Plugin Hook API Reference

February 6, 2026 · View on GitHub

The following table shows all known Cacti plugin hooks and a brief description of their function.

hook	hook	hook
add_graph_template_to_host	api_device_new	api_device_save
auth_alternate_realms	auth_profile_reset	auth_profile_reset_value
auth_profile_run_action	auth_profile_save	auth_profile_tabs
auth_profile_update_data	boost_poller_bottom	bottom_footer
cacti_stats_update	change_password_title	clog_regex_array
config_arrays	config_form	config_insert
config_settings	console_after	console_before
copy_user	create_complete_graph_from_template	custom_denied
custom_login	custom_logout_message	custom_password
custom_version_info	data_input_sql_where	data_source_action_array
data_source_action_bottom	data_source_action_execute	data_source_action_prepare
data_source_edit_bottom	data_source_edit_top	data_source_remove
data_source_to_poller_items	data_sources_table	device_action_array
device_action_bottom	device_action_execute	device_action_prepare
device_display_text	device_edit_pre_bottom	device_edit_top_links
device_filter_end	device_filter_start	device_filters
device_change_javascript	device_remove	device_sql_where
device_table_bottom	device_table_replace	device_template_change
device_template_edit	device_template_top	draw_navigation_text
export_action	fgc_contextoption	get_friendly_name
global_settings_update	graph	graph_buttons
graph_edit_after	graph_image	graph_items_remove
graph_tree_page_buttons	graphs_action_array	graphs_action_bottom
graphs_action_execute	graphs_action_prepare	graphs_item_array
graphs_new_top_links	graphs_remove	graphs_sql_where
hmib_get_cpu	hmib_get_cpu_indexes	hmib_get_disk
host_edit_bottom	host_edit_top	host_save
import_action	is_console_page	login_after
login_before	login_options_navigate	login_process
login_realms	login_title	logout_post_session_destroy
logout_pre_session_destroy	nav_login_after	nav_login_before
page_bottom	page_buttons	page_head
page_title	poller_bottom	poller_command_args
poller_exiting	poller_finishing	poller_output
poller_remote_maint	poller_top	remote_agent
replicate_in	replicate_out	report_filters
resolve_dependencies	rrd_graph_graph_options	run_data_query
snmpagent_cache_install	substitute_host_data	top_graph_header
top_graph_header_tabs	top_graph_jquery_function	top_graph_refresh
top_header	tree_after	tree_view_page_end
ugroup_tabs	update_data_source_title_cache	user_admin_action
user_admin_edit	user_admin_run_action	user_admin_setup_sql_save
user_admin_tab	user_admin_user_save	user_group_admin_action
user_group_admin_edit	user_group_admin_save	user_group_admin_setup_sql_save
[user_group_admin_run_action] (Plugin-Hook-API-Ref.md#user_group_admin_run_action)	[user_group_admin_tab] (Plugin-Hook-API-Ref.md#user_group_admin_tab)	[user_group_remove] (Plugin-Hook-API-Ref.md#user_group_remove)
user_remove	utilities_action	utilities_array
utilities_list	valid_host_fields

add_graph_template_to_host

Allows you to perform additional operations when adding a graph template to host. The parameters passed are host_id and graph_template_id.

file	introduced	retired
cli/add_graph_template.php	1.0.0
cli/host_update_template.php	1.0.0
host.php	1.0.0
lib/api_device.php	1.0.0

api_device_new

This hooks allows you to perform additional operation at the end of api_device_save function. Unlike the api_device_save hook, the device ID is already defined here.

file	introduced	retired
lib/api_device.php	1.0.0

api_device_save

This hook allows you to perform additional operation at the end of api_device_save function. Unlike the api_device_new hook, the device ID is might not be defined here.

