How to install plugin for Eclipse from .zip

1.makesure your .zip file is an valid Eclipse Plugin

Note:

  1. that means: your .zip file contains folders features and plugins, like this:enter image description here
  2. for new version Eclipse Plugin, it may also include another two files content.jar, artifacts.jar, example:enter image description here

but this is not important for the plugin,

the most important is the folders features and plugins

which contains the necessary xxx.jar,

for example: enter image description here

2.for valid Eclipse Plugin .zip file, you have two methods to install it

(1) auto install

Help -> Install New Software -> Add -> Archive

then choose your .zip file

example:

enter image description here

(2) manual install

  1. uncompress .zip file -> got folders features and plugins
  2. copy them into the root folder of Eclipse, which already contains features and plugins
  3. restart Eclipse, then you can see your installed plugin's settings in Window -> Preferences enter image description here

for more detailed explanation, can refer my post (written in Chinese):

Summary methods of install Eclipse Plugin from .zip


It depends on what the zip contains. Take a look to see if it got content.jar and artifacts.jar. If it does, it is an archived updated site. Install from it the same way as you install from a remote site.

If the zip doesn't contain content.jar and artifacts.jar, go to your Eclipse install's dropins directory, create a subfolder (name doesn't matter) and expand your zip into that folder. Restart Eclipse.