---
description: |
  The `packer plugins required` command lists all of the plugins required by a Packer configuration and any installed binaries that satisfy the requirements.
page_title: packer plugins required command reference
---

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> [!IMPORTANT]  
> **Documentation Update:** Product documentation previously located in `/website` has moved to the [`hashicorp/web-unified-docs`](https://github.com/hashicorp/web-unified-docs) repository, where all product documentation is now centralized. Please make contributions directly to `web-unified-docs`, since changes to `/website` in this repository will not appear on developer.hashicorp.com.
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# `packer plugins required` command reference

The `plugins required` command lists all plugins required by a Packer configuration and
all the installed binaries that match the constraint. The first binary 
is the most up-to-date installed version and will be  the one picked by Packer in a build.

```shell-session
$ packer plugins required -h
Usage: packer plugins required <path>

  This command will list every Packer plugin required by a Packer config, in
  packer.required_plugins blocks. All binaries matching the required version
  constrain and the current OS and Architecture will be listed. The most recent
  version (and the first of the list) will be the one picked by Packer during a
  build.


  Ex: packer plugins required require.pkr.hcl
  Ex: packer plugins required path/to/folder/
```

## Related

- [`packer init`](/packer/docs/commands/init) will install all required plugins.