# Best practice for plugin location? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cabbage 3\ **Created:** [24 October 2026 10:13 UTC](https://forum.cabbageaudio.com/t/best-practice-for-plugin-location/5068 "2026-10-24T10:13:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Oeyvind](https://forum.cabbageaudio.com/user_avatar/forum.cabbageaudio.com/oeyvind/32/4681_2.png) [@Oeyvind](https://forum.cabbageaudio.com/u/Oeyvind)\ **Post date:** [24 October 2026 10:13 UTC](https://forum.cabbageaudio.com/t/best-practice-for-plugin-location/5068/1 "2026-10-24T10:13:19Z")
When exporting, my csd file is written to C:/ProgramData/CabbageAudio/plugin\_name, but the .vst3 file can be saved anywhere my DAW will look for it. Previously (with Cabbage2) my practice was to have the csd and the dll/vst3 in the same folder. This seemed tidy, and also let me back up all my plugins easily. What is your suggestion for a best practice regarding save location for the plugin file? Would you save the vst3 in the resource folder (C:/ProgramData/CabbageAudio/plugin\_name) ? ---
**Author:** ![rorywalsh](https://forum.cabbageaudio.com/user_avatar/forum.cabbageaudio.com/rorywalsh/32/165_2.png) [@rorywalsh](https://forum.cabbageaudio.com/u/rorywalsh)\ **Post date:** [24 October 2026 10:58 UTC](https://forum.cabbageaudio.com/t/best-practice-for-plugin-location/5068/2 "2026-10-24T10:58:24Z")
The plugin DLL can really go anywhere[1], but Cabbage will bundle the resources into the program data folder on Windows, and the Application Support folder on macOS (more info about this can be found [here](https://cabbageaudio.com/docs/using/exporting/)). In older versions, placing the .csd files alongside the DLL was the usual practice. But so often users would move their DLL without moving their .csd file, and then wonder why their plugin no longer worked. Apart from this, it makes sense on macOS to keep resource files outside the plugin bundle as it leads to less code-signing pain. Note too that many hosts on Windows will only load VST3 plugins if they are placed in the standard VST3 location. Reaper, thankfully, isn’t like most hosts 🙂 \[1\] It can go anywhere, but I’m not sure I would place them in the resources folder. I typically place them into a dedicated plugin folder and point Reaper to that directory. * * * 1. 1 ---
**Author:** ![Oeyvind](https://forum.cabbageaudio.com/user_avatar/forum.cabbageaudio.com/oeyvind/32/4681_2.png) [@Oeyvind](https://forum.cabbageaudio.com/u/Oeyvind)\ **Post date:** [24 October 2026 11:01 UTC](https://forum.cabbageaudio.com/t/best-practice-for-plugin-location/5068/3 "2026-10-24T11:01:20Z")
Ok. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![rorywalsh](https://forum.cabbageaudio.com/user_avatar/forum.cabbageaudio.com/rorywalsh/32/165_2.png) [@rorywalsh](https://forum.cabbageaudio.com/u/rorywalsh)\ **Post date:** [24 October 2026 11:15 UTC](https://forum.cabbageaudio.com/t/best-practice-for-plugin-location/5068/4 "2026-10-24T11:15:32Z")
I find myself writing things like, “but I can also add support for the old way if you like”, and then deleting it because I don’t want to end up with the same mess as Cabbage 2, with way too many options and too many moving parts. So I think for Cabbage 3, at least for now, I’m going to be a little more militant on adding things 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![Oeyvind](https://forum.cabbageaudio.com/user_avatar/forum.cabbageaudio.com/oeyvind/32/4681_2.png) [@Oeyvind](https://forum.cabbageaudio.com/u/Oeyvind)\ **Post date:** [24 October 2026 14:05 UTC](https://forum.cabbageaudio.com/t/best-practice-for-plugin-location/5068/5 "2026-10-24T14:05:49Z")
All cool. I think it also makes sense that this makes it more similar across different OSes. Easier to explain to students and all good.