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Often I find myself working with my Drupal sites to install add-on modules in order to add some functionality I need or want. In the past the way I did this was by first downloading the module I wanted to my local computer, unzipping it, and then uploading it to my web server that hosts  my Drupal site.

Plugin Manger makes this so much easier! In short once you download and install the Plugin Manager module you will then be able to use it to download and install any other Drupal modules directly to your server. No need to first download them to your local computer or anywhere else. This tutorial will show you exactly how.

Step 1) Download Plugin Manager and install it.

You will be able to find the plugin manager here: Plugin Manager Module Page). Once you have it downloaded, unzip it, and upload it to your server: under the /sites/all/modules/ folder (this will be the last time you will ever have to do this).

Then go to the your modules page (http://yoursite.com/admin/build/modules/list)  and check the Enabled box next to the Plugin Manager module (it is under the Administration Category) . This will enable Plugin Manger.

Step 2) Plugin Manager Search Capabilities

Under your Admin menu you should now see a new link labeld “Plugin Manager”.

Under that is a link to Search (http://yoursite.com/admin/plugin_manager/search). Now you can either expand a category and browse all of the modules or you can use the search feature to hunt down a module you are looking for.

To try this out lets select the Agreement module. Click the Add button next to it.

Now at the top of the screen (just below the search bar) you will see Install Queue (1). And beside that you will see a button that says Install Queued Plugins. Click that button.

Step 3) Install Queued Modules

If you aren’t already there, navigate to the Admin, Plugin Manager, Install area (http://yoursite.com/admin/plugin_manager/install). The Installation method should be ftp. You can probably leave your hostname as localhost. Although if you need to you can change that to your ftp site name. Use the username and password you use when you FTP modules up to your site.

Once everything is set up click the Install button and you should see it download the module and add it install it to your server. Now all you need to do is go back to the modules list page and enabled it.

Step 4) Bonus: Resolve Dependencies

A great bonus feature of Plugin Manager is that when you download a module that depends on another one it will show in the Resolve Dependencies section under the plug-in manager (http://yoursite.com/admin/plugin_manager/deps). You can go to this page and automatically download any of the dependant modules. Super slick and easy.