diff --git a/desktop/app/package.json b/desktop/app/package.json
index 90c82f516..9b45e8a4b 100644
--- a/desktop/app/package.json
+++ b/desktop/app/package.json
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
     "lodash.memoize": "^4.1.2",
     "open": "^7.0.0",
     "openssl-wrapper": "^0.3.4",
+    "p-map": "^4.0.0",
     "promise-retry": "^1.1.1",
     "promisify-child-process": "^4.1.0",
     "prop-types": "^15.6.0",
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@
     "react-transition-group": "^4.4.1",
     "react-virtualized-auto-sizer": "^1.0.2",
     "react-window": "^1.3.1",
+    "recursive-readdir": "^2.2.2",
     "redux": "^4.0.0",
     "redux-persist": "^6.0.0",
     "rsocket-core": "^0.0.19",
diff --git a/desktop/app/src/dispatcher/__tests__/plugins.node.tsx b/desktop/app/src/dispatcher/__tests__/plugins.node.tsx
index 330183a06..ed8686d1b 100644
--- a/desktop/app/src/dispatcher/__tests__/plugins.node.tsx
+++ b/desktop/app/src/dispatcher/__tests__/plugins.node.tsx
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
  */
 
 jest.mock('../../defaultPlugins');
+jest.mock('../../utils/loadDynamicPlugins');
 import dispatcher, {
   getDynamicPlugins,
   checkDisabled,
@@ -17,7 +18,7 @@ import dispatcher, {
 } from '../plugins';
 import {PluginDetails} from 'flipper-plugin-lib';
 import path from 'path';
-import {ipcRenderer, remote} from 'electron';
+import {remote} from 'electron';
 import {FlipperPlugin} from 'flipper';
 import reducers, {State} from '../../reducers/index';
 import {getInstance} from '../../fb-stubs/Logger';
@@ -26,6 +27,10 @@ import {TEST_PASSING_GK, TEST_FAILING_GK} from '../../fb-stubs/GK';
 import TestPlugin from './TestPlugin';
 import {resetConfigForTesting} from '../../utils/processConfig';
 import {SandyPluginDefinition} from 'flipper-plugin';
+import {mocked} from 'ts-jest/utils';
+import loadDynamicPlugins from '../../utils/loadDynamicPlugins';
+
+const loadDynamicPluginsMock = mocked(loadDynamicPlugins);
 
 const mockStore = configureStore<State, {}>([])(
   reducers(undefined, {type: 'INIT'}),
@@ -47,33 +52,26 @@ const samplePluginDetails: PluginDetails = {
 
 beforeEach(() => {
   resetConfigForTesting();
+  loadDynamicPluginsMock.mockResolvedValue([]);
 });
 
-test('dispatcher dispatches REGISTER_PLUGINS', () => {
-  dispatcher(mockStore, logger);
+afterEach(() => {
+  loadDynamicPluginsMock.mockClear();
+});
+
+test('dispatcher dispatches REGISTER_PLUGINS', async () => {
+  await dispatcher(mockStore, logger);
   const actions = mockStore.getActions();
   expect(actions.map((a) => a.type)).toContain('REGISTER_PLUGINS');
 });
 
-test('getDynamicPlugins returns empty array on errors', () => {
-  const sendSyncMock = jest.fn();
-  sendSyncMock.mockImplementation(() => {
-    throw new Error('ooops');
-  });
-  ipcRenderer.sendSync = sendSyncMock;
-  const res = getDynamicPlugins();
+test('getDynamicPlugins returns empty array on errors', async () => {
+  const loadDynamicPluginsMock = mocked(loadDynamicPlugins);
+  loadDynamicPluginsMock.mockRejectedValue(new Error('ooops'));
+  const res = await getDynamicPlugins();
   expect(res).toEqual([]);
 });
 
-test('getDynamicPlugins from main process via ipc', () => {
-  const plugins = [{name: 'test'}];
-  const sendSyncMock = jest.fn();
-  sendSyncMock.mockReturnValue(plugins);
-  ipcRenderer.sendSync = sendSyncMock;
-  const res = getDynamicPlugins();
-  expect(res).toEqual(plugins);
-});
-
 test('checkDisabled', () => {
   const disabledPlugin = 'pluginName';
   const config = {disabledPlugins: [disabledPlugin]};
diff --git a/desktop/app/src/dispatcher/plugins.tsx b/desktop/app/src/dispatcher/plugins.tsx
index 95f99c253..2bd94f936 100644
--- a/desktop/app/src/dispatcher/plugins.tsx
+++ b/desktop/app/src/dispatcher/plugins.tsx
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ import {
   addDisabledPlugins,
   addFailedPlugins,
 } from '../reducers/plugins';
-import {ipcRenderer} from 'electron';
 import GK from '../fb-stubs/GK';
 import {FlipperBasePlugin} from '../plugin';
 import {setupMenuBar} from '../MenuBar';
@@ -33,13 +32,14 @@ import semver from 'semver';
 import {PluginDetails} from 'flipper-plugin-lib';
 import {tryCatchReportPluginFailures, reportUsage} from '../utils/metrics';
 import * as FlipperPluginSDK from 'flipper-plugin';
+import {SandyPluginDefinition} from 'flipper-plugin';
+import loadDynamicPlugins from '../utils/loadDynamicPlugins';
 import Immer from 'immer';
 
 // eslint-disable-next-line import/no-unresolved
 import getPluginIndex from '../utils/getDefaultPluginsIndex';
-import {SandyPluginDefinition} from 'flipper-plugin';
 
