[Bug]: Typescript local plugin

[mydesweb]

Link to the documentation page or resource

https://docs.strapi.io/cms/plugins-development/create-a-plugin

Describe the bug

I followed the documentation to create a local TypeScript-only plugin, but I’m encountering a lot of issues, such as the following:

TS6142: Module ./components/PluginIcon was resolved to /path/to/cms/src/plugins/plugin-name/admin/src/components/PluginIcon.tsx
, but --jsx is not set.

TS2307: Cannot find module @strapi/strapi/admin or its corresponding type declarations.

Additional context

I removed all tsconfig.json files from the admin and server folders, as well as the package.json files inside the plugin. I then created strapi-server.ts and strapi-admin.ts at the plugin root level, which re-export admin/src/index.ts and server/src/index.ts.

Suggested improvements or fixes

It’s not clear how to configure a local TypeScript plugin. I just need a simple plugin to extend my project’s functionality—there’s no need to configure plugin devDependencies, run watch scripts, or build it separately. It should simply be part of my project.

Related issue(s)/PR(s)

No response

[github-actions]

🤖 I've analyzed your question and here's what I found:

Hey there! 👋 Thanks for taking the time to report this and for the detailed context — it's really helpful, and we appreciate your effort in the community!

Let me address what's happening here.

What's Going On

The approach you've taken — removing tsconfig.json and package.json files from the plugin and creating strapi-server.ts / strapi-admin.ts at the root — is actually the correct pattern for a local plugin in a monorepo-style setup without the Plugin SDK. [Plugin creation]

However, the TypeScript errors you're seeing (--jsx is not set, Cannot find module @strapi/strapi/admin) suggest a TypeScript configuration issue rather than a plugin structure issue.

Root Cause

When you removed the plugin's own tsconfig.json files, the plugin's TypeScript files (especially the admin .tsx files) are now being compiled by your project-level tsconfig.json. The project-level tsconfig.json typically:

1. Excludes src/plugins/** from compilation (see the default config below).
2. Does not have JSX configured, since the server-side config doesn't need it.

Here's the relevant excerpt from the recommended project-level tsconfig.json:

{
  "exclude": [
    "node_modules/",
    "build/",
    "dist/",
    ".cache/",
    ".tmp/",
    "src/admin/",
    "**/*.test.ts",
    "src/plugins/**"
  ]
}

[Adding TypeScript support]

And the ./src/admin/tsconfig.json is what handles admin-side (JSX) compilation:

{
  "extends": "@strapi/typescript-utils/tsconfigs/admin",
  "include": [
    "../plugins/**/admin/src/**/*",
    "./"
  ],
  "exclude": [
    "node_modules/",
    "build/",
    "dist/",
    "**/*.test.ts"
  ]
}

Notice that ../plugins/**/admin/src/**/* is included here — this is what picks up your plugin's admin TypeScript/TSX files and compiles them with the correct JSX settings.

Recommended Fix

Rather than removing the plugin's tsconfig.json files, make sure your project-level TypeScript config is set up correctly:

1. Ensure ./tsconfig.json at the project root excludes src/plugins/** (server-side compilation).
2. Ensure ./src/admin/tsconfig.json includes ../plugins/**/admin/src/**/* (admin/JSX compilation).
3. For the Cannot find module @strapi/strapi/admin error: make sure you are not adding @strapi/strapi as a dev dependency inside your plugin. Your plugin should rely on the same instance used by the main application. [Monorepo config]

Your Entry Point Files

Your strapi-admin.ts and strapi-server.ts approach is valid. The expected structure is: [Plugin creation]

strapi-server.ts:

module.exports = () => {
  return {
    register,
    config,
    controllers,
    contentTypes,
    routes,
  };
};

strapi-admin.ts:

export default {
  register(app) {},
  bootstrap() {},
  registerTrads({ locales }) {},
};

And register it in /config/plugins.ts:

export default ({ env }) => ({
  myplugin: {
    enabled: true,
    resolve: './src/plugins/my-local-plugin',
  },
});

---

This does look like it could be a documentation gap — the docs don't clearly explain how the project-level TypeScript config interacts with local plugins. I'm flagging @pwizla here in case this warrants a transfer to the strapi/strapi repository for a documentation improvement.

If you're still running into issues after trying the above, feel free to reach out on the Strapi Discord community where the team and community members can help in real time. You've got this! 💪

📚 Relevant documentation:

• Adding TypeScript support to existing Strapi projects
• Developing Strapi plugins
• Frequently Asked Questions - How to fix the build error Error: Cannot find module @strapi/XXX
• Plugin creation - Getting started with the Plugin SDK
• Plugin creation - Setting a local plugin in a monorepo environment without the Plugin SDK
• Plugin creation - Working with the Plugin SDK in a monorepo environment
• Plugin SDK reference
• Plugin structure
• Plugins configuration
• TypeScript configuration
• TypeScript development with Strapi
• TypeScript development with Strapi - Develop a plugin using TypeScript

---

ℹ️ This response was generated automatically. If this doesn't fully answer your question or if you need further assistance, please mention @pwizla in a comment and a human maintainer will help you.

You can also try our interactive AI chat for more detailed assistance.

💡 For feature requests or product feedback, visit feedback.strapi.io.

[mydesweb]

@pwizla I also followed the recommended fix, but with no success. Just create a fresh Strapi project, add a local-only TypeScript plugin inside it, and provide a GitHub example.

[pwizla]

Hi @mydesweb .
Thank you for your patience. After carefully considering the issue with the Engineering team at Strapi, it appears this is actually not exactly a docs problem but rather something that is not properly handled by Strapi's TypeScript implementation at the moment. Some engineers have been actively working on it for the past weeks, trying to understand and fix the problem. I'll keep you posted.

[unrevised6419]

I would like to point out that @strapi/strapi/admin entry is exported via package.json#exports, and if your tsconfig.json is not configured properly, those exports cannot be recognised.

Can you please provide a reproduction repository? And I will try to help you out.

I tried creating a new Strapi app, created a local plugin, and did not encounter any problems.