A new plugin API has been added that allows plugins to be loaded and unloaded while jEdit is running. The plugin manager's user interface has also been overhauled to be more intuitive and powerful.

While the new API is mostly backwards compatible, some plugins will no longer work. The best way to upgrade from 4.1 to 4.2 is to completely remove any existing plugins, and re-install a new set from scratch.

Plugin options have been moved from the Utilities>Global Options dialog box to a new Plugins>Plugin Options dialog box.

If you are a plugin developer, see Chapter 2, API Changes.