-export default (store: Store, logger: Logger) => {
+export default async (store: Store, logger: Logger) => {
   // expose Flipper and exact globally for dynamically loaded plugins
   const globalObject: any = typeof window === 'undefined' ? global : window;
   globalObject.React = React;
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ export default (store: Store, logger: Logger) => {
 
   const initialPlugins: PluginDefinition[] = filterNewestVersionOfEachPlugin(
     getBundledPlugins(),
-    getDynamicPlugins(),
+    await getDynamicPlugins(),
   )
     .map(reportVersion)
     .filter(checkDisabled(disabledPlugins))
@@ -134,14 +134,13 @@ function getBundledPlugins(): Array<PluginDetails> {
   return bundledPlugins;
 }
 
-export function getDynamicPlugins() {
-  let dynamicPlugins: Array<PluginDetails> = [];
+export async function getDynamicPlugins() {
   try {
-    dynamicPlugins = ipcRenderer.sendSync('get-dynamic-plugins');
+    return await loadDynamicPlugins();
   } catch (e) {
-    console.error(e);
+    console.error('Failed to load dynamic plugins', e);
+    return [];
   }
-  return dynamicPlugins;
 }
 
 export const checkGK = (gatekeepedPlugins: Array<PluginDetails>) => (
diff --git a/desktop/app/src/utils/loadDynamicPlugins.tsx b/desktop/app/src/utils/loadDynamicPlugins.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..643ba9e1d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/desktop/app/src/utils/loadDynamicPlugins.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) Facebook, Inc. and its affiliates.
+ *
+ * This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+ * LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+ *
+ * @format
+ */
+
+import path from 'path';
+import fs from 'fs-extra';
+import pMap from 'p-map';
+import {
+  PluginDetails,
+  getSourcePlugins,
+  getInstalledPlugins,
+  finishPendingPluginInstallations,
+} from 'flipper-plugin-lib';
+import os from 'os';
+import {getStaticPath} from '../utils/pathUtils';
+
+const pluginCache = path.join(os.homedir(), '.flipper', 'plugins');
+
+// Load "dynamic" plugins, e.g. those which are either installed or loaded from sources for development purposes.
+// This opposed to "static" plugins which are already included into Flipper bundle.
+export default async function loadDynamicPlugins(): Promise<PluginDetails[]> {
+  if (process.env.FLIPPER_FAST_REFRESH) {
+    console.log(
+      '❌  Skipping loading of dynamic plugins because Fast Refresh is enabled. Fast Refresh only works with bundled plugins.',
+    );
+    return [];
+  }
+  try {
+    await finishPendingPluginInstallations();
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.error('❌  Failed to finish pending installations', err);
+  }
+  const staticPath = getStaticPath();
+  const defaultPlugins = new Set<string>(
+    (
+      await fs.readJson(path.join(staticPath, 'defaultPlugins', 'index.json'))
+    ).map((p: any) => p.name) as string[],
+  );
+  const dynamicPlugins = [
+    ...(await getInstalledPlugins()),
+    ...(await getSourcePlugins()).filter((p) => !defaultPlugins.has(p.name)),
+  ];
+  await fs.ensureDir(pluginCache);
+  const compilations = pMap(
+    dynamicPlugins,
+    (plugin) => {
+      return loadPlugin(plugin);
+    },
+    {concurrency: 4},
+  );
+  const compiledDynamicPlugins = (await compilations).filter(
+    (c) => c !== null,
+  ) as PluginDetails[];
+  console.log('✅  Loaded all plugins.');
+  return compiledDynamicPlugins;
+}
+async function loadPlugin(
+  pluginDetails: PluginDetails,
+): Promise<PluginDetails | null> {
+  const {specVersion, version, entry, name} = pluginDetails;
+  if (specVersion > 1) {
+    if (await fs.pathExists(entry)) {
+      return pluginDetails;
+    } else {
+      console.error(
+        `❌  Plugin ${name} is ignored, because its entry point not found: ${entry}.`,
+      );
+      return null;
+    }
+  } else {
+    // Try to load cached version of legacy plugin
+    const entry = path.join(pluginCache, `${name}@${version || '0.0.0'}.js`);
+    if (await fs.pathExists(entry)) {
+      console.log(`🥫  Using cached version of legacy plugin ${name}...`);
+      return pluginDetails;
+    } else {
+      console.error(
+        `❌  Plugin ${name} is ignored, because it is defined by the unsupported spec v1 and could not be compiled.`,
+      );
+      return null;
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/desktop/package.json b/desktop/package.json
index f376d46c3..921412273 100644
--- a/desktop/package.json
+++ b/desktop/package.json
@@ -185,7 +185,9 @@
     "eslint-plugin-prettier": "^3.1.2",
     "eslint-plugin-react": "^7.20.0",
     "eslint-plugin-react-hooks": "^4.0.4",
+    "expand-tilde": "^2.0.2",
     "express": "^4.15.2",
+    "fb-watchman": "^2.0.1",
     "flipper-babel-transformer": "0.57.0",
     "flipper-pkg-lib": "0.57.0",
     "flipper-plugin-lib": "0.57.0",
@@ -218,6 +220,7 @@
     "ts-jest": "^26.0.0",
     "ts-node": "^8.8.1",
     "typescript": "^3.9.5",
+    "uuid": "^8.3.0",
     "yargs": "^15.4.1",
     "yazl": "^2.5.1"
   },
diff --git a/desktop/plugin-lib/package.json b/desktop/plugin-lib/package.json
index 075d716b0..bacc4f5f9 100644
--- a/desktop/plugin-lib/package.json
+++ b/desktop/plugin-lib/package.json
@@ -14,10 +14,13 @@
     "decompress": "^4.2.1",
     "decompress-targz": "^4.1.1",
     "decompress-unzip": "^4.0.1",
+    "expand-tilde": "^2.0.2",
     "fs-extra": "^9.0.1",
     "live-plugin-manager": "^0.14.1",
     "npm-api": "^1.0.0",
+    "p-filter": "^2.1.0",
     "p-map": "^4.0.0",
+    "recursive-readdir": "^2.2.2",
     "semver": "^7.3.2",
     "tmp": "^0.2.1"
   },
diff --git a/desktop/static/getPlugins.ts b/desktop/plugin-lib/src/getSourcePlugins.ts
similarity index 87%
rename from desktop/static/getPlugins.ts
rename to desktop/plugin-lib/src/getSourcePlugins.ts
index c6fe9e7b6..2daf105ba 100644
--- a/desktop/static/getPlugins.ts
+++ b/desktop/plugin-lib/src/getSourcePlugins.ts
@@ -10,26 +10,16 @@
 import path from 'path';
 import fs from 'fs-extra';
 import expandTilde from 'expand-tilde';
-import {
-  getPluginsInstallationFolder,
-  getPluginSourceFolders,
-} from './getPluginFolders';
+import {getPluginSourceFolders} from './pluginPaths';
 import {PluginDetails, getPluginDetails} from 'flipper-plugin-lib';
 import pmap from 'p-map';
 import pfilter from 'p-filter';
 import {satisfies} from 'semver';
 
