W10: Introducing Widgets
Eric Hubbell
Overview
This week we introduced Widgets, a new embed layer for Playbooks. They make it possible to place plays outside the main app so developers can share them directly in websites, docs, portfolios, and READMEs.
The goal is to make distribution lighter and more portable. Instead of always sending people back to Playbooks first, Widgets let the experience travel closer to where the work already lives.
What's New
- Added a dedicated Widgets app for configuring and previewing embeds
- Added five widget types:
modal,button,link,card, andbadge - Added copy-paste installation and embed code for each variant
- Added support for embedding plays across websites, docs, and READMEs
- Added the
@playbooks/widgetspackage for using widgets outside this workspace
Five Widget Types
Widgets are designed to fit different surfaces and levels of context.
- Modal for launching a Playbooks experience inline
- Button for a straightforward call to action
- Link for lightweight text-based placement
- Card for a richer preview of a play
- Badge for compact display in docs and repositories
That range makes it easier to choose the right amount of UI for the surface you are working with.
Built for Distribution
Widgets are especially useful when a play needs to appear somewhere other than the main marketplace. That could be a landing page, technical documentation, a personal website, or a repository README.
The experience stays lightweight, but it still points back to the same underlying play and launch flow.
Configurator and Package
To support this release, we also introduced a dedicated Widgets app for configuring, previewing, and copying widget code.
Once configured, developers can install @playbooks/widgets and drop the chosen widget into their own project.
That gives Playbooks a cleaner path from discovery to embed to launch.
That's all for now
Widgets are an important step in making Playbooks more portable. We’re excited to keep improving the embed experience so plays can show up naturally wherever developers already share their work.
Related Articles
View
Changelog
W14: Introducing MCP
This week we introduced `@playbooks/mcp`, a new MCP server for Playbooks. It lets frontier models and coding agents connect to the same Playbooks workflows already available through the CLI.
Changelog
W12: Data Ingestion
This week we migrated our ingestion pipeline to an AI-driven approach. The change is mostly behind the scenes, but it gives use a faster, smarter, and more scalable way to integrate projects into Playbooks.
Changelog
W8: Introducing Partials
This week we introduced Partials, a new way to package and deploy smaller units of code on Playbooks. Partials make it easier to share components, sections, and other reusable pieces without wrapping everything in a full starter or stack.