Thread:Template talk:Extension/extra parameter "require shell access"/reply (6)

Most people will probably have their website running on a shared host, where they have access to the allocated part of the file system, usually to phpMyAdmin, sometimes to Cron, but almost never to the command line. You have to keep the user base in mind, I guess. If an extension requires additional software or libraries, e.g. Lua (for Scribunto), ImageMagick, a DjVu handler, etc., it would be good to have that included in the quicksheet on the right. Same if a maintenance script (other than update.php) or a script specific to an extension needs to be run from the command line - probably with a note that there are sometimes ways to run certain scripts without this privilege, such as a URL-based function or through an extension like MaintenanceShell, along with a caveat about possible shortcomings.

Perhaps though the best approach is simply to add a list of requirements in plain English before the installation instructions begin?