-const flipperVersion = require('./package.json').version;
+const flipperVersion = require('../package.json').version;
 
 export async function getSourcePlugins(): Promise<PluginDetails[]> {
-  return await getPluginsFromFolders(await getPluginSourceFolders());
-}
-export async function getInstalledPlugins(): Promise<PluginDetails[]> {
-  return await getPluginsFromFolders([getPluginsInstallationFolder()]);
-}
-async function getPluginsFromFolders(
-  pluginFolders: string[],
-): Promise<PluginDetails[]> {
+  const pluginFolders = await getPluginSourceFolders();
   const entryPoints: {[key: string]: PluginDetails} = {};
   const additionalPlugins = await pmap(pluginFolders, (path) =>
     entryPointForPluginFolder(path),
diff --git a/desktop/plugin-lib/src/index.ts b/desktop/plugin-lib/src/index.ts
index 68c79f310..d10b1517d 100644
--- a/desktop/plugin-lib/src/index.ts
+++ b/desktop/plugin-lib/src/index.ts
@@ -12,3 +12,5 @@ export {default as getPluginDetails} from './getPluginDetails';
 export * from './pluginInstaller';
 export * from './getInstalledPlugins';
 export * from './getUpdatablePlugins';
+export * from './getSourcePlugins';
+export {getPluginSourceFolders} from './pluginPaths';
diff --git a/desktop/plugin-lib/src/pluginPaths.ts b/desktop/plugin-lib/src/pluginPaths.ts
index c76d8f691..7d1d57c6e 100644
--- a/desktop/plugin-lib/src/pluginPaths.ts
+++ b/desktop/plugin-lib/src/pluginPaths.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 
 import path from 'path';
 import {homedir} from 'os';
+import fs from 'fs-extra';
+import expandTilde from 'expand-tilde';
 
 export const flipperDataDir = path.join(homedir(), '.flipper');
 
@@ -20,3 +22,23 @@ export const pluginPendingInstallationDir = path.join(
 );
 
 export const pluginCacheDir = path.join(flipperDataDir, 'plugins');
+
+export async function getPluginSourceFolders(): Promise<string[]> {
+  const pluginFolders: string[] = [];
+  if (process.env.FLIPPER_NO_EMBEDDED_PLUGINS === 'true') {
+    console.log(
+      '🥫  Skipping embedded plugins because "--no-embedded-plugins" flag provided',
+    );
+    return pluginFolders;
+  }
+  const flipperConfigPath = path.join(homedir(), '.flipper', 'config.json');
+  if (await fs.pathExists(flipperConfigPath)) {
+    const config = await fs.readJson(flipperConfigPath);
+    if (config.pluginPaths) {
+      pluginFolders.push(...config.pluginPaths);
+    }
+  }
+  pluginFolders.push(path.resolve(__dirname, '..', '..', 'plugins'));
+  pluginFolders.push(path.resolve(__dirname, '..', '..', 'plugins', 'fb'));
+  return pluginFolders.map(expandTilde).filter(fs.existsSync);
+}
diff --git a/desktop/scripts/build-utils.ts b/desktop/scripts/build-utils.ts
index 12310423d..86d44a789 100644
--- a/desktop/scripts/build-utils.ts
+++ b/desktop/scripts/build-utils.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import fs from 'fs-extra';
 import {spawn} from 'promisify-child-process';
 import {getWatchFolders} from 'flipper-pkg-lib';
 import getAppWatchFolders from './get-app-watch-folders';
-import {getSourcePlugins} from '../static/getPlugins';
+import {getSourcePlugins, getPluginSourceFolders} from 'flipper-plugin-lib';
 import {
   appDir,
   staticDir,
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import {
   headlessDir,
   babelTransformationsDir,
 } from './paths';
-import {getPluginSourceFolders} from '../static/getPluginFolders';
 
 const dev = process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production';
 
diff --git a/desktop/static/ensurePluginFoldersWatchable.ts b/desktop/scripts/ensurePluginFoldersWatchable.ts
similarity index 95%
rename from desktop/static/ensurePluginFoldersWatchable.ts
rename to desktop/scripts/ensurePluginFoldersWatchable.ts
index 99f3c56ca..56b702b97 100644
--- a/desktop/static/ensurePluginFoldersWatchable.ts
+++ b/desktop/scripts/ensurePluginFoldersWatchable.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
  * @format
  */
 
