OnSeptember 15, 2026, all Cloud Composer 1 versions and versions 2.0.x of Cloud Composer 2 willreach their planned end of life. You will not be able to use environments with these versions. We recommend planningmigration to Cloud Composer 3. Cloud Composer 2 versions 2.1.x and later are still supported and are not impacted by this change.
This page describes how to install custom plugins in your Cloud Composer
environment.
Apache Airflow's plugin manager allows you to write custom in-house
Apache Airflow operators, hooks, sensors, or interfaces.
For more information, seecustom pluginsin the Airflow documentation.
About custom plugins
When you create an environment, Cloud Composercreates a Cloud Storage bucketand associates this
bucket with your environment. You use thepluginsfolder in your
environment's bucket to install custom plugins.
Before you begin
Your accountmust have a rolethat allows viewing and
modifying your environment's bucket contents.
This installation method applies only toAirflow plugins. For example, you
cannot use this method to install common Python modules or other libraries.
LOCATIONwith the region where the environment is located.
PATH_TO_LOCAL_FILEwith the path of the file to upload.
(Optional)PATH_IN_SUBFOLDERwith the subfolder path. Use
the--destinationargument to upload a plugin to a subfolder in
thepluginsfolder. Otherwise, omit the--destinationargument.
View the list of plugins
Console
In the Google Cloud console, go to theEnvironmentspage.
LOCATIONwith the region where the environment is located.
PATH_TO_LOCAL_DESTINATIONwith the destination for downloaded file.
(Optional)--sourceis an option to download only one plugin.PATH_IN_FOLDERis the folder path.
Troubleshoot plugin issues
A newly-uploaded plugin is not visible in Airflow UI
If you useAirflow UI Access Controlthen the newly
uploaded plugin might not be visible in Airflow UI. To address this issue, ask
Airflow UI Administrator to configure access to the newly uploaded plugin or
assign yourself theAdminrole in Airflow UI.
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Hard to understand","hardToUnderstand","thumb-down"],["Incorrect information or sample code","incorrectInformationOrSampleCode","thumb-down"],["Missing the information/samples I need","missingTheInformationSamplesINeed","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-09-05 UTC."],[[["\u003cp\u003eCloud Composer environments utilize a \u003ccode\u003eplugins\u003c/code\u003e folder within their associated Cloud Storage bucket for the installation of custom Apache Airflow plugins.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eInstalling a plugin requires copying the plugin code to the \u003ccode\u003eplugins\u003c/code\u003e folder via either the Google Cloud console or the \u003ccode\u003egcloud\u003c/code\u003e command-line tool.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003ePlugins are not reloaded after they are initially loaded, except for UI plugins in the web server, meaning you may need to manually restart the web server or scheduler process.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003ePlugins can be removed from a Cloud Composer environment by deleting the corresponding plugin files from the \u003ccode\u003eplugins\u003c/code\u003e folder, and they can also be downloaded locally using the \u003ccode\u003egcloud\u003c/code\u003e command or the Google Cloud Console.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eTo resolve the visibility of new plugins in the Airflow UI, it is necessary to either configure the access to them by an admin or assign yourself the \u003ccode\u003eAdmin\u003c/code\u003e role in Airflow UI if you are using Airflow UI Access Control.\u003c/p\u003e\n"]]],[],null,["\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n\n[Cloud Composer 3](/composer/docs/composer-3/install-plugins \"View this page for Cloud Composer 3\") \\| **Cloud Composer 2** \\| [Cloud Composer 1](/composer/docs/composer-1/install-plugins \"View this page for Cloud Composer 1\")\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\nThis page describes how to install custom plugins in your Cloud Composer\nenvironment.\n\nApache Airflow's plugin manager allows you to write custom in-house\nApache Airflow operators, hooks, sensors, or interfaces.\nFor more information, see [custom plugins](https://airflow.apache.org/docs/apache-airflow/stable/authoring-and-scheduling/plugins.html)\nin the Airflow documentation.\n\nAbout custom plugins\n\nWhen you create an environment, Cloud Composer\n[creates a Cloud Storage bucket](/composer/docs/composer-2/cloud-storage) and associates this\nbucket with your environment. You use the `plugins` folder in your\nenvironment's bucket to install custom plugins.\n\nBefore you begin\n\n- Your account [must have a role](/composer/docs/composer-2/access-control#user-account) that allows viewing and modifying your environment's bucket contents.\n- This installation method applies only to [Airflow plugins](https://airflow.apache.org/docs/apache-airflow/stable/authoring-and-scheduling/plugins.html). For example, you cannot use this method to install common Python modules or other libraries.\n- Plugins must conform to the [Airflow plugins template](https://airflow.apache.org/docs/apache-airflow/stable/authoring-and-scheduling/plugins.html#example) guidelines.