If you are running JMeter in a Docker container or a CI/CD pipeline (like Jenkins or GitHub Actions), you cannot use the GUI. You must install plugins via the command line.
Master Your JMeter Workflow: The Ultimate Guide to the Plugins Manager
Remove what you don't need without leaving "ghost" files behind. How to Install the Plugins Manager plugin manager jmeter
It identifies and installs the libraries a plugin needs to function.
This lists all plugins you don't have but can download. If you are running JMeter in a Docker
When you open the Plugins Manager, you will see a tabbed interface.
In the "old days," installing a plugin meant downloading a ZIP file, hunting down the correct /lib/ext directory, moving files manually, and restarting JMeter—only to find out you missed a dependency. The changes everything by providing: How to Install the Plugins Manager It identifies
The Plugins Manager needs internet access to fetch the repository list. You are likely behind a corporate proxy. Solution: You need to pass proxy parameters to JMeter. You can edit the system.properties file in JMeter's bin folder:
This is the "App Store" of JMeter. You can search for specific tools—like the "Dummy Sampler" or "Custom Thread Groups"—and see a brief description and a link to the documentation before you hit install. 3. Upgrades