-import {getPluginSourceFolders} from './getPluginFolders';
+import {getPluginSourceFolders} from 'flipper-plugin-lib';
 import fs from 'fs-extra';
 
 const watchmanconfigName = '.watchmanconfig';
diff --git a/desktop/scripts/start-dev-server.ts b/desktop/scripts/start-dev-server.ts
index 3efd5eb38..b382096fa 100644
--- a/desktop/scripts/start-dev-server.ts
+++ b/desktop/scripts/start-dev-server.ts
@@ -20,16 +20,15 @@ import path from 'path';
 import fs from 'fs-extra';
 import {hostname} from 'os';
 import {compileMain, generatePluginEntryPoints} from './build-utils';
-import Watchman from '../static/watchman';
+import Watchman from './watchman';
 import Metro from 'metro';
 import MetroResolver from 'metro-resolver';
 import {staticDir, appDir, babelTransformationsDir} from './paths';
 import isFB from './isFB';
 import getAppWatchFolders from './get-app-watch-folders';
-import {getSourcePlugins} from '../static/getPlugins';
-import {getPluginSourceFolders} from '../static/getPluginFolders';
-import startWatchPlugins from '../static/startWatchPlugins';
-import ensurePluginFoldersWatchable from '../static/ensurePluginFoldersWatchable';
+import {getPluginSourceFolders} from 'flipper-plugin-lib';
+import ensurePluginFoldersWatchable from './ensurePluginFoldersWatchable';
+import startWatchPlugins from './startWatchPlugins';
 
 const ansiToHtmlConverter = new AnsiToHtmlConverter();
 
