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Build, package, and validate your first Vesty plugin from the current source.

Vesty is currently distributed as source. The framework crates, vesty-plugin-ui npm package, and prebuilt CLI releases have not yet been published. Use the checkout workflow below; the release installer and registry-only dependencies are for a future published release.

Requirements

  • Rust 1.95+ and your platform's native linker/toolchain (Xcode command line tools on macOS, MSVC Build Tools on Windows, or a C/C++ toolchain on Linux).
  • Git, and a VST3 host for the eventual DAW test.
  • Node.js 24+ and npm only for a Web UI.
  • UI builds use the system WebView: WKWebView on macOS, WebView2 on Windows, and WebKitGTK 4.1 on Linux. On Debian/Ubuntu install build-essential libgtk-3-dev libwebkit2gtk-4.1-dev libxdo-dev pkg-config. Headless templates do not enable the WebView backend.

1. Install the CLI from source

Run this in the directory where you keep development checkouts:

Bash
git clone https://github.com/backrunner/vesty.git vesty-sourcecd vesty-sourceexport VESTY_SOURCE="$PWD"cargo install --path crates/vesty-cli --lockedvesty --versionvesty doctorcd ..

In Windows PowerShell:

POWERSHELL
git clone https://github.com/backrunner/vesty.git vesty-sourceSet-Location vesty-source$env:VESTY_SOURCE = (Get-Location).Pathcargo install --path crates/vesty-cli --lockedvesty --versionvesty doctorSet-Location ..

Cargo installs the executable into its bin directory (normally ~/.cargo/bin); ensure that directory is on PATH. Some doctor checks concern optional validator, UI, or signing tools, so only install the tools required for your current workflow.

Keep the source checkout: generated projects depend on its absolute path. Record git -C "$VESTY_SOURCE" rev-parse HEAD alongside your project and retain Cargo/npm lockfiles to reproduce a build. Reinstall the CLI from the same checkout when upgrading it. In a new terminal, set VESTY_SOURCE again to that checkout's absolute path.

2. Create a headless effect

The following commands use a POSIX shell (macOS/Linux):

Bash
vesty templatesvesty new my-plugin --template gain --vesty-path "$VESTY_SOURCE/crates/vesty"cd my-plugincargo testvesty param-manifest --specs params.specs.json --out vesty-parameters.json --checkvesty build --config vesty.toml

For PowerShell, use --vesty-path "$env:VESTY_SOURCE/crates/vesty"; the other commands are the same.

The CLI creates a standalone Cargo project, Rust implementation, vesty.toml, parameter specifications, and a stable parameter manifest. The gain starter enables only vst3-bindings, processes gain automation at sample offsets, and needs no Node.js or WebView. The complete plugin tutorial adds DSP tests and bypass.

3. Package and validate

Choose the command matching the machine on which you built the plugin:

Bash
# macOSvesty package --config vesty.toml --platform macos --binary target/release/libmy_plugin.dylib# Linuxvesty package --config vesty.toml --platform linux --binary target/release/libmy_plugin.so# Windows (PowerShell)vesty package --config vesty.toml --platform windows --binary target/release/my_plugin.dll

Then:

Bash
vesty validate target/vesty/my-plugin.vst3 --static-only --strict

This checks the bundle, metadata, exports, and manifest. It does not run a DAW or Steinberg's validator. Follow Packaging and Release evidence for host installation, validator runs, and platform release checks.

4. Start with a Web UI

First build the local bridge package from the same checkout, then create a separate plugin. Run from the parent directory of my-plugin:

Bash
npm ci --prefix "$VESTY_SOURCE"npm run build --prefix "$VESTY_SOURCE"vesty new my-plugin-ui --template svelte-ui-param-demo \  --vesty-path "$VESTY_SOURCE/crates/vesty" \  --plugin-ui-path "$VESTY_SOURCE/packages/plugin-ui"cd my-plugin-uinpm install --prefix uinpm run typecheck --prefix uinpm run build --prefix uivesty build --config vesty.toml

PowerShell uses $env:VESTY_SOURCE and a backtick instead of \ for multiline commands; you can also put each command on one line.

The source override produces a local file: dependency for vesty-plugin-ui; building the SDK first supplies its compiled exports. Run npm run dev --prefix ui in one terminal and vesty dev --config vesty.toml in another. Open the plugin in a host to exercise the real bridge; a browser preview alone does not provide host parameter state. vesty build runs the configured UI build. Run it before vesty package, which copies the existing dist assets.

TemplateKindEditor
gainEffectNone
midi-synthMonophonic instrumentNone
web-ui-param-demoEffectReact
vanilla-ui-param-demoEffectTypeScript
vue-ui-param-demoEffectVue
svelte-ui-param-demoEffectSvelte
web-ui-instrumentMonophonic instrumentReact

Without --template, the CLI defaults to a React effect. While using unreleased source, always supply --vesty-path, plus --plugin-ui-path for a UI template. Otherwise the generated project requests unavailable registry packages.

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