Plugin
A software add-on that is installed onto a program, enabling it to perform additional features. For example, Internet browsers allow users to install plug-ins into the browser.
Depending on the plug-in that is required on a website depends on from where the plug-in is going to be downloaded. Macromedia Flash and Sun Java are both examples of plug-ins and are each downloaded from their own websites. Often a website that requires a plug-in will have a link to the appropriate plug-in site that contains the download for the plug-in.
- See the system information tool to display plugins detected in your browser.
Also see: ActiveX, Browser, Flash, Internet definitions, Java, QuickTime, Shockwave, Silverlight, VRML, X3D