# Add support for new devices

If you want to add support for a new device-type this is tha page for you!
Let's assume you got a new lab device, an _👂Extendable Ear👂_ manufactured by _Weasley & Weasley_.
And of course you want to control it via flowchem. Solid idea!👏

You have two possibilities:
* [add support directly into flowchem](add_to_flowchem.md)
* [add support via a plugin](add_as_plugin.md)

In general, devices whose support needs the addition of several new dependencies to flowchem are better packaged as
plugins, while generally useful modules are ideally embedded with flowchem.
This is to limit the amount dependencies in `flowchem` while enabling support to devices with more complex needs.

Currently, the only plugin to `flowchem` is [flowchem-test](https://pypi.org/project/flowchem-test/) which adds a
barebone device type called FakeDevice for use in tests.

[add device real example](example_explained.md)

```{toctree}
:maxdepth: 2
:hidden:

add_to_flowchem
add_as_plugin
example_explained
```