\n\nInstall a plugin\n\nTo install a custom plugin into your Cloud Composer environment,\ncopy the plugin code to the `plugins` folder in your environment's bucket.\n| **Note:** After the plugins are loaded, they are never reloaded, except the UI plugins in the web server. You might need to restart the web server or the scheduler processes manually. Otherwise, a scheduler only restarts after the [`[scheduler]num_runs`](https://airflow.apache.org/docs/apache-airflow/stable/configurations-ref.html#num-runs), which is set to 5000 by default.\n\nTo install a plugin: \n\nConsole\n\n1. In the Google Cloud console, go to the **Environments** page.\n\n [Go to Environments](https://console.cloud.google.com/composer/environments)\n2. Find your environment and follow the **DAGs** link.\n\n3. Go one folder level up, then navigate to the `plugins/` folder.\n\n4. Upload your plugin files. For more information about uploading objects,\n see [Uploading objects](/storage/docs/uploading-objects).\n\ngcloud\n\nUse the following `gcloud` command: \n\n gcloud composer environments storage plugins import \\\n --environment \u003cvar translate=\"no\"\u003eENVIRONMENT_NAME\u003c/var\u003e \\\n --location \u003cvar translate=\"no\"\u003eLOCATION\u003c/var\u003e \\\n --source \u003cvar translate=\"no\"\u003ePATH_TO_LOCAL_FILE\u003c/var\u003e \\\n --destination \u003cvar translate=\"no\"\u003ePATH_IN_SUBFOLDER\u003c/var\u003e\n\nReplace:\n\n- `ENVIRONMENT_NAME` with the name of the environment.\n- `LOCATION` with the region where the environment is located.\n- `PATH_TO_LOCAL_FILE` with the path of the file to upload.\n- (Optional) `PATH_IN_SUBFOLDER` with the subfolder path. Use the `--destination` argument to upload a plugin to a subfolder in the `plugins` folder. Otherwise, omit the `--destination` argument.\n\nView the list of plugins \n\nConsole\n\n1. In the Google Cloud console, go to the **Environments** page.\n\n [Go to Environments](https://console.cloud.google.com/composer/environments)\n2. Find your environment and follow the **DAGs** link.\n\n3. Go one folder level up, then navigate to the `plugins/` folder.\n\n4. View the plugin files.\n\ngcloud\n\nUse the following `gcloud` command: \n\n gcloud composer environments storage plugins list \\\n --environment \u003cvar translate=\"no\"\u003eENVIRONMENT_NAME\u003c/var\u003e \\\n --location \u003cvar translate=\"no\"\u003eLOCATION\u003c/var\u003e\n\nReplace:\n\n- `ENVIRONMENT_NAME` with the name of the environment.\n- `LOCATION` with the region where the environment is located.\n\nDelete a plugin\n\nTo delete a plugin from your Cloud Composer environment,\ndelete the plugin code from the `plugins` folder in the environment's bucket.\n\nTo delete a plugin: \n\nConsole\n\n1. In the Google Cloud console, go to the **Environments** page.\n\n [Go to Environments](https://console.cloud.google.com/composer/environments)\n2. Find your environment and follow the **DAGs** link.\n\n3. Go one folder level up, then navigate to the `plugins/` folder.\n\n4. Delete the plugin files. For more information about deleting objects,\n see [Deleting objects](/storage/docs/deleting-objects).\n\ngcloud\n\nUse the following `gcloud` command: \n\n gcloud composer environments storage plugins delete \\\n --environment \u003cvar translate=\"no\"\u003eENVIRONMENT_NAME\u003c/var\u003e \\\n --location \u003cvar translate=\"no\"\u003eLOCATION\u003c/var\u003e \\\n \u003cvar translate=\"no\"\u003ePLUGIN_TO_DELETE\u003c/var\u003e\n\nDownload plugins\n\nTo download plugins, choose an option: \n\nConsole\n\n1. In the Google Cloud console, go to the **Environments** page.\n\n [Go to Environments](https://console.cloud.google.com/composer/environments)\n2. Find your environment and follow the **DAGs** link.\n\n3. Go one folder level up, then navigate to the `plugins/` folder.\n\n4. Download the plugin files. For more information about deleting objects,\n see [Downloading objects](/storage/docs/downloading-objects).\n\ngcloud\n\nUse the following `gcloud` command: \n\n gcloud composer environments storage plugins export \\\n --environment \u003cvar translate=\"no\"\u003eENVIRONMENT_NAME\u003c/var\u003e \\\n --location \u003cvar translate=\"no\"\u003eLOCATION\u003c/var\u003e \\\n --destination \u003cvar translate=\"no\"\u003ePATH_TO_LOCAL_DESTINATION\u003c/var\u003e \\\n --source \u003cvar translate=\"no\"\u003ePATH_IN_FOLDER\u003c/var\u003e\n\nReplace:\n\n- `ENVIRONMENT_NAME` with the name of the environment.\n- `LOCATION` with the region where the environment is located.\n- `PATH_TO_LOCAL_DESTINATION` with the destination for downloaded file.\n- (Optional) `--source` is an option to download only one plugin. `PATH_IN_FOLDER` is the folder path.\n\nTroubleshoot plugin issues\n\nA newly-uploaded plugin is not visible in Airflow UI\n\nIf you use [Airflow UI Access Control](/composer/docs/composer-2/airflow-rbac) then the newly\nuploaded plugin might not be visible in Airflow UI. To address this issue, ask\nAirflow UI Administrator to configure access to the newly uploaded plugin or\nassign yourself the `Admin` role in Airflow UI.\n\nWhat's next\n\n- [Data stored in Cloud Storage](/composer/docs/composer-2/cloud-storage)\n- [Manage DAGs](/composer/docs/composer-2/manage-dags)"]]
