An add-on is a separately installed component that provides Confluence functionality. The terms 'plugin' and 'add-on' are often used interchangeably. 

There are two main types of add-ons:

• System add-ons - these are bundled with Confluence and provide core functionality 
• User installed add-ons - these are usually downloaded from The Marketplace and may have been created by Atlassian or by a third party developer. 

 For information about developing your own add-ons for Confluence, see the Confluence Developer documentation.

About the Universal Plugin Manager

Add-ons are managed via the Universal Plugin Manager (known as the UPM).  The UPM can be found in most Atlassian applications, and provides a consistent experience for administering add-ons.  

The UPM  allows you to:

• Discover and install new add-ons from the Atlassian Marketplace.
• Install or remove add-ons.
• Configure add-on settings.
• Enable or disable add-ons and their component modules.
• Confirm add-on compatibility before upgrading Confluence. 

You'll need Confluence Administrator permissions to access the UPM.  See Request Add-ons for information on how users can find and request add-ons. 

See the Universal Plugin Manager documentation for more information on using the UPM.