---
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title: "Dynamic Interpreter Loading using REST API"
description: "Apache Zeppelin provides pluggable interpreter architecture which results in a wide and variety of the supported backend system. In this page, we will introduce dynamic interpreter loading using REST API."
group: usage/interpreter 
---
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# Dynamic Interpreter Loading using REST API

<div id="toc"></div>

Apache Zeppelin provides pluggable interpreter architecture which results in a wide and variety of the supported backend system. In this section, we will introduce **Dynamic interpreter loading** using **REST API**. This concept actually comes from [Zeppelin Helium Proposal](https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/ZEPPELIN/Helium+proposal).
Before we start, if you are not familiar with the concept of **Zeppelin interpreter**, you can check out [Overview: Zeppelin Interpreter](./overview.html) first.

## Overview 
In the past, Zeppelin was loading interpreter binaries from `/interpreter/[interpreter_name]` directory. They were configured by `zeppelin.interpreters` property in `conf/zeppelin-site.xml` or `ZEPPELIN_INTERPRETERS` env variables in `conf/zeppelin-env.sh`. They were loaded on Zeppelin server startup and stayed alive until the server was stopped.
In order to simplify using 3rd party interpreters, we changed this way to **dynamically** load interpreters from **Maven Repository** using **REST API**. Hopefully, the picture below will help you to understand the process. 
<center><img src="{{BASE_PATH}}/assets/themes/zeppelin/img/docs-img/zeppelin_user.png" height="85%" width="85%"></center>

## Load & Unload Interpreters Using REST API

### Load 
You can **load** interpreters located in Maven repository using REST API, like this:

(Maybe, you are unfamiliar with `[interpreter_group_name]` or `[interpreter_name]`. If so, please checkout [Overview: Zeppelin Interpreter](./overview.html) again.)

```
http://[zeppelin-server]:[zeppelin-port]/api/interpreter/load/[interpreter_group_name]/[interpreter_name]
```
The Restful method will be <code>**POST**</code>. And the parameters you need are:

  1.  **Artifact:** Maven artifact ( groupId:artifactId:version ) 

  2.  **Class Name:** Package name + Interpreter class name

  3. **Repository ( optional ):** Additional maven repository address

For example, if you want to load `markdown` interpreter to your Zeppelin, the parameters and URL you need may look like:

```
http://127.0.0.1:8080/api/interpreter/load/md/markdown
```

```
{
  "artifact": "org.apache.zeppelin:zeppelin-markdown:0.6.0-SNAPSHOT",
  "className": "org.apache.zeppelin.markdown.Markdown",
  "repository": {
    "url": "http://dl.bintray.com/spark-packages/maven",
    "snapshot": false
  }
}
```


The meaning of each parameters is: 

  1. **Artifact**
  - groupId: org.apache.zeppelin
  - artifactId: zeppelin-markdown
  - version: 0.6.0-SNAPSHOT

  2. **Class Name**
  - Package Name: org.apache.zeppelin
  - Interpreter Class Name: markdown.Markdown

  3. **Repository ( optional )**
  - Url: http://dl.bintray.com/spark-packages/maven
  - Snapshot: false

> <b>Please note: </b>The interpreters you downloaded need to be **reload**, when your Zeppelin server is down. 

### Unload
If you want to **unload** the interpreters using REST API, 

```
http://[zeppelin-server]:[zeppelin-port]/api/interpreter/unload/[interpreter_group_name]/[interpreter_name]
```
In this case, the Restful method will be <code>**DELETE**</code>.

<br/>
## What is the next step after Loading ?
 
### Q1. Where is the location of interpreters you downloaded ?
  
Actually, the answer about this question is in the above picture. Once the REST API is called, the `.jar` files of interpreters you get are saved under `ZEPPELIN_HOME/local-repo` first. Then, they will be copied to `ZEPPELIN_HOME/interpreter` directory. So, please checkout your `ZEPPELIN_HOME/interpreter`.

### Q2. Then, how can I use this interpreter ?

After loading an interpreter, you can use it by creating and configuring it in Zeppelin's **Interpreter tab**.

Oh, you don't need to restart your Zeppelin server. Because it is **Dynamic Loading**, you can configure and load it **at runtime** !

1. After Zeppelin server up, browse Zeppelin home and click **Interpreter tab**.
<center><img src="{{BASE_PATH}}/assets/themes/zeppelin/img/docs-img/interpreter_setting_1.png" height="85%" width="85%"></center>

2. At the **Interpreter** section, click **+Create** button. 
<center><img src="{{BASE_PATH}}/assets/themes/zeppelin/img/docs-img/interpreter_setting_2.png" height="85%" width="85%"></center>
 
3. Then, you can verify the interpreter list that you loaded.
<center><img src="{{BASE_PATH}}/assets/themes/zeppelin/img/docs-img/interpreter_setting_3.png" height="85%" width="85%"></center>

4. After choosing an interpreter, you can configure and use it. Don't forget to save it.

5. Create a new notebook in the **Notebook** section, then you can bind the interpreters from your interpreter list. Just drag and drop !
<center><img src="{{BASE_PATH}}/assets/themes/zeppelin/img/docs-img/interpreter_binding_1.png" height="85%" width="85%"></center>
<center><img src="{{BASE_PATH}}/assets/themes/zeppelin/img/docs-img/interpreter_binding_2.png" height="85%" width="85%"></center>

6. At last, you can use your interpreter !

If you want to get the specific information about respective interpreters, please checkout each interpreter documentation.