Plugin Extensions: Only load app plugins when necessary (#86624)

* feat(plugins): automatically preload plugins

This PR enables auto-preloading for plugins when they are used
by an extension or extension-point. Once this change is merged plugins
that were only using "preload: true" in their plugin.json for using extensions
can remove it.

* fix: remove unused types

* fix: call `setComponentsFromLegacyExports()` after meta is initialised

e2e/test-plugins/grafana-extensionstest-app/README.md

@@ -32,4 +32,4 @@ Note that this plugin extends the `@grafana/plugin-configs` configs which is why
 
 ## Run Playwright tests
 
-- `yarn playwright --project extensions-test-app`
+- `yarn playwright test --project extensions-test-app`

public/app/AppWrapper.tsx

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import { RouteDescriptor } from './core/navigation/types';
 import { ThemeProvider } from './core/utils/ConfigProvider';
 import { LiveConnectionWarning } from './features/live/LiveConnectionWarning';
 import { ExtensionRegistriesProvider } from './features/plugins/extensions/ExtensionRegistriesContext';
+import { pluginExtensionRegistries } from './features/plugins/extensions/registry/setup';
 import { ExperimentalSplitPaneRouterWrapper, RouterWrapper } from './routes/RoutesWrapper';
 
 interface AppWrapperProps {
@@ -104,7 +105,7 @@ export class AppWrapper extends Component<AppWrapperProps, AppWrapperState> {
                 <GlobalStyles />
                 <MaybeTimeRangeProvider>
                   <SidecarContext_EXPERIMENTAL.Provider value={sidecarServiceSingleton_EXPERIMENTAL}>
-                    <ExtensionRegistriesProvider registries={app.pluginExtensionsRegistries}>
+                    <ExtensionRegistriesProvider registries={pluginExtensionRegistries}>
                       <div className="grafana-app">
                         {config.featureToggles.appSidecar ? (
                           <ExperimentalSplitPaneRouterWrapper {...routerWrapperProps} />

public/app/app.ts

@@ -85,12 +85,12 @@ import { PanelDataErrorView } from './features/panel/components/PanelDataErrorVi
 import { PanelRenderer } from './features/panel/components/PanelRenderer';
 import { DatasourceSrv } from './features/plugins/datasource_srv';
 import { createPluginExtensionsGetter } from './features/plugins/extensions/getPluginExtensions';
-import { setupPluginExtensionRegistries } from './features/plugins/extensions/registry/setup';
-import { PluginExtensionRegistries } from './features/plugins/extensions/registry/types';
+import { pluginExtensionRegistries } from './features/plugins/extensions/registry/setup';
 import { usePluginComponent } from './features/plugins/extensions/usePluginComponent';
 import { usePluginComponents } from './features/plugins/extensions/usePluginComponents';
 import { createUsePluginExtensions } from './features/plugins/extensions/usePluginExtensions';
 import { usePluginLinks } from './features/plugins/extensions/usePluginLinks';
+import { getAppPluginsToAwait, getAppPluginsToPreload } from './features/plugins/extensions/utils';
 import { importPanelPlugin, syncGetPanelPlugin } from './features/plugins/importPanelPlugin';
 import { preloadPlugins } from './features/plugins/pluginPreloader';
 import { QueryRunner } from './features/query/state/QueryRunner';
@@ -127,7 +127,6 @@ if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development') {
 
 export class GrafanaApp {
   context!: GrafanaContextType;
-  pluginExtensionsRegistries!: PluginExtensionRegistries;
 
   async init() {
     try {
@@ -217,22 +216,16 @@ export class GrafanaApp {
       setDataSourceSrv(dataSourceSrv);
       initWindowRuntime();
 
-      // Initialize plugin extensions
-      this.pluginExtensionsRegistries = setupPluginExtensionRegistries();
-
       if (contextSrv.user.orgRole !== '') {
-        // The "cloud-home-app" is registering banners once it's loaded, and this can cause a rerender in the AppChrome if it's loaded after the Grafana app init.
-        // TODO: remove the following exception once the issue mentioned above is fixed.
-        const awaitedAppPluginIds = ['cloud-home-app'];
-        const awaitedAppPlugins = Object.values(config.apps).filter((app) => awaitedAppPluginIds.includes(app.id));
-        const appPlugins = Object.values(config.apps).filter((app) => !awaitedAppPluginIds.includes(app.id));
-
-        preloadPlugins(appPlugins, this.pluginExtensionsRegistries);
-        await preloadPlugins(awaitedAppPlugins, this.pluginExtensionsRegistries, 'frontend_awaited_plugins_preload');
+        const appPluginsToAwait = getAppPluginsToAwait();
+        const appPluginsToPreload = getAppPluginsToPreload();
+
+        preloadPlugins(appPluginsToPreload);
+        await preloadPlugins(appPluginsToAwait);
       }
 
-      setPluginExtensionGetter(createPluginExtensionsGetter(this.pluginExtensionsRegistries));
-      setPluginExtensionsHook(createUsePluginExtensions(this.pluginExtensionsRegistries));
+      setPluginExtensionGetter(createPluginExtensionsGetter(pluginExtensionRegistries));
+      setPluginExtensionsHook(createUsePluginExtensions(pluginExtensionRegistries));
       setPluginLinksHook(usePluginLinks);
       setPluginComponentHook(usePluginComponent);
       setPluginComponentsHook(usePluginComponents);

public/app/features/plugins/components/AppRootPage.test.tsx

@@ -11,7 +11,9 @@ import { contextSrv } from 'app/core/services/context_srv';
 import { Echo } from 'app/core/services/echo/Echo';
 
 import { ExtensionRegistriesProvider } from '../extensions/ExtensionRegistriesContext';
-import { setupPluginExtensionRegistries } from '../extensions/registry/setup';
+import { AddedComponentsRegistry } from '../extensions/registry/AddedComponentsRegistry';
+import { AddedLinksRegistry } from '../extensions/registry/AddedLinksRegistry';
+import { ExposedComponentsRegistry } from '../extensions/registry/ExposedComponentsRegistry';
 import { getPluginSettings } from '../pluginSettings';
 import { importAppPlugin } from '../plugin_loader';
 
@@ -86,7 +88,11 @@ function renderUnderRouter(page = '') {
 
   appPluginNavItem.parentItem = appsSection;
 