@@ -211,7 +210,7 @@ async function startWatchChanges(io: socketIo.Server) {
     const watchman = new Watchman(path.resolve(__dirname, '..'));
     await watchman.initialize();
     await Promise.all(
-      ['app', 'pkg', 'doctor', 'flipper-plugin'].map((dir) =>
+      ['app', 'pkg', 'doctor', 'plugin-lib', 'flipper-plugin'].map((dir) =>
         watchman.startWatchFiles(
           dir,
           () => {
@@ -223,8 +222,7 @@ async function startWatchChanges(io: socketIo.Server) {
         ),
       ),
     );
-    const plugins = await getSourcePlugins();
-    await startWatchPlugins(plugins, () => {
+    await startWatchPlugins(() => {
       io.emit('refresh');
     });
   } catch (err) {
diff --git a/desktop/scripts/startWatchPlugins.ts b/desktop/scripts/startWatchPlugins.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fde433d0f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/desktop/scripts/startWatchPlugins.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) Facebook, Inc. and its affiliates.
+ *
+ * This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+ * LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+ *
+ * @format
+ */
+
+import Watchman from './watchman';
+import {getPluginSourceFolders} from 'flipper-plugin-lib';
+
+export default async function startWatchPlugins(
+  onChanged: () => void | Promise<void>,
+) {
+  // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
+  console.log('🕵️‍  Watching for plugin changes');
+
+  let delayedCompilation: NodeJS.Timeout | undefined;
+  const kCompilationDelayMillis = 1000;
+  const onPluginChangeDetected = () => {
+    if (!delayedCompilation) {
+      delayedCompilation = setTimeout(() => {
+        delayedCompilation = undefined;
+        // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
+        console.log(`🕵️‍  Detected plugin change`);
+        onChanged();
+      }, kCompilationDelayMillis);
+    }
+  };
+  try {
+    await startWatchingPluginsUsingWatchman(onPluginChangeDetected);
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.error(
+      'Failed to start watching plugin files using Watchman, continue without hot reloading',
+      err,
+    );
+  }
+}
+
+async function startWatchingPluginsUsingWatchman(onChange: () => void) {
+  const pluginFolders = await getPluginSourceFolders();
+  await Promise.all(
+    pluginFolders.map(async (pluginFolder) => {
+      const watchman = new Watchman(pluginFolder);
+      await watchman.initialize();
+      await watchman.startWatchFiles('.', () => onChange(), {
+        excludes: ['**/__tests__/**/*', '**/node_modules/**/*', '**/.*'],
+      });
+    }),
+  );
+}
diff --git a/desktop/static/watchman.ts b/desktop/scripts/watchman.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from desktop/static/watchman.ts
rename to desktop/scripts/watchman.ts
diff --git a/desktop/static/compilePlugins.ts b/desktop/static/compilePlugins.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index f591bc8f9..000000000
--- a/desktop/static/compilePlugins.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,153 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * Copyright (c) Facebook, Inc. and its affiliates.
- *
- * This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
- * LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
- *
- * @format
- */
-
-import path from 'path';
-import fs from 'fs-extra';
-import util from 'util';
-import recursiveReaddir from 'recursive-readdir';
-import pMap from 'p-map';
-import {homedir} from 'os';
-import {PluginDetails} from 'flipper-plugin-lib';
-import {runBuild} from 'flipper-pkg-lib';
-import {getSourcePlugins, getInstalledPlugins} from './getPlugins';
-import startWatchPlugins from './startWatchPlugins';
-import ensurePluginFoldersWatchable from './ensurePluginFoldersWatchable';
-
-const HOME_DIR = homedir();
-
-const DEFAULT_COMPILE_OPTIONS: CompileOptions = {
-  force: false,
-  failSilently: true,
-  recompileOnChanges: true,
-};
-
-export type CompileOptions = {
-  force: boolean;
-  failSilently: boolean;
-  recompileOnChanges: boolean;
-};
-
-export default async function (
-  reloadCallback: (() => void) | null,
-  pluginCache: string,
-  options: CompileOptions = DEFAULT_COMPILE_OPTIONS,
-): Promise<PluginDetails[]> {
-  if (process.env.FLIPPER_FAST_REFRESH) {
-    console.log(
-      '🥫  Skipping loading of installed plugins because Fast Refresh is enabled',
-    );
-    return [];
-  }
-  await ensurePluginFoldersWatchable();
-  options = Object.assign({}, DEFAULT_COMPILE_OPTIONS, options);
-  const defaultPlugins = (
-    await fs.readJson(path.join(__dirname, 'defaultPlugins', 'index.json'))
-  ).map((p: any) => p.name) as string[];
-  const dynamicPlugins = [
-    ...(await getInstalledPlugins()),
-    ...(await getSourcePlugins()).filter(
-      (p) => !defaultPlugins.includes(p.name),
-    ),
-  ];
-  await fs.ensureDir(pluginCache);
-  if (options.recompileOnChanges) {
-    await startWatchChanges(
-      dynamicPlugins,
-      reloadCallback,
-      pluginCache,
-      options,
-    );
-  }
-  const compilations = pMap(
-    dynamicPlugins,
-    (plugin) => {
-      return compilePlugin(plugin, pluginCache, options);
-    },
-    {concurrency: 4},
-  );
-
-  const compiledDynamicPlugins = (await compilations).filter(
-    (c) => c !== null,
-  ) as PluginDetails[];
-  console.log('✅  Compiled all plugins.');
-  return compiledDynamicPlugins;
-}
-async function startWatchChanges(
-  plugins: PluginDetails[],
-  reloadCallback: (() => void) | null,
-  pluginCache: string,
-  options: CompileOptions = DEFAULT_COMPILE_OPTIONS,
-) {
-  const filteredPlugins = plugins
-    // no hot reloading for plugins in .flipper folder. This is to prevent
-    // Flipper from reloading, while we are doing changes on thirdparty plugins.
-    .filter(
-      (plugin) => !plugin.dir.startsWith(path.join(HOME_DIR, '.flipper')),
-    );
-  const watchOptions = Object.assign({}, options, {force: true});
-  await startWatchPlugins(filteredPlugins, (plugin) =>
-    compilePlugin(plugin, pluginCache, watchOptions).then(
-      reloadCallback ?? (() => {}),
-    ),
-  );
-}
-async function mostRecentlyChanged(dir: string) {
-  const files = await util.promisify<string, string[]>(recursiveReaddir)(dir);
-  return files
-    .map((f) => fs.lstatSync(f).ctime)
-    .reduce((a, b) => (a > b ? a : b), new Date(0));
-}
-async function compilePlugin(
-  pluginDetails: PluginDetails,
-  pluginCache: string,
-  {force, failSilently}: CompileOptions,
-): Promise<PluginDetails | null> {
-  const {dir, specVersion, version, entry, source, name} = pluginDetails;
-  if (specVersion > 1) {
-    // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
-    if (await fs.pathExists(entry)) {
-      console.log(`🥫  Using pre-built version of ${name}: ${entry}...`);
-      return pluginDetails;
-    } else {
-      console.error(
-        `❌  Plugin ${name} is ignored, because its entry point not found: ${entry}.`,
-      );
-      return null;
-    }
-  } else {
-    const entry = path.join(pluginCache, `${name}@${version || '0.0.0'}.js`);
-    const rootDirCtime = await mostRecentlyChanged(dir);
-    if (
-      !force &&
-      (await fs.pathExists(entry)) &&
-      rootDirCtime < (await fs.lstat(entry)).ctime
-    ) {
-      // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
-      console.log(`🥫  Using cached version of ${name}...`);
-      return pluginDetails;
-    } else {
-      // eslint-disable-line no-console
-      console.log(`⚙️  Compiling ${name}...`);
-      try {
-        await runBuild(dir, source, entry, false);
-      } catch (e) {
-        if (failSilently) {
-          console.error(
-            `❌  Plugin ${name} is ignored, because it could not be compiled.`,
-          );
-          console.error(e);
-          return null;
-        } else {
-          throw e;
-        }
-      }
-      return pluginDetails;
-    }
-  }
-}
diff --git a/desktop/static/getPluginFolders.ts b/desktop/static/getPluginFolders.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index fa51cecbe..000000000
--- a/desktop/static/getPluginFolders.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,37 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * Copyright (c) Facebook, Inc. and its affiliates.
- *
- * This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
- * LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
- *
- * @format
- */
-
-import path from 'path';
-import fs from 'fs-extra';
-import expandTilde from 'expand-tilde';
-import {homedir} from 'os';
-
-export function getPluginsInstallationFolder(): string {
-  return path.join(homedir(), '.flipper', 'thirdparty');
-}
-
-export async function getPluginSourceFolders(): Promise<string[]> {
-  const pluginFolders: string[] = [];
-  if (process.env.FLIPPER_NO_EMBEDDED_PLUGINS === 'true') {
-    console.log(
-      '🥫  Skipping embedded plugins because "--no-embedded-plugins" flag provided',
-    );
-    return pluginFolders;
-  }
-  const flipperConfigPath = path.join(homedir(), '.flipper', 'config.json');
-  if (await fs.pathExists(flipperConfigPath)) {
-    const config = await fs.readJson(flipperConfigPath);
-    if (config.pluginPaths) {
-      pluginFolders.push(...config.pluginPaths);
-    }
-  }
-  pluginFolders.push(path.resolve(__dirname, '..', 'plugins'));
-  pluginFolders.push(path.resolve(__dirname, '..', 'plugins', 'fb'));
-  return pluginFolders.map(expandTilde).filter(fs.existsSync);
-}
diff --git a/desktop/static/main.ts b/desktop/static/main.ts
index 4f08df880..2cfb072f0 100644
--- a/desktop/static/main.ts
+++ b/desktop/static/main.ts
@@ -23,12 +23,10 @@ import url from 'url';
 import fs from 'fs';
 import fixPath from 'fix-path';
 import {exec} from 'child_process';
-import compilePlugins from './compilePlugins';
 import setup from './setup';
 import isFB from './fb-stubs/isFB';
 import delegateToLauncher from './launcher';
 import yargs from 'yargs';
-import {finishPendingPluginInstallations} from 'flipper-plugin-lib';
 
 const VERSION: string = (global as any).__VERSION__;
 
