OSRS API Tutorials

Every RuneLite plugin has a lifecycle - it starts when enabled, runs while active, and stops when disabled.

Lifecycle Methods

startUp()

Called when the plugin is enabled. Use this to:

- Add overlays

- Initialize data structures

- Set up timers

- Register key listeners, menu entries, etc.

- Note: @Subscribe methods are automatically registered (no manual registration needed)

- For any delayed/async game-state changes, use ClientThread.invokeLater() instead of direct calls from timers/threads

shutDown()

Called when the plugin is disabled. Use this to:

- Remove overlays

- Clean up resources

- Save data

- Unregister key listeners, menu entries, etc.

- Note: @Subscribe methods are automatically unregistered (no manual cleanup needed)

Best Practices

- Always clean up in shutDown() what you set up in startUp()

- Don't perform heavy operations in startUp()

- Check if resources exist before cleaning up

- Save user data in shutDown()

Common Patterns

@Override

protected void startUp() {

// No eventBus.register(this) needed — @Subscribe is auto-registered

overlayManager.add(overlay);

// Initialize

}

@Override

protected void shutDown() {

// No eventBus.unregister(this) needed

overlayManager.remove(overlay);

// Cleanup

}

Code Examples

Example 1

java

1// Complete lifecycle example
2@PluginDescriptor(name = "Example", description = "Example plugin")
3public class ExamplePlugin extends Plugin {
4    @Inject
5    private OverlayManager overlayManager;
6    
7    private final MyOverlay overlay = new MyOverlay();
8
9    @Override
10    protected void startUp() {
11        // No eventBus.register(this) needed — @Subscribe is auto-registered
12        
13        // Add overlay
14        overlayManager.add(overlay);
15        
16        // Initialize other resources...
17    }
18
19    @Override
20    protected void shutDown() {
21        // Remove overlay
22        overlayManager.remove(overlay);
23        
24        // No eventBus.unregister(this) needed
25        
26        // Clean up other resources...
27    }
28    
29    @Subscribe
30    public void onGameTick(GameTick event) {
31        // This is automatically registered - no manual registration needed!
32    }
33}

Plugin Lifecycle