-  const registries = setupPluginExtensionRegistries();
+  const registries = {
+    addedComponentsRegistry: new AddedComponentsRegistry(),
+    exposedComponentsRegistry: new ExposedComponentsRegistry(),
+    addedLinksRegistry: new AddedLinksRegistry(),
+  };
   const pagePath = page ? `/${page}` : '';
   const route = {
     path: `/a/:pluginId/*`,

public/app/features/plugins/extensions/registry/setup.ts

@@ -5,17 +5,17 @@ import { AddedLinksRegistry } from './AddedLinksRegistry';
 import { ExposedComponentsRegistry } from './ExposedComponentsRegistry';
 import { PluginExtensionRegistries } from './types';
 
-export function setupPluginExtensionRegistries(): PluginExtensionRegistries {
-  const pluginExtensionsRegistries = {
-    addedComponentsRegistry: new AddedComponentsRegistry(),
-    exposedComponentsRegistry: new ExposedComponentsRegistry(),
-    addedLinksRegistry: new AddedLinksRegistry(),
-  };
+export const addedComponentsRegistry = new AddedComponentsRegistry();
+export const exposedComponentsRegistry = new ExposedComponentsRegistry();
+export const addedLinksRegistry = new AddedLinksRegistry();
+export const pluginExtensionRegistries: PluginExtensionRegistries = {
+  addedComponentsRegistry,
+  exposedComponentsRegistry,
+  addedLinksRegistry,
+};
 
-  pluginExtensionsRegistries.addedLinksRegistry.register({
-    pluginId: 'grafana',
-    configs: getCoreExtensionConfigurations(),
-  });
-
-  return pluginExtensionsRegistries;
-}
+// Registering core extensions
+addedLinksRegistry.register({
+  pluginId: 'grafana',
+  configs: getCoreExtensionConfigurations(),
+});

public/app/features/plugins/extensions/useLoadAppPlugins.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import { useAsync } from 'react-use';
+
+import { preloadPlugins } from '../pluginPreloader';
+
+import { getAppPluginConfigs } from './utils';
+
+export function useLoadAppPlugins(pluginIds: string[] = []): { isLoading: boolean } {
+  const { loading: isLoading } = useAsync(async () => {
+    const appConfigs = getAppPluginConfigs(pluginIds);
+
+    if (!appConfigs.length) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    await preloadPlugins(appConfigs);
+  });
+
+  return { isLoading };
+}

public/app/features/plugins/extensions/usePluginComponent.test.tsx

@@ -7,11 +7,15 @@ import { config } from '@grafana/runtime';
 import { ExtensionRegistriesProvider } from './ExtensionRegistriesContext';
 import { log } from './logs/log';
 import { resetLogMock } from './logs/testUtils';
-import { setupPluginExtensionRegistries } from './registry/setup';
+import { AddedComponentsRegistry } from './registry/AddedComponentsRegistry';
+import { AddedLinksRegistry } from './registry/AddedLinksRegistry';
+import { ExposedComponentsRegistry } from './registry/ExposedComponentsRegistry';
 import { PluginExtensionRegistries } from './registry/types';
+import { useLoadAppPlugins } from './useLoadAppPlugins';
 import { usePluginComponent } from './usePluginComponent';
 import { isGrafanaDevMode, wrapWithPluginContext } from './utils';
 
+jest.mock('./useLoadAppPlugins');
 jest.mock('app/features/plugins/pluginSettings', () => ({
   getPluginSettings: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue({
     id: 'my-app-plugin',
@@ -83,7 +87,12 @@ describe('usePluginComponent()', () => {
   };
 
   beforeEach(() => {
-    registries = setupPluginExtensionRegistries();
+    registries = {
+      addedComponentsRegistry: new AddedComponentsRegistry(),
+      exposedComponentsRegistry: new ExposedComponentsRegistry(),
+      addedLinksRegistry: new AddedLinksRegistry(),
+    };
+    jest.mocked(useLoadAppPlugins).mockReturnValue({ isLoading: false });
     jest.mocked(isGrafanaDevMode).mockReturnValue(false);
     resetLogMock(log);
 

public/app/features/plugins/extensions/usePluginComponent.tsx

@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@ import { UsePluginComponentResult } from '@grafana/runtime';
 import { useExposedComponentsRegistry } from './ExtensionRegistriesContext';
 import * as errors from './errors';
 import { log } from './logs/log';
-import { isGrafanaDevMode, wrapWithPluginContext } from './utils';
+import { useLoadAppPlugins } from './useLoadAppPlugins';
+import { getExposedComponentPluginDependencies, isGrafanaDevMode, wrapWithPluginContext } from './utils';
 import { isExposedComponentDependencyMissing } from './validators';
 
 // Returns a component exposed by a plugin.
@@ -16,11 +17,19 @@ export function usePluginComponent<Props extends object = {}>(id: string): UsePl
   const registry = useExposedComponentsRegistry();
   const registryState = useObservable(registry.asObservable());
   const pluginContext = usePluginContext();
+  const { isLoading: isLoadingAppPlugins } = useLoadAppPlugins(getExposedComponentPluginDependencies(id));
 
   return useMemo(() => {
     // For backwards compatibility we don't enable restrictions in production or when the hook is used in core Grafana.
     const enableRestrictions = isGrafanaDevMode() && pluginContext;
 
+    if (isLoadingAppPlugins) {
+      return {
+        isLoading: true,
+        component: null,
+      };
+    }
+
     if (!registryState?.[id]) {
       return {
         isLoading: false,
@@ -47,5 +56,5 @@ export function usePluginComponent<Props extends object = {}>(id: string): UsePl
       isLoading: false,
       component: wrapWithPluginContext(registryItem.pluginId, registryItem.component, componentLog),
     };
-  }, [id, pluginContext, registryState]);
+  }, [id, pluginContext, registryState, isLoadingAppPlugins]);
 }

public/app/features/plugins/extensions/usePluginComponents.test.tsx

@@ -6,11 +6,15 @@ import { PluginContextProvider, PluginMeta, PluginType } from '@grafana/data';
 import { ExtensionRegistriesProvider } from './ExtensionRegistriesContext';
 import { log } from './logs/log';
 import { resetLogMock } from './logs/testUtils';
-import { setupPluginExtensionRegistries } from './registry/setup';
+import { AddedComponentsRegistry } from './registry/AddedComponentsRegistry';
+import { AddedLinksRegistry } from './registry/AddedLinksRegistry';
+import { ExposedComponentsRegistry } from './registry/ExposedComponentsRegistry';
 import { PluginExtensionRegistries } from './registry/types';
+import { useLoadAppPlugins } from './useLoadAppPlugins';
 import { usePluginComponents } from './usePluginComponents';
 import { isGrafanaDevMode, wrapWithPluginContext } from './utils';
 