@@ -89,7 +87,7 @@ const argv = yargs
   .help()
   .parse(process.argv.slice(1));
 
-const {config, configPath, flipperDir} = setup(argv);
+const {config, configPath} = setup(argv);
 
 if (isFB && process.env.FLIPPER_FB === undefined) {
   process.env.FLIPPER_FB = 'true';
@@ -100,7 +98,6 @@ process.env.CONFIG = JSON.stringify(config);
 // possible reference to main app window
 let win: BrowserWindow;
 let appReady = false;
-let pluginsCompiled = false;
 let deeplinkURL: string | undefined = argv.url;
 let filePath: string | undefined = argv.file;
 
@@ -111,22 +108,6 @@ setInterval(() => {
   }
 }, 60 * 1000);
 
-finishPendingPluginInstallations()
-  .then(() =>
-    compilePlugins(() => {
-      if (win) {
-        win.reload();
-      }
-    }, path.join(flipperDir, 'plugins')),
-  )
-  .then((dynamicPlugins) => {
-    ipcMain.on('get-dynamic-plugins', (event) => {
-      event.returnValue = dynamicPlugins;
-    });
-    pluginsCompiled = true;
-    tryCreateWindow();
-  });
-
 // check if we already have an instance of this app open
 const gotTheLock = app.requestSingleInstanceLock();
 
@@ -185,7 +166,7 @@ app.on('ready', () => {
     appReady = true;
     app.commandLine.appendSwitch('scroll-bounce');
     configureSession();
-    tryCreateWindow();
+    createWindow();
     // if in development install the react devtools extension
     if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development') {
       const {
@@ -278,72 +259,70 @@ app.setAsDefaultProtocolClient('flipper');
 // is workaround suggested in the issue
 app.commandLine.appendSwitch('disable-features', 'OutOfBlinkCors');
 
-function tryCreateWindow() {
-  if (appReady && pluginsCompiled) {
-    win = new BrowserWindow({
-      show: false,
-      title: 'Flipper',
-      width: config.lastWindowPosition?.width || 1400,
-      height: config.lastWindowPosition?.height || 1000,
-      minWidth: 800,
-      minHeight: 600,
-      center: true,
-      titleBarStyle: 'hiddenInset',
-      vibrancy: 'sidebar',
-      webPreferences: {
-        backgroundThrottling: false,
-        webSecurity: false,
-        scrollBounce: true,
-        experimentalFeatures: true,
-        nodeIntegration: true,
-        webviewTag: true,
-        nativeWindowOpen: true,
-      },
-    });
-    win.once('ready-to-show', () => {
-      win.show();
-      if (argv['open-dev-tools']) {
-        win.webContents.openDevTools();
-      }
-    });
-    win.once('close', () => {
-      win.webContents.send('trackUsage', 'exit');
-      if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development') {
-        // Removes as a default protocol for debug builds. Because even when the
-        // production application is installed, and one tries to deeplink through
-        // browser, it still looks for the debug one and tries to open electron
-        app.removeAsDefaultProtocolClient('flipper');
-      }
-      const [x, y] = win.getPosition();
-      const [width, height] = win.getSize();
-      // save window position and size
-      fs.writeFileSync(
-        configPath,
-        JSON.stringify({
-          ...config,
-          lastWindowPosition: {
-            x,
-            y,
-            width,
-            height,
-          },
-        }),
-      );
-    });
-    if (
-      config.lastWindowPosition &&
-      config.lastWindowPosition.x &&
-      config.lastWindowPosition.y
-    ) {
-      win.setPosition(config.lastWindowPosition.x, config.lastWindowPosition.y);
+function createWindow() {
+  win = new BrowserWindow({
+    show: false,
+    title: 'Flipper',
+    width: config.lastWindowPosition?.width || 1400,
+    height: config.lastWindowPosition?.height || 1000,
+    minWidth: 800,
+    minHeight: 600,
+    center: true,
+    titleBarStyle: 'hiddenInset',
+    vibrancy: 'sidebar',
+    webPreferences: {
+      backgroundThrottling: false,
+      webSecurity: false,
+      scrollBounce: true,
+      experimentalFeatures: true,
+      nodeIntegration: true,
+      webviewTag: true,
+      nativeWindowOpen: true,
+    },
+  });
+  win.once('ready-to-show', () => {
+    win.show();
+    if (argv['open-dev-tools']) {
+      win.webContents.openDevTools();
     }
-    const entryUrl =
-      process.env.ELECTRON_URL ||
-      url.format({
-        pathname: path.join(__dirname, 'index.html'),
-        protocol: 'file:',
-        slashes: true,
-      });
-    win.loadURL(entryUrl);
+  });
+  win.once('close', () => {
+    win.webContents.send('trackUsage', 'exit');
+    if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'development') {
+      // Removes as a default protocol for debug builds. Because even when the
+      // production application is installed, and one tries to deeplink through
+      // browser, it still looks for the debug one and tries to open electron
+      app.removeAsDefaultProtocolClient('flipper');
+    }
+    const [x, y] = win.getPosition();
+    const [width, height] = win.getSize();
+    // save window position and size
+    fs.writeFileSync(
+      configPath,
+      JSON.stringify({
+        ...config,
+        lastWindowPosition: {
+          x,
+          y,
+          width,
+          height,
+        },
+      }),
+    );
+  });
+  if (
+    config.lastWindowPosition &&
+    config.lastWindowPosition.x &&
+    config.lastWindowPosition.y
+  ) {
+    win.setPosition(config.lastWindowPosition.x, config.lastWindowPosition.y);
   }
+  const entryUrl =
+    process.env.ELECTRON_URL ||
+    url.format({
+      pathname: path.join(__dirname, 'index.html'),
+      protocol: 'file:',
+      slashes: true,
+    });
+  win.loadURL(entryUrl);
 }
diff --git a/desktop/static/package.json b/desktop/static/package.json
index 2f49d3972..67ef4dfa1 100644
--- a/desktop/static/package.json
+++ b/desktop/static/package.json
@@ -6,21 +6,14 @@
   "license": "MIT",
   "dependencies": {
     "electron-devtools-installer": "^3.1.1",
-    "expand-tilde": "^2.0.2",
-    "fb-watchman": "^2.0.0",
     "fix-path": "^3.0.0",
     "flipper-pkg-lib": "0.57.0",
     "flipper-plugin-lib": "0.57.0",
     "fs-extra": "^9.0.1",
     "ignore": "^5.1.4",
     "mac-ca": "^1.0.4",
-    "mem": "^6.0.0",
     "mkdirp": "^1.0.4",
-    "p-filter": "^2.1.0",
-    "p-map": "^4.0.0",
-    "recursive-readdir": "^2.2.2",
-    "semver": "^7.3.2",
-    "uuid": "^8.1.0",
+    "node-fetch": "^2.6.1",
     "ws": "^7.3.0",
     "xdg-basedir": "^4.0.0",
     "yargs": "^15.4.1"
diff --git a/desktop/static/setup.ts b/desktop/static/setup.ts
index 84d9eea94..1c4667109 100644
--- a/desktop/static/setup.ts
+++ b/desktop/static/setup.ts
@@ -59,5 +59,5 @@ export default function setup(argv: any) {
     launcherMsg: argv.launcherMsg,
   };
 
