beetbox/beets

docs: Identify and clean up references to broken or unmaintained plugins

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#5780 opened on May 13, 2025

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 (3 comments) (6 reactions) (0 assignees)Python (12,133 stars) (1,837 forks)batch import
discussiondocsgood first issue

Description

There are currently several plugins referenced in the documentation and ecosystem that appear to be outdated, unmaintained, or no longer functional. This makes it harder for users to find reliable tools and contributes to confusion about what's actively supported.

Objective

We should audit the list of known plugins (in the docs) and identify:

  • Plugins that are broken or no longer work with current Beets versions
  • Plugins that are no longer maintained (e.g., stale repos, no recent commits/issues)
  • Any links in the docs or plugin lists that are dead or outdated
  • The sidebar of the plugins in the docs is way to long! We should put them into the same categories as in the main page.

This issue was prompted by #5779 noting that some plugins, while historically useful (like beets-copyartifacts), may no longer be actively supported or even working with the current beets version.

Contributor guide

Tech stack
python
Domain
documentation
Issue type
documentation
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
2
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
half day
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
fresh
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
mostly clear
Prerequisites
basic beets knowledgefamiliarity with GitHubability to test plugin functionality
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
75
Research direction
Start by reviewing the existing plugin list in the documentation (likely in docs/plugins/). For each plugin, check its repository URL, last commit date, and whether it works with the current beets version. Document broken links and unmaintained plugins. Also consider reorganizing the sidebar categories to match the main page as suggested. Discuss findings in the issue comments.