There are various types of plugins. On the one hand, some are specifically for audio and video playback programs. On the other hand, you can find add-ons for web browsers, such as Ad Block, which blocks any advertising on the screen you're using. Plugins are used as extensions that allow you to connect functions to the default browser, giving users additional options or tools to achieve a better user experience.
As for music player add-ons, they can be used to play DVDs or Windows Media Player; the same software may offer this option in the Microsoft operating system. Some of these examples could be a plugin used as an external CD that may not be able to be installed due to the characteristics of your console.
You should also keep in mind that there are other types of plugins whose goal is to hijack your browsing information or that otherwise attempt to install malware on your computer. To avoid this, use open-source plugins and download them from official sources. Also, be aware of the permissions it requests, especially if it requests camera access and the plugin doesn't match the access permissions.
The first plugins in history began to appear in 1970, when the EDT text editor running on the Unisys VS/9 operating system and using the Univac 90/60 series of computers allowed an external program to access memory to edit the session. In 1987, the Macintosh included this functionality in HyperCard and QuarkXPress. And in 1988, Silicon Beach Software included plugins in Digital Darkroom and SuperPaint, and Ed Bömke coined the famous term "plug-in."