-  return {config, configPath, flipperDir};
+  return {config, configPath};
 }
diff --git a/desktop/static/startWatchPlugins.ts b/desktop/static/startWatchPlugins.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index f654cd472..000000000
--- a/desktop/static/startWatchPlugins.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,72 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * Copyright (c) Facebook, Inc. and its affiliates.
- *
- * This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
- * LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
- *
- * @format
- */
-
-import path from 'path';
-import Watchman from './watchman';
-import {PluginDetails} from 'flipper-plugin-lib';
-
-export default async function startWatchPlugins(
-  plugins: PluginDetails[],
-  compilePlugin: (plugin: PluginDetails) => void | Promise<void>,
-) {
-  // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
-  console.log('🕵️‍  Watching for plugin changes');
-
-  const delayedCompilation: {[key: string]: NodeJS.Timeout | null} = {};
-  const kCompilationDelayMillis = 1000;
-  const onPluginChanged = (plugin: PluginDetails) => {
-    if (!delayedCompilation[plugin.name]) {
-      delayedCompilation[plugin.name] = setTimeout(() => {
-        delayedCompilation[plugin.name] = null;
-        // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
-        console.log(`🕵️‍  Detected changes in ${plugin.name}`);
-        compilePlugin(plugin);
-      }, kCompilationDelayMillis);
-    }
-  };
-  try {
-    await startWatchingPluginsUsingWatchman(plugins, onPluginChanged);
-  } catch (err) {
-    console.error(
-      'Failed to start watching plugin files using Watchman, continue without hot reloading',
-      err,
-    );
-  }
-}
-
-async function startWatchingPluginsUsingWatchman(
-  plugins: PluginDetails[],
-  onPluginChanged: (plugin: PluginDetails) => void,
-) {
-  // Initializing a watchman for each folder containing plugins
-  const watchmanRootMap: {[key: string]: Watchman} = {};
-  await Promise.all(
-    plugins.map(async (plugin) => {
-      const watchmanRoot = path.resolve(plugin.dir, '..');
-      if (!watchmanRootMap[watchmanRoot]) {
-        watchmanRootMap[watchmanRoot] = new Watchman(watchmanRoot);
-        await watchmanRootMap[watchmanRoot].initialize();
-      }
-    }),
-  );
-  // Start watching plugins using the initialized watchmans
-  await Promise.all(
-    plugins.map(async (plugin) => {
-      const watchmanRoot = path.resolve(plugin.dir, '..');
-      const watchman = watchmanRootMap[watchmanRoot];
-      await watchman.startWatchFiles(
-        path.relative(watchmanRoot, plugin.dir),
-        () => onPluginChanged(plugin),
-        {
-          excludes: ['**/__tests__/**/*', '**/node_modules/**/*', '**/.*'],
-        },
-      );
-    }),
-  );
-}
diff --git a/desktop/yarn.lock b/desktop/yarn.lock
index ade567eb1..554212984 100644
--- a/desktop/yarn.lock
+++ b/desktop/yarn.lock
@@ -8420,13 +8420,6 @@ makeerror@1.0.x:
   dependencies:
     tmpl "1.0.x"
 
