diff --git a/docs/cli-reference.rst b/docs/cli-reference.rst
index 2cd1dd3..9f9a4e8 100644
--- a/docs/cli-reference.rst
+++ b/docs/cli-reference.rst
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ This page lists the ``--help`` for every ``sqlite-utils`` CLI sub-command.
 
 .. [[[cog
     from sqlite_utils import cli
+    import sys
+    sys._called_from_test = True
     from click.testing import CliRunner
     import textwrap
     commands = list(cli.cli.commands.keys())
@@ -1500,4 +1502,19 @@ See :ref:`cli_spatialite_indexes`.
       -h, --help             Show this message and exit.
 
 
+.. _cli_ref_plugins:
+
+plugins
+=======
+
+::
+
+    Usage: sqlite-utils plugins [OPTIONS]
+
+      List installed plugins
+
+    Options:
+      -h, --help  Show this message and exit.
+
+
 .. [[[end]]]
diff --git a/docs/index.rst b/docs/index.rst
index 2bca2c8..27a22c3 100644
--- a/docs/index.rst
+++ b/docs/index.rst
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ Contents
    installation
    cli
    python-api
+   plugins
    reference
    cli-reference
    contributing
diff --git a/docs/plugins.rst b/docs/plugins.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cb3090c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/plugins.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+.. _plugins:
+
+=========
+ Plugins
+=========
+
+``sqlite-utils`` supports plugins, which can be used to add extra features to the software.
+
+Plugins can add new commands, for example ``sqlite-utils some-command ...``
+
+Plugins can be installed using the ``sqlite-utils install`` command:
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+    sqlite-utils install sqlite-utils-name-of-plugin
+
+You can see a JSON list of plugins that have been installed by running this:
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+    sqlite-utils plugins
+
+.. _plugins_building:
+
+Building a plugin
+-----------------
+
+Plugins are created in a directory named after the plugin. To create a "hello world" plugin, first create a ``hello-world`` directory:
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+    mkdir hello-world
+    cd hello-world
+
+In that folder create two files. The first is a ``pyproject.toml`` file describing the plugin:
+
+.. code-block:: toml
+
+    [project]
+    name = "sqlite-utils-hello-world"
+    version = "0.1"
+
+    [project.entry-points.sqlite_utils]
+    hello_world = "sqlite_utils_hello_world"
+
+The ```[project.entry-points.sqlite_utils]`` section tells ``sqlite-tils`` which module to load when executing the plugin.
+
+Then create ``sqlite_utils_hello_world.py`` with the following content:
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+    import click
+    import sqlite_utils
+
+    @sqlite_utils.hookimpl
+    def register_commands(cli):
+        @cli.command()
+        def hello_world():
+            "Say hello world"
+            click.echo("Hello world!")
+
+Install the plugin in "editable" mode - so you can make changes to the code and have them picked up instantly by ``sqlite-utils`` - like this:
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+    sqlite-utils install -e .
+
+Or pass the path to your plugin directory:
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+    sqlite-utils install -e `/dev/sqlite-utils-hello-world
+
+Now, running this should execute your new command:
+
+.. code-block:: bash
+
+    sqlite-utils hello-world
+
+Your command will also be listed in the output of ``sqlite-utils --help``.
+
+.. _plugins_hooks:
+
+Plugin hooks
+------------
+
+Plugin hooks allow ``sqlite-utils`` to be customized. There is currently one hook.
+
+.. _plugins_hooks_register_commands:
+
+register_commands(cli)
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+This hook can be used to register additional commands with the ``sqlite-utils`` CLI. It is called with the ``cli`` object, which is a ``click.Group`` instance.
+
+Example implementation:
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+    import click
+    import sqlite_utils
+
+    @sqlite_utils.hookimpl
+    def register_commands(cli):
+        @cli.command()
+        def hello_world():
+            "Say hello world"
+            click.echo("Hello world!")
+
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 5d67f0d..7dbd670 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ setup(
         "click-default-group-wheel",
         "tabulate",
         "python-dateutil",
+        "pluggy",
     ],
     extras_require={
         "test": ["pytest", "black", "hypothesis", "cogapp"],
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ setup(
             "types-click",
             "types-tabulate",
             "types-python-dateutil",
+            "types-pluggy",
             "data-science-types",
         ],
         "flake8": ["flake8"],
diff --git a/sqlite_utils/__init__.py b/sqlite_utils/__init__.py
index 614f984..a55c2d2 100644
--- a/sqlite_utils/__init__.py
+++ b/sqlite_utils/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 from .db import Database
 from .utils import suggest_column_types
+from .hookspecs import hookimpl
+from .hookspecs import hookspec
 
