---
title: Overview of the Extensions SDK
description: Overall index for Docker Extensions SDK documentation
keywords: Docker, Extensions, sdk
redirect_from:
  - /desktop/extensions-sdk/dev/overview/
---

The resources in this section help you create your own Docker extension.

The Docker CLI tool provides a set of commands to help you build and publish your extension, packaged as a 
specially formatted Docker image.

At the root of the image filesystem is a `metadata.json` file which describes the content of the extension. 
It's a fundamental element of a Docker extension.

An extension can contain a UI part and backend parts that run either on the host or in the Desktop virtual machine.
For further information, see [Architecture](architecture/index.md).

You distribute extensions through Docker Hub. However, you can develop them locally without the need to push 
the extension to Docker Hub. See [Extensions distribution](extensions/DISTRIBUTION.md) for further details.

{% include extensions-form.md %}

<div class="component-container">
    <!--start row-->
    <div class="row">
      <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-12 col-md-12 col-lg-4 block">
        <div class="component">
             <div class="component-icon">
                 <a href="/desktop/extensions-sdk/process/"><img src="/assets/images/process.svg" alt="Process" width="70" height="70"></a>
                 </div>
                 <h2 id="docker-extensions"><a href="/desktop/extensions-sdk/process/">The build and publish process</a></h2>
                <p> Understand the process for building and publishing an extension.</p>
        </div>
      </div>
      <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-12 col-md-12 col-lg-4 block">
        <div class="component">
            <div class="component-icon">
                 <a href="/desktop/extensions-sdk/quickstart/"><img src="/assets/images/explore.svg" alt="Quickstart" width="70" height="70"></a>
            </div>
                <h2 id="docker-extensions"><a href="/desktop/extensions-sdk/quickstart/">Quickstart guide</a></h2>
                <p>Follow the quickstart guide to build a basic Docker Extension quickly.</p>
         </div>
     </div>
     <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-12 col-md-12 col-lg-4 block">
        <div class="component">
            <div class="component-icon">
                <a href="/desktop/extensions-sdk/design/design-guidelines/"><img src="/assets/images/design.svg" alt="Design quidelines" width="70" height="70"></a>
            </div>
                <h2 id="docker-extensions"><a href="/desktop/extensions-sdk/design/design-guidelines/">View the design guidelines</a></h2>
                <p>Ensure your extension aligns to Docker's design guidelines and principles.</p>
        </div>
    </div>
    </div>
    <!--start row-->
    <div class="row">
     <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-12 col-md-12 col-lg-4 block">
        <div class="component">
            <div class="component-icon">
                 <a href="/desktop/extensions-sdk/extensions/"><img src="/assets/images/publish.svg" alt="Publish" width="70" height="70"></a>
            </div>
                <h2 id="docker-extensions"><a href="/desktop/extensions-sdk/extensions/">Publish your extension</a></h2>
                <p>Understand how to publish your extension to the Marketplace.</p>
        </div>
     </div>
     <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-12 col-md-12 col-lg-4 block">
        <div class="component">
          <div class="component-icon">
                 <a href="/desktop/extensions-sdk/dev/kubernetes/"><img src="/assets/images/sync.svg" alt="Kubernetes" width="70" height="70"></a>
          </div>
                <h2 id="docker-extensions"><a href="/desktop/extensions-sdk/dev/kubernetes/">Interacting with Kubernetes</a></h2>
                <p>Find information on how to interact indirectly with a Kubernetes cluster from your Docker Extension.</p>
        </div>
      </div>
      <div class="col-xs-12 col-sm-12 col-md-12 col-lg-4 block">
        <div class="component">
            <div class="component-icon">
                <a href="/desktop/extensions-sdk/extensions/multi-arch/"><img src="/assets/images/build-multi-platform.svg" alt="Multi-arch" width="70" height="70"></a>
            </div>
                <h2 id="docker-extensions"><a href="/desktop/extensions-sdk/extensions/multi-arch/">Multi-arch extensions</a></h2>
                <p>Build your extension for multiple architectures.</p>
        </div>
     </div>
    </div>
</div>