What are the steps to remove a plugin?

Question

Is there a specific order to remove a plugin? Can I just delete it from the plugins folder? Does the application server or apian need to be stopped, then remove, then start it back up? 
 OriginalPostID-228234 
 OriginalPostID-228234

Shawn Bittinger · Accepted Answer

The application server does not need to be stopped. It can be directly removed from the APPIAN_INSTALL/_admin/plugins/ directory. You should be able to verify that this activity completed successfully by monitoring the application server after the .jar is removed.

Eduardo Fuentes · Answer

IMPORTANT: DO NOT DELETE THE CDTs related to a plug-in as suggested by one of the users in this thread. This is not a recommended practice because if you then decide to re-deploy the plug-in you'll then face this issue: forum.appian.com/.../kb-1097.html

Eduardo Fuentes · Answer

That's correct, if the change to the CDT is intentional, you do need to delete it and at that point you need to make the changes suggested in that link to create a new smart service with the new key to support the change in the input/output type.

I wouldn't recommend to delete the CDTs if it's not in the plan to update the CDT. Thus my comment before to clarify.