This hook allows you to alter the contents to the device table with custom fields. When used properly, it allows you to extend the host table with your plugins custom fields.

file	introduced	retired
lib/api_device.php	1.0.0

auth_alternate_realms

This hook allows you to handle user login check alternate plugin defined authentication realms.

file	introduced	retired
include/auth.php	1.0.0

auth_profile_reset

Allows you to reset plugins all user settings

file	introduced	retired
auth_profile.php	1.2.0-beta3

auth_profile_reset_value

Allows you to reset plugins single user settings

file	introduced	retired
auth_profile.php	1.2.0-beta3

auth_profile_run_action

Allows you to draw plugins user settings form

file	introduced	retired
auth_profile.php	1.2.0-beta3

auth_profile_save

Allows you to save plugins all user settings

file	introduced	retired
auth_profile.php	1.2.0-beta3

auth_profile_tabs

Allows you to draw plugins user setting tabs

file	introduced	retired
auth_profile.php	1.2.0-beta3

auth_profile_update_data

Allows you to update plugins single user setting

file	introduced	retired
auth_profile.php	1.2.4

boost_poller_bottom

file	introduced	retired
poller_boost.php	1.0.0

bottom_footer

Allows you to override the rendering of the bottom_footer html snippet.

file	introduced	retired
include/bottom_footer.php	0.8.7i	1.1.38

cacti_stats_update

file	introduced	retired
poller.php	1.0.0

change_password_title

file	introduced	retired
auth_changepassword.php	1.2.0-beta1

clog_regex_array

Allows you to enhance the Logs display with additional information or links.

file	introduced	retired
lib/clog_webapi.php	1.1.34

config_arrays

Allows your plug-in to define custom array elements to be used throughout cacti. Things like dropdown arrays and the like.

file	introduced	retired
include/global_arrays.php	1.0.0

Allows you to define form object to represent data to be stored in your tables. In the case of MacTrack, there is a table called mac_track_sites and in order to drive the UI and allow for the user to provide input and save a site, you must provide the Cacti form engine a form array to allow for the form to be presented and contents to be saved.

file	introduced	retired
include/global_form.php	1.0.0

config_insert

This is a general purpose hook used for connecting to other database, or sourcing common includes that would otherwise not be sourced.

file	introduced	retired
include/global.php	1.0.0

config_settings

Allows you to extend the Cacti settings page to allow for custom tabs and global settings within them.

file	introduced	retired
include/global_settings.php	1.0.0

console_after

Allows you to add text after the default message on the console page

file	introduced	retired
index.php	1.0.0

console_before

Allows you to add text before the default message on the console page. For instance, the Update plug-in will display a message here if there are new versions of plugins.

file	introduced	retired
index.php	1.0.0

copy_user

Allows a plugin to take part in the Copy User actions. This is important a plugin maintains user settings.

file	introduced	retired
lib/auth.php	1.0.0

create_complete_graph_from_template

Allows you to perform additional operations when adding new graph to device from graph template.

file	introduced	retired
lib/template.php	1.0.0

custom_denied

Allows you to override the rendering of the permission denied interface.

file	introduced	retired
permission_denied.php	1.2.2
auth_login.php	1.2.12

custom_login

Allows you to override the rendering of the auth_login.php page.

file	introduced	retired
auth_login.php	1.0.0

custom_logout_message

Allows you to override the rendering of the logout.php page.

file	introduced	retired
logout.php	1.0.0

custom_password

Allows you to override the rendering of the auth_changepassword.php page.

file	introduced	retired
auth_changepassword.php	1.0.0

custom_version_info

Allows your plugin to display additional information on the cacti tech support page.

file	introduced	retired
utilities.php	1.0.0

data_input_sql_where

file	introduced	retired
data_input.php	1.0.0

data_source_action_array

Allows you to define custom dropdown actions from within the data sources page.

file	introduced	retired
data_sources.php	1.0.0

data_source_action_bottom

file	introduced	retired
data_sources.php	1.0.0

data_source_action_execute

Allows you to define custom actions to be taken upon you dropdown selection.

file	introduced	retired
data_sources.php	1.0.0

data_source_action_prepare

This is the final component to creating a custom action within the data sources. In Cacti's form engine, you must provide the dropdown action and then two follow-up actions to complete the cycle. This is were you actually save the data.

file	introduced	retired
data_sources.php	1.0.0

data_source_edit_bottom

Allows you to make minor change to the Data Sources page, like add a tabbed interface.

file	introduced	retired
data_sources.php	1.0.0

data_source_edit_top

Allows you to make minor changes to the Data Sources page, like add a tabbed interface.

file	introduced	retired
data_sources.php	1.0.0

data_source_remove

This hook is called when the data sources used by a graph are removed. The parameters are the graphs data sources.