+jest.mock('./useLoadAppPlugins');
 jest.mock('app/features/plugins/pluginSettings', () => ({
   getPluginSettings: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue({
     id: 'my-app-plugin',
@@ -50,8 +54,14 @@ describe('usePluginComponents()', () => {
 
   beforeEach(() => {
     jest.mocked(isGrafanaDevMode).mockReturnValue(false);
+    jest.mocked(useLoadAppPlugins).mockReturnValue({ isLoading: false });
+
     resetLogMock(log);
-    registries = setupPluginExtensionRegistries();
+    registries = {
+      addedComponentsRegistry: new AddedComponentsRegistry(),
+      exposedComponentsRegistry: new ExposedComponentsRegistry(),
+      addedLinksRegistry: new AddedLinksRegistry(),
+    };
 
     jest.mocked(wrapWithPluginContext).mockClear();
 

public/app/features/plugins/extensions/usePluginComponents.tsx

@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ import {
 import { useAddedComponentsRegistry } from './ExtensionRegistriesContext';
 import * as errors from './errors';
 import { log } from './logs/log';
-import { isGrafanaDevMode } from './utils';
+import { useLoadAppPlugins } from './useLoadAppPlugins';
+import { getExtensionPointPluginDependencies, isGrafanaDevMode } from './utils';
 import { isExtensionPointIdValid, isExtensionPointMetaInfoMissing } from './validators';
 
 // Returns an array of component extensions for the given extension point
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ export function usePluginComponents<Props extends object = {}>({
   const registry = useAddedComponentsRegistry();
   const registryState = useObservable(registry.asObservable());
   const pluginContext = usePluginContext();
+  const { isLoading: isLoadingAppPlugins } = useLoadAppPlugins(getExtensionPointPluginDependencies(extensionPointId));
 
   return useMemo(() => {
     // For backwards compatibility we don't enable restrictions in production or when the hook is used in core Grafana.
@@ -45,6 +47,13 @@ export function usePluginComponents<Props extends object = {}>({
       };
     }
 
+    if (isLoadingAppPlugins) {
+      return {
+        isLoading: true,
+        components: [],
+      };
+    }
+
     for (const registryItem of registryState?.[extensionPointId] ?? []) {
       const { pluginId } = registryItem;
 
@@ -65,5 +74,5 @@ export function usePluginComponents<Props extends object = {}>({
       isLoading: false,
       components,
     };
-  }, [extensionPointId, limitPerPlugin, pluginContext, registryState]);
+  }, [extensionPointId, limitPerPlugin, pluginContext, registryState, isLoadingAppPlugins]);
 }

public/app/features/plugins/extensions/usePluginExtensions.test.tsx

@@ -5,8 +5,11 @@ import { AddedComponentsRegistry } from './registry/AddedComponentsRegistry';
 import { AddedLinksRegistry } from './registry/AddedLinksRegistry';
 import { ExposedComponentsRegistry } from './registry/ExposedComponentsRegistry';
 import { PluginExtensionRegistries } from './registry/types';
+import { useLoadAppPlugins } from './useLoadAppPlugins';
 import { createUsePluginExtensions } from './usePluginExtensions';
 
+jest.mock('./useLoadAppPlugins');
+
 describe('usePluginExtensions()', () => {
   let registries: PluginExtensionRegistries;
   const pluginId = 'myorg-extensions-app';
@@ -18,6 +21,7 @@ describe('usePluginExtensions()', () => {
       addedLinksRegistry: new AddedLinksRegistry(),
       exposedComponentsRegistry: new ExposedComponentsRegistry(),
     };
+    jest.mocked(useLoadAppPlugins).mockReturnValue({ isLoading: false });
   });
 
   it('should return an empty array if there are no extensions registered for the extension point', () => {

public/app/features/plugins/extensions/usePluginExtensions.tsx

@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ import * as errors from './errors';
 import { getPluginExtensions } from './getPluginExtensions';
 import { log } from './logs/log';
 import { PluginExtensionRegistries } from './registry/types';
-import { isGrafanaDevMode } from './utils';
+import { useLoadAppPlugins } from './useLoadAppPlugins';
+import { getExtensionPointPluginDependencies, isGrafanaDevMode } from './utils';
 import { isExtensionPointIdValid, isExtensionPointMetaInfoMissing } from './validators';
 
 export function createUsePluginExtensions(registries: PluginExtensionRegistries) {
@@ -20,8 +21,9 @@ export function createUsePluginExtensions(registries: PluginExtensionRegistries)
     const addedComponentsRegistry = useObservable(observableAddedComponentsRegistry);
     const addedLinksRegistry = useObservable(observableAddedLinksRegistry);
     const { extensionPointId, context, limitPerPlugin } = options;
+    const { isLoading: isLoadingAppPlugins } = useLoadAppPlugins(getExtensionPointPluginDependencies(extensionPointId));
 
-    const { extensions } = useMemo(() => {
+    return useMemo(() => {
       // For backwards compatibility we don't enable restrictions in production or when the hook is used in core Grafana.
       const enableRestrictions = isGrafanaDevMode() && pluginContext !== null;
       const pluginId = pluginContext?.meta.id ?? '';
@@ -50,19 +52,35 @@ export function createUsePluginExtensions(registries: PluginExtensionRegistries)
         };
       }
 