-map-age-cleaner@^0.1.3:
-  version "0.1.3"
-  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/map-age-cleaner/-/map-age-cleaner-0.1.3.tgz#7d583a7306434c055fe474b0f45078e6e1b4b92a"
-  integrity sha512-bJzx6nMoP6PDLPBFmg7+xRKeFZvFboMrGlxmNj9ClvX53KrmvM5bXFXEWjbz4cz1AFn+jWJ9z/DJSz7hrs0w3w==
-  dependencies:
-    p-defer "^1.0.0"
-
 map-cache@^0.2.2:
   version "0.2.2"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/map-cache/-/map-cache-0.2.2.tgz#c32abd0bd6525d9b051645bb4f26ac5dc98a0dbf"
@@ -8473,14 +8466,6 @@ media-typer@0.3.0:
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/media-typer/-/media-typer-0.3.0.tgz#8710d7af0aa626f8fffa1ce00168545263255748"
   integrity sha1-hxDXrwqmJvj/+hzgAWhUUmMlV0g=
 
-mem@^6.0.0:
-  version "6.0.1"
-  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/mem/-/mem-6.0.1.tgz#3f8ad1b0f8c4e00daf07f104e95b9d78131d7908"
-  integrity sha512-uIRYASflIsXqvKe+7aXbLrydaRzz4qiK6amqZDQI++eRtW3UoKtnDcGeCAOREgll7YMxO5E4VB9+3B0LFmy96g==
-  dependencies:
-    map-age-cleaner "^0.1.3"
-    mimic-fn "^3.0.0"
-
 "memoize-one@>=3.1.1 <6":
   version "5.1.1"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/memoize-one/-/memoize-one-5.1.1.tgz#047b6e3199b508eaec03504de71229b8eb1d75c0"
@@ -8810,11 +8795,6 @@ mimic-fn@^2.1.0:
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/mimic-fn/-/mimic-fn-2.1.0.tgz#7ed2c2ccccaf84d3ffcb7a69b57711fc2083401b"
   integrity sha512-OqbOk5oEQeAZ8WXWydlu9HJjz9WVdEIvamMCcXmuqUYjTknH/sqsWvhQ3vgwKFRR1HpjvNBKQ37nbJgYzGqGcg==
 
-mimic-fn@^3.0.0:
-  version "3.0.0"
-  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/mimic-fn/-/mimic-fn-3.0.0.tgz#76044cfa8818bbf6999c5c9acadf2d3649b14b4b"
-  integrity sha512-PiVO95TKvhiwgSwg1IdLYlCTdul38yZxZMIcnDSFIBUm4BNZha2qpQ4GpJ++15bHoKDtrW2D69lMfFwdFYtNZQ==
-
 mimic-response@^1.0.0, mimic-response@^1.0.1:
   version "1.0.1"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/mimic-response/-/mimic-response-1.0.1.tgz#4923538878eef42063cb8a3e3b0798781487ab1b"
@@ -8985,6 +8965,11 @@ node-fetch@^1.0.1:
     encoding "^0.1.11"
     is-stream "^1.0.1"
 
+node-fetch@^2.6.1:
+  version "2.6.1"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/node-fetch/-/node-fetch-2.6.1.tgz#045bd323631f76ed2e2b55573394416b639a0052"
+  integrity sha512-V4aYg89jEoVRxRb2fJdAg8FHvI7cEyYdVAh94HH0UIK8oJxUfkjlDQN9RbMx+bEjP7+ggMiFRprSti032Oipxw==
+
 node-forge@^0.7.1, node-forge@^0.7.5:
   version "0.7.6"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/node-forge/-/node-forge-0.7.6.tgz#fdf3b418aee1f94f0ef642cd63486c77ca9724ac"
@@ -9315,11 +9300,6 @@ p-cancelable@^1.0.0:
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/p-cancelable/-/p-cancelable-1.1.0.tgz#d078d15a3af409220c886f1d9a0ca2e441ab26cc"
   integrity sha512-s73XxOZ4zpt1edZYZzvhqFa6uvQc1vwUa0K0BdtIZgQMAJj9IbebH+JkgKZc9h+B05PKHLOTl4ajG1BmNrVZlw==
 
-p-defer@^1.0.0:
-  version "1.0.0"
-  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/p-defer/-/p-defer-1.0.0.tgz#9f6eb182f6c9aa8cd743004a7d4f96b196b0fb0c"
-  integrity sha1-n26xgvbJqozXQwBKfU+WsZaw+ww=
-
 p-each-series@^2.1.0:
   version "2.1.0"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/p-each-series/-/p-each-series-2.1.0.tgz#961c8dd3f195ea96c747e636b262b800a6b1af48"
@@ -12251,11 +12231,6 @@ uuid@^7.0.3:
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/uuid/-/uuid-7.0.3.tgz#c5c9f2c8cf25dc0a372c4df1441c41f5bd0c680b"
   integrity sha512-DPSke0pXhTZgoF/d+WSt2QaKMCFSfx7QegxEWT+JOuHF5aWrKEn0G+ztjuJg/gG8/ItK+rbPCD/yNv8yyih6Cg==
 
-uuid@^8.1.0:
-  version "8.1.0"
-  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/uuid/-/uuid-8.1.0.tgz#6f1536eb43249f473abc6bd58ff983da1ca30d8d"
-  integrity sha512-CI18flHDznR0lq54xBycOVmphdCYnQLKn8abKn7PXUiKUGdEd+/l9LWNJmugXel4hXq7S+RMNl34ecyC9TntWg==
-
 uuid@^8.3.0:
   version "8.3.0"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/uuid/-/uuid-8.3.0.tgz#ab738085ca22dc9a8c92725e459b1d507df5d6ea"