-__all__ = ["Database", "suggest_column_types"]
+__all__ = ["Database", "suggest_column_types", "hookimpl", "hookspec"]
diff --git a/sqlite_utils/cli.py b/sqlite_utils/cli.py
index 0c3a222..df9fbea 100644
--- a/sqlite_utils/cli.py
+++ b/sqlite_utils/cli.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import pathlib
 from runpy import run_module
 import sqlite_utils
 from sqlite_utils.db import AlterError, BadMultiValues, DescIndex, NoTable
+from sqlite_utils.plugins import pm, get_plugins
 from sqlite_utils.utils import maximize_csv_field_size_limit
 from sqlite_utils import recipes
 import textwrap
@@ -3078,6 +3079,15 @@ def create_spatial_index(db_path, table, column_name, load_extension):
     db[table].create_spatial_index(column_name)
 
 
+@cli.command(name="plugins")
+def plugins_list():
+    "List installed plugins"
+    click.echo(json.dumps(get_plugins(), indent=2))
+
+
+pm.hook.register_commands(cli=cli)
+
+
 def _render_common(title, values):
     if values is None:
         return ""
diff --git a/sqlite_utils/hookspecs.py b/sqlite_utils/hookspecs.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cf05f7d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sqlite_utils/hookspecs.py
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+from pluggy import HookimplMarker
+from pluggy import HookspecMarker
+
+hookspec = HookspecMarker("sqlite_utils")
+hookimpl = HookimplMarker("sqlite_utils")
+
+
+@hookspec
+def register_commands(cli):
+    """Register additional CLI commands, e.g. 'sqlite-utils mycommand ...'"""
diff --git a/sqlite_utils/plugins.py b/sqlite_utils/plugins.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5eaf1f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sqlite_utils/plugins.py
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import pluggy
+import sys
+from . import hookspecs
+
+pm = pluggy.PluginManager("sqlite_utils")
+pm.add_hookspecs(hookspecs)
+
+if not hasattr(sys, "_called_from_test"):
+    # Only load plugins if not running tests
+    pm.load_setuptools_entrypoints("sqlite_utils")
+
+
+def get_plugins():
+    plugins = []
+    plugin_to_distinfo = dict(pm.list_plugin_distinfo())
+    for plugin in pm.get_plugins():
+        plugin_info = {
+            "name": plugin.__name__,
+            "hooks": [h.name for h in pm.get_hookcallers(plugin)],
+        }
+        distinfo = plugin_to_distinfo.get(plugin)
+        if distinfo:
+            plugin_info["version"] = distinfo.version
+            plugin_info["name"] = distinfo.project_name
+        plugins.append(plugin_info)
+    return plugins
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 621d67e..3932f05 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -8,6 +8,12 @@ create table Gosh2 (c1 text, c2 text, c3 text);
 """
 
 
+def pytest_configure(config):
+    import sys
+
+    sys._called_from_test = True
+
+
 @pytest.fixture
 def fresh_db():
     return Database(memory=True)
diff --git a/tests/test_docs.py b/tests/test_docs.py
index c305c7a..a36b053 100644
--- a/tests/test_docs.py
+++ b/tests/test_docs.py
@@ -11,7 +11,9 @@ recipes_re = re.compile(r"r\.(\w+)\(")
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="session")
 def documented_commands():
-    rst = (docs_path / "cli.rst").read_text()
+    rst = ""
+    for doc in ("cli.rst", "plugins.rst"):
+        rst += (docs_path / doc).read_text()
     return {
         command
         for command in commands_re.findall(rst)
diff --git a/tests/test_plugins.py b/tests/test_plugins.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dcb9e7b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_plugins.py
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+from click.testing import CliRunner
+import click
+import importlib
+from sqlite_utils import cli, hookimpl, plugins
+
+
+def test_register_commands():
+    importlib.reload(cli)
+    assert plugins.get_plugins() == []
+
+    class HelloWorldPlugin:
+        __name__ = "HelloWorldPlugin"
+
+        @hookimpl
+        def register_commands(self, cli):
+            @cli.command(name="hello-world")
+            def hello_world():
+                "Print hello world"
+                click.echo("Hello world!")
+
+    try:
+        plugins.pm.register(HelloWorldPlugin(), name="HelloWorldPlugin")
+        importlib.reload(cli)
+
+        assert plugins.get_plugins() == [
+            {"name": "HelloWorldPlugin", "hooks": ["register_commands"]}
+        ]
+
+        runner = CliRunner()
+        result = runner.invoke(cli.cli, ["hello-world"])
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+        assert result.output == "Hello world!\n"
+
+    finally:
+        plugins.pm.unregister(name="HelloWorldPlugin")
+        importlib.reload(cli)
+        assert plugins.get_plugins() == []