-      return getPluginExtensions({
+      if (isLoadingAppPlugins) {
+        return {
+          isLoading: true,
+          extensions: [],
+        };
+      }
+
+      const { extensions } = getPluginExtensions({
         extensionPointId,
         context,
         limitPerPlugin,
         addedComponentsRegistry,
         addedLinksRegistry,
       });
+
+      return { extensions, isLoading: false };
+
       // Doing the deps like this instead of just `option` because users probably aren't going to memoize the
       // options object so we are checking it's simple value attributes.
       // The context though still has to be memoized though and not mutated.
       // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps -- TODO: refactor `getPluginExtensions` to accept service dependencies as arguments instead of relying on the sidecar singleton under the hood
-    }, [addedLinksRegistry, addedComponentsRegistry, extensionPointId, context, limitPerPlugin, pluginContext]);
-
-    return { extensions, isLoading: false };
+    }, [
+      addedLinksRegistry,
+      addedComponentsRegistry,
+      extensionPointId,
+      context,
+      limitPerPlugin,
+      pluginContext,
+      isLoadingAppPlugins,
+    ]);
   };
 }

public/app/features/plugins/extensions/usePluginLinks.test.tsx

@@ -6,11 +6,15 @@ import { PluginContextProvider, PluginMeta, PluginType } from '@grafana/data';
 import { ExtensionRegistriesProvider } from './ExtensionRegistriesContext';
 import { log } from './logs/log';
 import { resetLogMock } from './logs/testUtils';
-import { setupPluginExtensionRegistries } from './registry/setup';
+import { AddedComponentsRegistry } from './registry/AddedComponentsRegistry';
+import { AddedLinksRegistry } from './registry/AddedLinksRegistry';
+import { ExposedComponentsRegistry } from './registry/ExposedComponentsRegistry';
 import { PluginExtensionRegistries } from './registry/types';
+import { useLoadAppPlugins } from './useLoadAppPlugins';
 import { usePluginLinks } from './usePluginLinks';
 import { isGrafanaDevMode } from './utils';
 
+jest.mock('./useLoadAppPlugins');
 jest.mock('app/features/plugins/pluginSettings', () => ({
   getPluginSettings: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue({
     id: 'my-app-plugin',
@@ -48,8 +52,13 @@ describe('usePluginLinks()', () => {
   const extensionPointId = `${pluginId}/extension-point/v1`;
 
   beforeEach(() => {
+    jest.mocked(useLoadAppPlugins).mockReturnValue({ isLoading: false });
     jest.mocked(isGrafanaDevMode).mockReturnValue(false);
-    registries = setupPluginExtensionRegistries();
+    registries = {
+      addedComponentsRegistry: new AddedComponentsRegistry(),
+      exposedComponentsRegistry: new ExposedComponentsRegistry(),
+      addedLinksRegistry: new AddedLinksRegistry(),
+    };
     resetLogMock(log);
 
     pluginMeta = {

public/app/features/plugins/extensions/usePluginLinks.tsx

@@ -11,8 +11,10 @@ import {
 import { useAddedLinksRegistry } from './ExtensionRegistriesContext';
 import * as errors from './errors';
 import { log } from './logs/log';
+import { useLoadAppPlugins } from './useLoadAppPlugins';
 import {
   generateExtensionId,
+  getExtensionPointPluginDependencies,
   getLinkExtensionOnClick,
   getLinkExtensionOverrides,
   getLinkExtensionPathWithTracking,
@@ -30,6 +32,7 @@ export function usePluginLinks({
   const registry = useAddedLinksRegistry();
   const pluginContext = usePluginContext();
   const registryState = useObservable(registry.asObservable());
+  const { isLoading: isLoadingAppPlugins } = useLoadAppPlugins(getExtensionPointPluginDependencies(extensionPointId));
 
   return useMemo(() => {
     // For backwards compatibility we don't enable restrictions in production or when the hook is used in core Grafana.
@@ -56,6 +59,13 @@ export function usePluginLinks({
       };
     }
 
+    if (isLoadingAppPlugins) {
+      return {
+        isLoading: true,
+        links: [],
+      };
+    }
+
     if (!registryState || !registryState[extensionPointId]) {
       return {
         isLoading: false,
@@ -117,5 +127,5 @@ export function usePluginLinks({
       isLoading: false,
       links: extensions,
     };
-  }, [context, extensionPointId, limitPerPlugin, registryState, pluginContext]);
+  }, [context, extensionPointId, limitPerPlugin, registryState, pluginContext, isLoadingAppPlugins]);
 }

public/app/features/plugins/extensions/utils.test.tsx

@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import { render, screen } from '@testing-library/react';
 import { type Unsubscribable } from 'rxjs';
 
-import { dateTime, usePluginContext } from '@grafana/data';
+import { dateTime, usePluginContext, PluginLoadingStrategy } from '@grafana/data';
+import { config } from '@grafana/runtime';
 import appEvents from 'app/core/app_events';
 import { ShowModalReactEvent } from 'app/types/events';
 
@@ -12,6 +13,10 @@ import {
   getReadOnlyProxy,
   createOpenModalFunction,
   wrapWithPluginContext,
+  getExtensionPointPluginDependencies,
+  getExposedComponentPluginDependencies,
+  getAppPluginConfigs,
+  getAppPluginIdFromExposedComponentId,
 } from './utils';
 
