundle, error) {
-	if !c.cfg.Features.ExternalCorePluginsEnabled {
-		return bundles, nil
-	}
-
 	if cl == plugins.ClassCore {
 		res := []*plugins.FoundBundle{}
 		for _, bundle := range bundles {

pkg/services/pluginsintegration/pipeline/steps_test.go

@@ -68,9 +68,6 @@ func TestAsExternal(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Run("should skip a core plugin", func(t *testing.T) {
 		cfg := &config.PluginManagementCfg{
-			Features: config.Features{
-				ExternalCorePluginsEnabled: true,
-			},
 			PluginSettings: setting.PluginSettings{
 				"plugin1": map[string]string{
 					"as_external": "true",

pkg/services/pluginsintegration/pluginconfig/config.go

@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ func ProvidePluginManagementConfig(cfg *setting.Cfg, settingProvider setting.Pro
 		cfg.PluginsCDNURLTemplate,
 		cfg.AppURL,
 		config.Features{
-			ExternalCorePluginsEnabled:  features.IsEnabledGlobally(featuremgmt.FlagExternalCorePlugins),
 			SkipHostEnvVarsEnabled:      features.IsEnabledGlobally(featuremgmt.FlagPluginsSkipHostEnvVars),
 			SriChecksEnabled:            features.IsEnabledGlobally(featuremgmt.FlagPluginsSriChecks),
 			PluginsCDNSyncLoaderEnabled: features.IsEnabledGlobally(featuremgmt.FlagPluginsCDNSyncLoader),