Open-Source Hookbridge Feedback: Hook-Focused Open Plugin Compatibility + Interop Profile Proposal

[REPOZY]

Hi Open Plugin Spec team,

I maintain Hookbridge (https://github.com/REPOZY/Hookbridge), an open-source, free tool focused on plugin hooks.

Hookbridge’s purpose is simple: define hook behavior once, then compile to host-specific plugin outputs (currently Claude Code + Codex), with explicit reporting when behavior cannot be translated 1:1.

I’m sharing implementation feedback from this real-world compiler because I think it can help improve Open Plugin interoperability while the spec is still evolving.

Why this might be useful to the spec

When you actually compile one source model into multiple host formats, you run into practical issues that are not obvious from syntax alone:

• Event names may match, but trigger timing/semantics often differ
• Some hook types exist on one host and not another
• “Equivalent” behavior sometimes requires shims or cannot be represented safely

From our side, this is exactly where authors get hurt, so we expose those gaps directly instead of failing silently.

What I’m exploring

I’m considering adding an Open Plugin compatibility target to Hookbridge in phases:

1. Emit vendor-neutral .plugin/plugin.json
2. Support hook-focused Open Plugin packaging paths/conventions
3. Keep host-specific outputs where needed for behavior fidelity
4. Avoid claiming full conformance until coverage is genuinely broad

Feedback I’d appreciate from maintainers

1. Does a hook-focused compatibility profile fit your intended direction?
2. Would a documented “portable hooks subset” be useful for plugin authors?
3. Would you accept reference fixtures/test cases from Hookbridge that show:
   • fully portable cases
   • partially portable cases
   • non-portable cases with rationale
4. Is Discussion-first the preferred contribution path before drafting PRs?

Offer to contribute

If helpful, I can share:

• concrete source schema examples
• generated Open Plugin + host-specific outputs side by side
• a portability matrix that distinguishes syntax compatibility from runtime semantic compatibility

I’m not looking to promote a proprietary product here. Hookbridge is open-source/free, and the goal is to contribute practical interoperability data to make the spec stronger for everyone.

Thank you for your time and honesty.
REPOZY