 jest.mock('app/features/plugins/pluginSettings', () => ({
@@ -447,4 +452,431 @@ describe('Plugin Extensions / Utils', () => {
       expect(screen.getByText('Version: 1.0.0')).toBeVisible();
     });
   });
+
+  describe('getAppPluginConfigs()', () => {
+    const originalApps = config.apps;
+    const genereicAppPluginConfig = {
+      path: '',
+      version: '',
+      preload: false,
+      angular: {
+        detected: false,
+        hideDeprecation: false,
+      },
+      loadingStrategy: PluginLoadingStrategy.fetch,
+      dependencies: {
+        grafanaVersion: '8.0.0',
+        plugins: [],
+        extensions: {
+          exposedComponents: [],
+        },
+      },
+      extensions: {
+        addedLinks: [],
+        addedComponents: [],
+        exposedComponents: [],
+        extensionPoints: [],
+      },
+    };
+
+    afterEach(() => {
+      config.apps = originalApps;
+    });
+
+    test('should return the app plugin configs based on the provided plugin ids', () => {
+      config.apps = {
+        'myorg-first-app': {
+          ...genereicAppPluginConfig,
+          id: 'myorg-first-app',
+        },
+        'myorg-second-app': {
+          ...genereicAppPluginConfig,
+          id: 'myorg-second-app',
+        },
+        'myorg-third-app': {
+          ...genereicAppPluginConfig,
+          id: 'myorg-third-app',
+        },
+      };
+
+      expect(getAppPluginConfigs(['myorg-first-app', 'myorg-third-app'])).toEqual([
+        config.apps['myorg-first-app'],
+        config.apps['myorg-third-app'],
+      ]);
+    });
+
+    test('should simply ignore the app plugin ids that do not belong to a config', () => {
+      config.apps = {
+        'myorg-first-app': {
+          ...genereicAppPluginConfig,
+          id: 'myorg-first-app',
+        },
+        'myorg-second-app': {
+          ...genereicAppPluginConfig,
+          id: 'myorg-second-app',
+        },
+        'myorg-third-app': {
+          ...genereicAppPluginConfig,
+          id: 'myorg-third-app',
+        },
+      };
+
+      expect(getAppPluginConfigs(['myorg-first-app', 'unknown-app-id'])).toEqual([config.apps['myorg-first-app']]);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('getAppPluginIdFromExposedComponentId()', () => {
+    test('should return the app plugin id from an extension point id', () => {
+      expect(getAppPluginIdFromExposedComponentId('myorg-extensions-app/component/v1')).toBe('myorg-extensions-app');
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('getExtensionPointPluginDependencies()', () => {
+    const originalApps = config.apps;
+    const genereicAppPluginConfig = {
+      path: '',
+      version: '',
+      preload: false,
+      angular: {
+        detected: false,
+        hideDeprecation: false,
+      },
+      loadingStrategy: PluginLoadingStrategy.fetch,
+      dependencies: {
+        grafanaVersion: '8.0.0',
+        plugins: [],
+        extensions: {
+          exposedComponents: [],
+        },
+      },
+      extensions: {
+        addedLinks: [],
+        addedComponents: [],
+        exposedComponents: [],
+        extensionPoints: [],
+      },
+    };
+
+    afterEach(() => {
+      config.apps = originalApps;
+    });
+
+    test('should return the app plugin ids that register extensions to a link extension point', () => {
+      const extensionPointId = 'myorg-first-app/link/v1';
+
+      config.apps = {
+        'myorg-first-app': {
+          ...genereicAppPluginConfig,
+          id: 'myorg-first-app',
+        },
+        // This plugin is registering a link extension to the extension point
+        'myorg-second-app': {
+          ...genereicAppPluginConfig,
+          id: 'myorg-second-app',
+          extensions: {
+            addedLinks: [
+              {
+                targets: [extensionPointId],
+                title: 'Link title',
+              },
+            ],
+            addedComponents: [],
+            exposedComponents: [],
+            extensionPoints: [],
+          },
+        },
+        'myorg-third-app': {
+          ...genereicAppPluginConfig,
+          id: 'myorg-third-app',
+        },
+      };
+
+      const appPluginIds = getExtensionPointPluginDependencies(extensionPointId);
+
+      expect(appPluginIds).toEqual(['myorg-second-app']);
+    });
+
+    test('should return the app plugin ids that register extensions to a component extension point', () => {
+      const extensionPointId = 'myorg-first-app/component/v1';
+
+      config.apps = {
+        'myorg-first-app': {
+          ...genereicAppPluginConfig,
+          id: 'myorg-first-app',
+        },
+        'myorg-second-app': {
+          ...genereicAppPluginConfig,
+          id: 'myorg-second-app',
+        },
+        // This plugin is registering a component extension to the extension point
+        'myorg-third-app': {
+          ...genereicAppPluginConfig,
+          id: 'myorg-third-app',
+          extensions: {
+            addedLinks: [],
+            addedComponents: [
+              {
+                targets: [extensionPointId],
+                title: 'Component title',
+              },
+            ],
+            exposedComponents: [],
+            extensionPoints: [],
+          },
+        },
+      };
+
+      const appPluginIds = getExtensionPointPluginDependencies(extensionPointId);
+
+      expect(appPluginIds).toEqual(['myorg-third-app']);
+    });
+
+    test('should return an empty array if there are no apps that that extend the extension point', () => {
+      const extensionPointId = 'myorg-first-app/component/v1';
+
+      // None of the apps are extending the extension point
+      config.apps = {
+        'myorg-first-app': {
+          ...genereicAppPluginConfig,
+          id: 'myorg-first-app',
+        },
+        'myorg-second-app': {
+          ...genereicAppPluginConfig,
+          id: 'myorg-second-app',
+        },
+        'myorg-third-app': {
+          ...genereicAppPluginConfig,
+          id: 'myorg-third-app',
+        },
+      };
+
+      const appPluginIds = getExtensionPointPluginDependencies(extensionPointId);
+
+      expect(appPluginIds).toEqual([]);
+    });
+
+    test('should also return (recursively) the app plugin ids that the apps which extend the extension-point depend on', () => {
+      const extensionPointId = 'myorg-first-app/component/v1';
+
+      config.apps = {
+        'myorg-first-app': {
+          ...genereicAppPluginConfig,
+          id: 'myorg-first-app',
+        },