file	introduced	retired
data_sources.php	1.0.0	1.1.38
graphs.php	1.0.0	1.1.38
host.php	1.0.0	1.1.38
lib/api_data_source.php	1.2.0-beta1

data_source_to_poller_items

file	introduced	retired
lib/utility.php	1.0.0

data_sources_table

Allows you to change the data displayed on the Data Sources table. THold uses this to create a link to that datasources threshold

file	introduced	retired
data_sources.php	1.0.0

device_action_array

Allows you to define custom dropdown actions from within the device/host page.

file	introduced	retired
host.php	1.0.0

device_action_bottom

file	introduced	retired
host.php	1.0.0

device_action_execute

Allows you to define custom actions to be taken upon you dropdown selection.

file	introduced	retired
host.php	1.0.0

device_action_prepare

This is the final component to creating a custom action within the devices. In Cacti's form engine, you must provide the dropdown action and then two follow-up actions to complete the cycle. This is were you actually save the data.

file	introduced	retired
host.php	1.0.0

device_display_text

This hook allows you to add custom columns header to the host list page

file	introduced	retired
host.php	1.3.0 - Dev

device_edit_pre_bottom

file	introduced	retired
host.php	1.0.0

device_edit_top_links

This hook allows you to add custom actions to the host edit page, below the "Create graphs for this Host".

file	introduced	retired
host.php	1.0.0

device_filter_end

This hook allows you to add custom filter fields before Cacti buildin filter to the host list page

file	introduced	retired
host.php	1.3.0 - Dev

device_filter_start

This hook allows you to add custom filter fields after Cacti buildin filter to the host list page

file	introduced	retired
host.php	1.3.0 - Dev

device_filters

file	introduced	retired
host.php	1.0.0

device_change_javascript

This hook allows you to add custom javascript to Change device settings page

file	introduced	retired
host.php	1.2.31

device_remove

This hook allows you to perform additional actions on devices that have been selected for deletion. The parameter is an array of deleted device IDs. Note that at this point, the devices are already deleted from the host table.

file	introduced	retired
host.php	1.0.0	1.1.38
lib/api_device.php	1.2.0-beta1

device_sql_where

file	introduced	retired
host.php	1.0.0

device_table_bottom

file	introduced	retired
host.php	1.0.0

device_table_replace

Allows you to override the rendering of the host list page

file	introduced	retired
host.php	1.3.0 - Dev

device_template_change

Allows you to add template items such a threshold upon a device template change

file	introduced	retired
lib/ap_device.php	1.2.25

device_template_edit

file	introduced	retired
host_templates.php	1.0.0

device_template_top

file	introduced	retired
host_templates.php	1.0.0

draw_navigation_text

Just below the Cacti "Console", and "Graphs" tabs, cacti provides a Navigation bar that allows you to move backward in a selection tree. Although it is not foolproof, this hook allows you to populate and navigate that tree.

file	introduced	retired
lib/functions.php	1.0.0

export_action

file	introduced	retired
lib/export.php	1.2.0-beta1

fgc_contextoption

file	introduced	retired
lib/functions.php	1.1.28

get_friendly_name

file	introduced	retired
lib/import.php	1.2.0-beta1

global_settings_update

file	introduced	retired
settings.php	1.0.0

graph

This hook is called at the top of graph.php page

file	introduced	retired
graph.php	1.0.0

graph_buttons

You know about the zoom button right? Well this allows you to add any additional custom button to the right of a graph.

file	introduced	retired
graph.php	1.0.0

graph_edit_after

file	introduced	retired
graphs.php	1.2.0-beta1

graph_image

This hooks allows displaying of alternative graphics in place of a graph image. This hook can no output text, only modify the image, as it is only called when a graph is required to be outputted.

file	introduced	retired
graph_image.php	1.0.0
graph_json.php	1.0.0

graph_items_remove

This hook is called when when the data source is deleted, and the option to remove all graph items tied to the data source is selected.

file	introduced	retired
data_sources.php	1.0.0

graph_tree_page_buttons

Allows you to add custom HTML to the graph tree view page, under the timespan presets and the graph search box.

file	introduced	retired
lib/html_tree.php	0.8.7i

graphs_action_array

Similar to the host actions and host, prepare and execute hooks. It allows you to have custom dropdown actions within the graph management interface.

