Sketch releases Plugin Host v2 with native ML ops and dataset management

Design · 4 min read

Sketch announced Plugin Host v2, a major upgrade for plugin developers that adds native ML ops, dataset management, and model lifecycle hooks. Plugin authors can now register datasets, version them, and run inference pipelines that either execute locally or call enterprise on-prem endpoints.

The upgrade aims to reduce friction for AI-powered features by standardizing how plugins request model outputs, cache results, and record provenance within Sketch files. It also includes UI primitives for consent flows and data minimization, addressing designers' concerns about sharing proprietary mocks with cloud services.

Early plugin developers praised the host's telemetry-free mode and straightforward dataset API, reporting faster iteration cycles and improved reproducibility for generated assets. Sketch plans to provide sample plugins for common tasks like auto-layout, token generation, and content-aware image fills.