+        // This plugin is registering a component extension to the extension point.
+        // It is also depending on the 'myorg-fourth-app' plugin.
+        'myorg-second-app': {
+          ...genereicAppPluginConfig,
+          id: 'myorg-second-app',
+          extensions: {
+            addedLinks: [],
+            addedComponents: [
+              {
+                targets: [extensionPointId],
+                title: 'Component title',
+              },
+            ],
+            exposedComponents: [],
+            extensionPoints: [],
+          },
+          dependencies: {
+            ...genereicAppPluginConfig.dependencies,
+            extensions: {
+              exposedComponents: ['myorg-fourth-app/component/v1'],
+            },
+          },
+        },
+        'myorg-third-app': {
+          ...genereicAppPluginConfig,
+          id: 'myorg-third-app',
+        },
+        // This plugin exposes a component, but is also depending on the 'myorg-fifth-app'.
+        'myorg-fourth-app': {
+          ...genereicAppPluginConfig,
+          id: 'myorg-fourth-app',
+          extensions: {
+            addedLinks: [],
+            addedComponents: [],
+            exposedComponents: [
+              {
+                id: 'myorg-fourth-app/component/v1',
+                title: 'Exposed component',
+              },
+            ],
+            extensionPoints: [],
+          },
+          dependencies: {
+            ...genereicAppPluginConfig.dependencies,
+            extensions: {
+              exposedComponents: ['myorg-fifth-app/component/v1'],
+            },
+          },
+        },
+        'myorg-fifth-app': {
+          ...genereicAppPluginConfig,
+          id: 'myorg-fifth-app',
+          extensions: {
+            addedLinks: [],
+            addedComponents: [],
+            exposedComponents: [
+              {
+                id: 'myorg-fifth-app/component/v1',
+                title: 'Exposed component',
+              },
+            ],
+            extensionPoints: [],
+          },
+        },
+        'myorg-sixth-app': {
+          ...genereicAppPluginConfig,
+          id: 'myorg-sixth-app',
+        },
+      };
+
+      const appPluginIds = getExtensionPointPluginDependencies(extensionPointId);
+
+      expect(appPluginIds).toEqual(['myorg-second-app', 'myorg-fourth-app', 'myorg-fifth-app']);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('getExposedComponentPluginDependencies()', () => {
+    const originalApps = config.apps;
+    const genereicAppPluginConfig = {
+      path: '',
+      version: '',
+      preload: false,
+      angular: {
+        detected: false,
+        hideDeprecation: false,
+      },
+      loadingStrategy: PluginLoadingStrategy.fetch,
+      dependencies: {
+        grafanaVersion: '8.0.0',
+        plugins: [],
+        extensions: {
+          exposedComponents: [],
+        },
+      },
+      extensions: {
+        addedLinks: [],
+        addedComponents: [],
+        exposedComponents: [],
+        extensionPoints: [],
+      },
+    };
+
+    afterEach(() => {
+      config.apps = originalApps;
+    });
+
+    test('should only return the app plugin id that exposes the component, if that component does not depend on anything', () => {
+      const exposedComponentId = 'myorg-second-app/component/v1';
+
+      config.apps = {
+        'myorg-first-app': {
+          ...genereicAppPluginConfig,
+          id: 'myorg-first-app',
+        },
+        'myorg-second-app': {
+          ...genereicAppPluginConfig,
+          id: 'myorg-second-app',
+          extensions: {
+            addedLinks: [],
+            addedComponents: [],
+            exposedComponents: [
+              {
+                id: exposedComponentId,
+                title: 'Component title',
+              },
+            ],
+            extensionPoints: [],
+          },
+        },
+        'myorg-third-app': {
+          ...genereicAppPluginConfig,
+          id: 'myorg-third-app',
+        },
+      };
+
+      const appPluginIds = getExposedComponentPluginDependencies(exposedComponentId);
+
+      expect(appPluginIds).toEqual(['myorg-second-app']);
+    });
+
+    test('should also return the list of app plugin ids that the plugin - which exposes the component - is depending on', () => {
+      const exposedComponentId = 'myorg-second-app/component/v1';
+
+      config.apps = {
+        'myorg-first-app': {
+          ...genereicAppPluginConfig,
+          id: 'myorg-first-app',
+        },
+        'myorg-second-app': {
+          ...genereicAppPluginConfig,
+          id: 'myorg-second-app',
+          extensions: {
+            addedLinks: [],
+            addedComponents: [],
+            exposedComponents: [
+              {
+                id: exposedComponentId,
+                title: 'Component title',
+              },
+            ],
+            extensionPoints: [],
+          },
+          dependencies: {
+            ...genereicAppPluginConfig.dependencies,
+            extensions: {
+              exposedComponents: ['myorg-fourth-app/component/v1'],
+            },
+          },
+        },
+        'myorg-third-app': {
+          ...genereicAppPluginConfig,
+          id: 'myorg-third-app',
+        },
+        'myorg-fourth-app': {
+          ...genereicAppPluginConfig,
+          id: 'myorg-fourth-app',
+          extensions: {
+            addedLinks: [],
+            addedComponents: [],
+            exposedComponents: [
+              {
+                id: 'myorg-fourth-app/component/v1',
+                title: 'Component title',
+              },
+            ],
+            extensionPoints: [],
+          },
+          dependencies: {
+            ...genereicAppPluginConfig.dependencies,
+            extensions: {
+              exposedComponents: ['myorg-fifth-app/component/v1'],
+            },
+          },
+        },
+        'myorg-fifth-app': {
+          ...genereicAppPluginConfig,
+          id: 'myorg-fifth-app',
+          extensions: {
+            addedLinks: [],
+            addedComponents: [],
+            exposedComponents: [
+              {
+                id: 'myorg-fifth-app/component/v1',
+                title: 'Component title',
+              },
+            ],
+            extensionPoints: [],
+          },
+        },
+      };
+
+      const appPluginIds = getExposedComponentPluginDependencies(exposedComponentId);
+
+      expect(appPluginIds).toEqual(['myorg-second-app', 'myorg-fourth-app', 'myorg-fifth-app']);
+    });
+  });
 });