file	introduced	retired
graphs.php	1.0.0

graphs_action_bottom

file	introduced	retired
graphs.php	1.0.0

graphs_action_execute

file	introduced	retired
graphs.php	1.0.0

graphs_action_prepare

file	introduced	retired
graphs.php	1.0.0

graphs_item_array

file	introduced	retired
graphs.php	1.2.0-beta1

graphs_new_top_links

Add a link at the top of the "Create New Graphs" page.

file	introduced	retired
graphs_new.php	1.0.0

graphs_remove

This hook is called after one or more graphs are removed. The parameters are the removed graph IDs.

file	introduced	retired
data_sources.php	1.0.0	1.1.38
graphs.php	1.0.0	1.1.38
host.php	1.0.0	1.1.38
lib/api_graph.php	1.2.0-beta1

graphs_sql_where

This hooks allows you to add additional where clauses to the select statement used to display graphs on the graphs.php page.

file	introduced	retired
graphs.php	1.0.0

hmib_get_cpu

file	introduced	retired
scripts/ss_host_cpu.php	1.0.0

hmib_get_cpu_indexes

file	introduced	retired
scripts/ss_host_cpu.php	1.0.0

hmib_get_disk

file	introduced	retired
scripts/ss_host_disk.php	1.0.0

host_edit_bottom

Allows you to make minor changes to the Devices page, like add a tabbed interface.

file	introduced	retired
host.php	1.0.0

host_edit_top

Allows you to make minor changes to the Devices page, like add a tabbed interface.

file	introduced	retired
host.php	1.0.0

host_save

file	introduced	retired
host.php	1.0.0

import_action

file	introduced	retired
lib/import.php	1.2.0-beta1

is_console_page

file	introduced	retired
lib/html.php	1.0.0

login_after

This allows you to display text or html after the login form.

file	introduced	retired
auth_login.php	1.0.0

login_before

This allows you to display text or html before the login form. Combined with the above hook, you could draw a box, etc around the form, change its background color, etc to slightly customize the login page.

file	introduced	retired
auth_login.php	1.0.0

login_options_navigate

Used to support alternate login realm types.

file	introduced	retired
auth_changepassword.php	1.0.0
auth_login.php	1.0.0

login_process

Used to authenticate the user logging in to a custom plugin defined realm.

file	introduced	retired
auth_login.php	1.0.0

login_realms

Used to defined additional custom plugin defined authentication realms. The parameter passed is an array of existing authentication realms.

file	introduced	retired
auth_login.php	1.0.0

login_title

Allows the plugin to set/modify that page title.

file	introduced	retired
auth_login.php	1.0.0

logout_post_session_destroy

This pair of hooks (logout_pre_session_destroy and logout_post_session_destroy) allows you to preserve some session variables that would otherwise get unset, when session_destroy() is called.

file	introduced	retired
logout.php	1.0.0

logout_pre_session_destroy

This pair of hooks (logout_pre_session_destroy and logout_post_session_destroy) allows you to preserve some session variables that would otherwise get unset, when session_destroy() is called.

file	introduced	retired
logout.php	1.0.0

nav_login_after

This pair of hooks (nav_login_before and nav_login_after) allows you to add custom HTML to the navigation bar, before and after the "Logged in as " text.

file	introduced	retired
lib/functions.php	1.0.0

nav_login_before

This pair of hooks (nav_login_before and nav_login_after) allows you to add custom HTML to the navigation bar, before and after the "Logged in as " text.

file	introduced	retired
lib/functions.php	1.0.0

page_bottom

This hook allows you to add custom HTML to the bottom of the page, after the main layout table.

file	introduced	retired
include/bottom_footer.php	1.0.0

page_buttons

Allows you to add custom buttons and HTML to the top of the graph.php page, above the "Viewing graph" row.

file	introduced	retired
graph.php	1.0.0

page_head

This hook allows you to add custom HTML tags to the page <head> tag.

file	introduced	retired
graph_realtime.php	1.0.0	1.1.33
include/top_general_header.php	1.0.0	1.1.33
include/top_graph_header.php	1.0.0	1.1.33
include/top_header.php	1.0.0	1.1.33
lib/html.php	1.1.34

page_title

Allows the plugin to set/modify the page title

file	introduced	retired
include/top_general_header.php	1.0.0
include/top_graph_header.php	1.0.0
include/top_header.php	1.0.0

poller_bottom

This hook allows you to launch other polling activities once Cacti has complete it's polling activities. Things like MacTrack, Boost, THold, and others use this hook to launch their respective poller.