public/app/features/plugins/extensions/utils.tsx

@@ -16,8 +16,9 @@ import {
   PanelMenuItem,
   PluginExtensionAddedLinkConfig,
   urlUtil,
+  PluginExtensionPoints,
 } from '@grafana/data';
-import { reportInteraction, config } from '@grafana/runtime';
+import { reportInteraction, config, AppPluginConfig } from '@grafana/runtime';
 import { Modal } from '@grafana/ui';
 import appEvents from 'app/core/app_events';
 import { getPluginSettings } from 'app/features/plugins/pluginSettings';
@@ -421,3 +422,75 @@ export function getLinkExtensionPathWithTracking(pluginId: string, path: string,
 // Comes from the `app_mode` setting in the Grafana config (defaults to "development")
 // Can be set with the `GF_DEFAULT_APP_MODE` environment variable
 export const isGrafanaDevMode = () => config.buildInfo.env === 'development';
+
+export const getAppPluginConfigs = (pluginIds: string[] = []) =>
+  Object.values(config.apps).filter((app) => pluginIds.includes(app.id));
+
+export const getAppPluginIdFromExposedComponentId = (exposedComponentId: string) => {
+  return exposedComponentId.split('/')[0];
+};
+
+// Returns a list of app plugin ids that are registering extensions to this extension point.
+// (These plugins are necessary to be loaded to use the extension point.)
+// (The function also returns the plugin ids that the plugins - that extend the extension point - depend on.)
+export const getExtensionPointPluginDependencies = (extensionPointId: string): string[] => {
+  return Object.values(config.apps)
+    .filter(
+      (app) =>
+        app.extensions.addedLinks.some((link) => link.targets.includes(extensionPointId)) ||
+        app.extensions.addedComponents.some((component) => component.targets.includes(extensionPointId))
+    )
+    .map((app) => app.id)
+    .reduce((acc: string[], id: string) => {
+      return [...acc, id, ...getAppPluginDependencies(id)];
+    }, []);
+};
+
+// Returns a list of app plugin ids that are necessary to be loaded to use the exposed component.
+// (It is first the plugin that exposes the component, and then the ones that it depends on.)
+export const getExposedComponentPluginDependencies = (exposedComponentId: string) => {
+  const pluginId = getAppPluginIdFromExposedComponentId(exposedComponentId);
+
+  return [pluginId].reduce((acc: string[], pluginId: string) => {
+    return [...acc, pluginId, ...getAppPluginDependencies(pluginId)];
+  }, []);
+};
+
+// Returns a list of app plugin ids that are necessary to be loaded, based on the `dependencies.extensions`
+// metadata field. (For example the plugins that expose components that the app depends on.)
+// Heads up! This is a recursive function.
+export const getAppPluginDependencies = (pluginId: string): string[] => {
+  if (!config.apps[pluginId]) {
+    return [];
+  }
+
+  const pluginIdDependencies = config.apps[pluginId].dependencies.extensions.exposedComponents.map(
+    getAppPluginIdFromExposedComponentId
+  );
+
+  return pluginIdDependencies.reduce((acc, pluginId) => {
+    return [...acc, ...getAppPluginDependencies(pluginId)];
+  }, pluginIdDependencies);
+};
+
+// Returns a list of app plugins that has to be loaded before core Grafana could finish the initialization.
+export const getAppPluginsToAwait = () => {
+  const pluginIds = [
+    // The "cloud-home-app" is registering banners once it's loaded, and this can cause a rerender in the AppChrome if it's loaded after the Grafana app init.
+    'cloud-home-app',
+  ];
+
+  return Object.values(config.apps).filter((app) => pluginIds.includes(app.id));
+};
+
+// Returns a list of app plugins that has to be preloaded in parallel with the core Grafana initialization.
+export const getAppPluginsToPreload = () => {
+  // The DashboardPanelMenu extension point is using the `getPluginExtensions()` API in scenes at the moment, which means that it cannot yet benefit from dynamic plugin loading.
+  const dashboardPanelMenuPluginIds = getExtensionPointPluginDependencies(PluginExtensionPoints.DashboardPanelMenu);
+  const awaitedPluginIds = getAppPluginsToAwait().map((app) => app.id);
+  const isNotAwaited = (app: AppPluginConfig) => !awaitedPluginIds.includes(app.id);
+
+  return Object.values(config.apps).filter((app) => {
+    return isNotAwaited(app) && (app.preload || dashboardPanelMenuPluginIds.includes(app.id));
+  });
+};

public/app/features/plugins/pluginPreloader.ts

@@ -1,11 +1,9 @@
 import type { PluginExtensionAddedLinkConfig, PluginExtensionExposedComponentConfig } from '@grafana/data';
 import { PluginExtensionAddedComponentConfig } from '@grafana/data/src/types/pluginExtensions';
 import type { AppPluginConfig } from '@grafana/runtime';
-import { startMeasure, stopMeasure } from 'app/core/utils/metrics';
 import { getPluginSettings } from 'app/features/plugins/pluginSettings';
 
-import { PluginExtensionRegistries } from './extensions/registry/types';
-import { importPluginModule } from './plugin_loader';
+import { importAppPlugin } from './plugin_loader';
 
 export type PluginPreloadResult = {
   pluginId: string;
@@ -15,67 +13,28 @@ export type PluginPreloadResult = {
   addedLinkConfigs?: PluginExtensionAddedLinkConfig[];
 };
 
-export async function preloadPlugins(
-  apps: AppPluginConfig[] = [],
-  registries: PluginExtensionRegistries,
-  eventName = 'frontend_plugins_preload'
-) {
-  startMeasure(eventName);
-  const promises = apps.filter((config) => config.preload).map((config) => preload(config));
-  const preloadedPlugins = await Promise.all(promises);
+const preloadedAppPlugins = new Set<string>();
+const isNotYetPreloaded = ({ id }: AppPluginConfig) => !preloadedAppPlugins.has(id);
+const markAsPreloaded = (apps: AppPluginConfig[]) => apps.forEach(({ id }) => preloadedAppPlugins.add(id));
 
-  for (const preloadedPlugin of preloadedPlugins) {
-    if (preloadedPlugin.error) {
-      console.error(`[Plugins] Skip loading extensions for "${preloadedPlugin.pluginId}" due to an error.`);
-      continue;
-    }
+export async function preloadPlugins(apps: AppPluginConfig[] = []) {
+  const appPluginsToPreload = apps.filter(isNotYetPreloaded);
 
-    registries.exposedComponentsRegistry.register({
-      pluginId: preloadedPlugin.pluginId,
-      configs: preloadedPlugin.exposedComponentConfigs,
-    });
-    registries.addedComponentsRegistry.register({
-      pluginId: preloadedPlugin.pluginId,
-      configs: preloadedPlugin.addedComponentConfigs || [],
-    });
-    registries.addedLinksRegistry.register({
-      pluginId: preloadedPlugin.pluginId,
-      configs: preloadedPlugin.addedLinkConfigs || [],
-    });
+  if (appPluginsToPreload.length === 0) {
+    return;
   }
 
-  stopMeasure(eventName);
+  markAsPreloaded(apps);
+
+  await Promise.all(appPluginsToPreload.map(preload));
 }
 
-async function preload(config: AppPluginConfig): Promise<PluginPreloadResult> {
-  const { path, version, id: pluginId, loadingStrategy } = config;
+async function preload(config: AppPluginConfig) {
   try {
-    startMeasure(`frontend_plugin_preload_${pluginId}`);
-    const { plugin } = await importPluginModule({
-      path,
-      version,
-      isAngular: config.angular.detected,
-      pluginId,
-      loadingStrategy,
-      moduleHash: config.moduleHash,
-    });
-    const { exposedComponentConfigs = [], addedComponentConfigs = [], addedLinkConfigs = [] } = plugin;
-
-    // Fetching meta-information for the preloaded app plugin and caching it for later.
-    // (The function below returns a promise, but it's not awaited for a reason: we don't want to block the preload process, we would only like to cache the result for later.)
-    getPluginSettings(pluginId);
+    const meta = await getPluginSettings(config.id);
 
-    return { pluginId, exposedComponentConfigs, addedComponentConfigs, addedLinkConfigs };
+    await importAppPlugin(meta);
   } catch (error) {
-    console.error(`[Plugins] Failed to preload plugin: ${path} (version: ${version})`, error);
-    return {
-      pluginId,
-      error,
-      exposedComponentConfigs: [],
-      addedComponentConfigs: [],
-      addedLinkConfigs: [],
-    };
-  } finally {
-    stopMeasure(`frontend_plugin_preload_${pluginId}`);
+    console.error(`[Plugins] Failed to preload plugin: ${config.path} (version: ${config.version})`, error);
   }
 }

public/app/features/plugins/plugin_loader.ts

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import { DataQuery } from '@grafana/schema';
 import { GenericDataSourcePlugin } from '../datasources/types';
 
 import builtInPlugins from './built_in_plugins';
+import { addedComponentsRegistry, addedLinksRegistry, exposedComponentsRegistry } from './extensions/registry/setup';
 import { getPluginFromCache, registerPluginInCache } from './loader/cache';
 // SystemJS has to be imported before the sharedDependenciesMap
 import { SystemJS } from './loader/systemjs';
@@ -69,6 +70,15 @@ systemJSPrototype.resolve = decorateSystemJSResolve.bind(systemJSPrototype, syst
 // Any css files loaded via SystemJS have their styles applied onload.
 systemJSPrototype.onload = decorateSystemJsOnload;
 
+type PluginImportInfo = {
+  path: string;
+  pluginId: string;
+  loadingStrategy: PluginLoadingStrategy;
+  version?: string;
+  isAngular?: boolean;
+  moduleHash?: string;
+};
+
 export async function importPluginModule({
   path,
   pluginId,
@@ -76,14 +86,7 @@ export async function importPluginModule({
   version,
   isAngular,
   moduleHash,
-}: {
-  path: string;
-  pluginId: string;
-  loadingStrategy: PluginLoadingStrategy;
-  version?: string;
-  isAngular?: boolean;
-  moduleHash?: string;
-}): Promise<System.Module> {
+}: PluginImportInfo): Promise<System.Module> {
   if (version) {
     registerPluginInCache({ path, version, loadingStrategy });
   }
@@ -166,21 +169,44 @@ export function importDataSourcePlugin(meta: DataSourcePluginMeta): Promise<Gene
   });
 }
 
-export function importAppPlugin(meta: PluginMeta): Promise<AppPlugin> {
-  const isAngular = meta.angular?.detected ?? meta.angularDetected;
-  const fallbackLoadingStrategy = meta.loadingStrategy ?? PluginLoadingStrategy.fetch;
-  return importPluginModule({
+// Only successfully loaded plugins are cached
+const importedAppPlugins: Record<string, AppPlugin> = {};
+
+export async function importAppPlugin(meta: PluginMeta): Promise<AppPlugin> {
+  const pluginId = meta.id;
+
+  if (importedAppPlugins[pluginId]) {
+    return importedAppPlugins[pluginId];
+  }
+
+  const pluginExports = await importPluginModule({
     path: meta.module,
     version: meta.info?.version,
-    isAngular,
-    loadingStrategy: fallbackLoadingStrategy,
     pluginId: meta.id,
+    isAngular: meta.angular?.detected ?? meta.angularDetected,
+    loadingStrategy: meta.loadingStrategy ?? PluginLoadingStrategy.fetch,
     moduleHash: meta.moduleHash,
-  }).then((pluginExports) => {
-    const plugin: AppPlugin = pluginExports.plugin ? pluginExports.plugin : new AppPlugin();
-    plugin.init(meta);
-    plugin.meta = meta;
-    plugin.setComponentsFromLegacyExports(pluginExports);
-    return plugin;
   });
+
+  const { plugin = new AppPlugin() } = pluginExports;
+  plugin.init(meta);
+  plugin.meta = meta;
+  plugin.setComponentsFromLegacyExports(pluginExports);
+
+  exposedComponentsRegistry.register({
+    pluginId,
+    configs: plugin.exposedComponentConfigs || [],
+  });
+  addedComponentsRegistry.register({
+    pluginId,
+    configs: plugin.addedComponentConfigs || [],
+  });
+  addedLinksRegistry.register({
+    pluginId,
+    configs: plugin.addedLinkConfigs || [],
+  });
+
+  importedAppPlugins[pluginId] = plugin;
+
+  return plugin;
 }

public/app/features/plugins/tests/plugin_loader.test.ts

@@ -12,27 +12,25 @@ jest.mock('app/core/core', () => {
 import { AppPluginMeta, PluginMetaInfo, PluginType, AppPlugin } from '@grafana/data';
 
 // Loaded after the `unmock` above
+import { addedComponentsRegistry, addedLinksRegistry, exposedComponentsRegistry } from '../extensions/registry/setup';
 import { SystemJS } from '../loader/systemjs';
 import { importAppPlugin } from '../plugin_loader';
 
-class MyCustomApp extends AppPlugin {
-  initWasCalled = false;
-  calledTwice = false;
-
-  init(meta: AppPluginMeta) {
-    this.initWasCalled = true;
-    this.calledTwice = this.meta === meta;
-  }
-}
+jest.mock('../extensions/registry/setup');
 
 describe('Load App', () => {
-  const app = new MyCustomApp();
+  const app = new AppPlugin();
   const modulePath = 'http://localhost:3000/public/plugins/my-app-plugin/module.js';
   // Hook resolver for tests
   const originalResolve = SystemJS.constructor.prototype.resolve;
   SystemJS.constructor.prototype.resolve = (x: unknown) => x;
 
   beforeAll(() => {
+    app.init = jest.fn();
+    addedComponentsRegistry.register = jest.fn();
+    addedLinksRegistry.register = jest.fn();
+    exposedComponentsRegistry.register = jest.fn();
+
     SystemJS.set(modulePath, { plugin: app });
   });
 
@@ -55,14 +53,17 @@ describe('Load App', () => {
     const m = await SystemJS.import(modulePath);
     expect(m.plugin).toBe(app);
 
-    const loaded = await importAppPlugin(meta);
-    expect(loaded).toBe(app);
+    // Importing the app should initialise the meta
+    const importedApp = await importAppPlugin(meta);
+    expect(importedApp).toBe(app);
     expect(app.meta).toBe(meta);
-    expect(app.initWasCalled).toBeTruthy();
-    expect(app.calledTwice).toBeFalsy();
 
-    const again = await importAppPlugin(meta);
-    expect(again).toBe(app);
-    expect(app.calledTwice).toBeTruthy();
+    // Importing the same app again doesn't initialise it twice
+    const importedAppAgain = await importAppPlugin(meta);
+    expect(importedAppAgain).toBe(app);
+    expect(app.init).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(addedComponentsRegistry.register).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(addedLinksRegistry.register).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(exposedComponentsRegistry.register).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
   });
 });