file	introduced	retired
poller.php	1.0.0

poller_command_args

Using this hook, your plugin can pass additional command line arguments to the poller.

file	introduced	retired
poller.php	0.8.7i	1.2.8

poller_exiting

file	introduced	retired
poller.php	1.0.0

poller_finishing

file	introduced	retired
poller.php	1.0.0

poller_output

This hook was designed specifically for the boost plug-in. However, it has found new life in many plugins making them much faster now. What this hook allows you to do is intercept the contents of the poller_output table before the data is deleted. This allows for things like threshold checking and other interesting actions such as checking for up/down events and the like. Previously, plugins were reliant on using things like rrdtool fetch to perform these actions. Now they can leverage the pollers output directly.

file	introduced	retired
lib/poller.php	1.0.0

poller_remote_maint

This hook will fire for plugins that need to perform remote maintenance. It will only fire on the Remote Data Collectors.

file	introduced	retired
poller_maintenance.php	1.2.23

poller_top

This hook allows you to launch processes concurrently with the Cacti poller for things like THolds fast poller for example.

file	introduced	retired
poller.php	1.0.0

remote_agent

file	introduced	retired
remote_agent.php	1.0.0

replicate_in

file	introduced	retired
lib/poller.php	1.0.0

replicate_out

file	introduced	retired
lib/api_device.php
lib/poller.php	1.0.0

resolve_dependencies

file	introduced	retired
lib/export.php	1.2.0-beta1

rrd_graph_graph_options

This hook allows you to specify additional options or change parameters regarding graph image rendering. Some of the parameters will be passed to RRDtool.

file	introduced	retired
lib/rrd.php	1.0.0

run_data_query

This hook allows your plugin to perform additional operations after a data query update was triggered.

file	introduced	retired
lib/data_query.php	1.0.0

snmpagent_cache_install

file	introduced	retired
lib/snmpagent.php	1.0.0

substitute_host_data

This allows you to add to the substitution variables that cacti can parse.

file	introduced	retired
lib/variables.php	1.0.0	1.1.5

top_graph_header

Allows you to override the rendering of the top_graph_header.php include.

file	introduced	retired
include/top_graph_header.php	0.8.7i	1.1.38

top_graph_header_tabs

This hook is used to add tab's to Cacti's user interface.

file	introduced	retired
lib/html.php	1.0.0

top_graph_jquery_function

file	introduced	retired
lib/html_tree.php	1.0.0

top_graph_refresh

This allows you to change the refresh on the graph (and any plug-in page that calls the graph header)

file	introduced	retired
include/global_session.php	1.0.0
include/themes/sunrise/global_session.php	1.1.11	1.1.38

top_header

This hooks enables you to output custom HTML on top the the graph view page, if navigation tabs are not rendered. Allows you to override the rendering of the top_header.php include.

file	introduced	retired
include/top_general_header.php	1.0.0	1.1.38
include/top_header.php	0.8.7i	1.1.38

tree_after

This hook allows you to add additional HTML at the bottom of the graph tree view page. The HTML is rendered only if a valid graph tree leaf is selected.

file	introduced	retired
lib/html_tree.php	1.0.0

tree_view_page_end

This hook allows you to add additional HTML at the bottom of the graph tree view page, irrespective of the leaf selection.

file	introduced	retired
graph.php	1.0.0
lib/html_tree.php	1.0.0

ugroup_tabs

file	introduced	retired
user_group_admin.php	1.0.0

update_data_source_title_cache

This hook is called after the data source title cache is updated.

file	introduced	retired
lib/variables.php	1.0.0

user_admin_action

This hook is part of a series of hooks that allow you to add custom user settings. Consider a plug-in called "abc". In that plug-in, you want to save custom settings on a per user basis. Therefore, following our unpublished ? table naming standards, you would create a table called "abc_settings". When you tab over to the "abc" plug-in, you are provided an "abc settings" on the right similar to "Graphs". The next series of hooks allow you to present those settings to the user, enable or disable the users access to that specific "abc settings" tab and allow an administrator to define customer values for that plug-in on a per user basis.

file	introduced	retired
user_admin.php	1.0.0