diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-types/src/index.d.ts b/packages/docusaurus-types/src/index.d.ts
index 0ab274f42c..49ca673c88 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus-types/src/index.d.ts
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-types/src/index.d.ts
@@ -294,7 +294,12 @@ export type ConfigurePostCssFn = Plugin<unknown>['configurePostCss'];
 
 export type PluginOptions = {id?: string} & Record<string, unknown>;
 
-export type PluginConfig = [string, PluginOptions] | [string] | string;
+export type PluginConfig =
+  | [string, PluginOptions]
+  | [string]
+  | string
+  | [PluginModule, PluginOptions]
+  | PluginModule;
 
 export interface ChunkRegistry {
   loader: string;
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus/src/commands/swizzle.ts b/packages/docusaurus/src/commands/swizzle.ts
index 52849f098a..2b4acda2d1 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus/src/commands/swizzle.ts
+++ b/packages/docusaurus/src/commands/swizzle.ts
@@ -18,22 +18,34 @@ import initPlugins from '../server/plugins/init';
 import {normalizePluginOptions} from '@docusaurus/utils-validation';
 
 export function getPluginNames(plugins: PluginConfig[]): string[] {
-  return plugins.map((plugin) => {
-    const pluginPath = Array.isArray(plugin) ? plugin[0] : plugin;
-    let packagePath = path.dirname(pluginPath);
-    while (packagePath) {
-      if (fs.existsSync(path.join(packagePath, 'package.json'))) {
-        break;
-      } else {
-        packagePath = path.dirname(packagePath);
+  return plugins
+    .filter(
+      (plugin) =>
+        typeof plugin === 'string' ||
+        (Array.isArray(plugin) && typeof plugin[0] === 'string'),
+    )
+    .map((plugin) => {
+      const pluginPath = Array.isArray(plugin) ? plugin[0] : plugin;
+      if (typeof pluginPath === 'string') {
+        let packagePath = path.dirname(pluginPath);
+        while (packagePath) {
+          if (fs.existsSync(path.join(packagePath, 'package.json'))) {
+            break;
+          } else {
+            packagePath = path.dirname(packagePath);
+          }
+        }
+        if (packagePath === '.') {
+          return pluginPath;
+        }
+        return importFresh<{name: string}>(
+          path.join(packagePath, 'package.json'),
+        ).name;
       }
-    }
-    if (packagePath === '.') {
-      return pluginPath;
-    }
-    return importFresh<{name: string}>(path.join(packagePath, 'package.json'))
-      .name;
-  });
+
+      return '';
+    })
+    .filter((plugin) => plugin !== '');
 }
 
 function walk(dir: string): Array<string> {
@@ -178,7 +190,7 @@ export default async function swizzle(
   // find the plugin from list of plugin and get options if specified
   pluginConfigs.forEach((pluginConfig) => {
     // plugin can be a [string], [string,object] or string.
-    if (Array.isArray(pluginConfig)) {
+    if (Array.isArray(pluginConfig) && typeof pluginConfig[0] === 'string') {
       if (require.resolve(pluginConfig[0]) === resolvedThemeName) {
         if (pluginConfig.length === 2) {
           const [, options] = pluginConfig;
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus/src/server/__tests__/__snapshots__/configValidation.test.ts.snap b/packages/docusaurus/src/server/__tests__/__snapshots__/configValidation.test.ts.snap
index 8a3b047686..69fa24bdb6 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus/src/server/__tests__/__snapshots__/configValidation.test.ts.snap
+++ b/packages/docusaurus/src/server/__tests__/__snapshots__/configValidation.test.ts.snap
@@ -31,32 +31,66 @@ exports[`normalizeConfig should throw error if css doesn't have href 1`] = `
 `;
 
 exports[`normalizeConfig should throw error if plugins is not a string and it's not an array #1 for the input of: [123] 1`] = `
-"\\"plugins[0]\\" does not match any of the allowed types
-"
-`;
+" => Bad Docusaurus plugin value as path [plugins,0].
+Example valid plugin config:
+{
+  plugins: [
+    [\\"@docusaurus/plugin-content-docs\\",options],
+    \\"./myPlugin\\",
+    [\\"./myPlugin\\",{someOption: 42}],
+    function myPlugin() { },
+    [function myPlugin() { },options]
+  ],
+};
 
-exports[`normalizeConfig should throw error if plugins is not a string and it's not an array #2 for the input of: [[Function anonymous]] 1`] = `
-"\\"plugins[0]\\" does not match any of the allowed types
 "
 `;
 
 exports[`normalizeConfig should throw error if plugins is not an array of [string, object][] #1 for the input of: [[Array]] 1`] = `
-"\\"plugins[0]\\" does not match any of the allowed types
+" => Bad Docusaurus plugin value as path [plugins,0].
+Example valid plugin config:
+{
+  plugins: [
+    [\\"@docusaurus/plugin-content-docs\\",options],
+    \\"./myPlugin\\",
+    [\\"./myPlugin\\",{someOption: 42}],
+    function myPlugin() { },
+    [function myPlugin() { },options]
+  ],
+};
+
 "
 `;
 
 exports[`normalizeConfig should throw error if plugins is not an array of [string, object][] #2 for the input of: [[Array]] 1`] = `
-"\\"plugins[0]\\" does not match any of the allowed types
+" => Bad Docusaurus plugin value as path [plugins,0].
+Example valid plugin config:
+{
+  plugins: [
+    [\\"@docusaurus/plugin-content-docs\\",options],
+    \\"./myPlugin\\",
+    [\\"./myPlugin\\",{someOption: 42}],
+    function myPlugin() { },
+    [function myPlugin() { },options]
+  ],
+};
+
 "
 `;
 
 exports[`normalizeConfig should throw error if plugins is not an array of [string, object][] #3 for the input of: [[Array]] 1`] = `
-"\\"plugins[0]\\" does not match any of the allowed types
-"
-`;
+" => Bad Docusaurus plugin value as path [plugins,0].
+Example valid plugin config:
+{
+  plugins: [
+    [\\"@docusaurus/plugin-content-docs\\",options],
+    \\"./myPlugin\\",
+    [\\"./myPlugin\\",{someOption: 42}],
+    function myPlugin() { },
+    [function myPlugin() { },options]
+  ],
+};
 
-exports[`normalizeConfig should throw error if plugins is not array for the input of: [Function anonymous] 1`] = `
-"\\"plugins\\" must be an array
 "
 `;
 
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus/src/server/__tests__/configValidation.test.ts b/packages/docusaurus/src/server/__tests__/configValidation.test.ts
index b8c8f4795f..bc4a633e65 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus/src/server/__tests__/configValidation.test.ts
+++ b/packages/docusaurus/src/server/__tests__/configValidation.test.ts
@@ -90,24 +90,10 @@ describe('normalizeConfig', () => {
 
   test.each([
     ['should throw error if plugins is not array', {}],
-    [
-      'should throw error if plugins is not array',
-      function () {
-        console.log('noop');
-      },
-    ],
     [
       "should throw error if plugins is not a string and it's not an array #1",
       [123],
     ],
-    [
-      "should throw error if plugins is not a string and it's not an array #2",
-      [
-        function () {
-          console.log('noop');
-        },
-      ],
-    ],
     [
       'should throw error if plugins is not an array of [string, object][] #1',
       [['example/path', 'wrong parameter here']],
@@ -153,6 +139,11 @@ describe('normalizeConfig', () => {
         ['this/should/work', {too: 'yes'}],
       ],
     ],
+    ['should accept function for plugin', [function (_context, _options) {}]],
+    [
+      'should accept [function, object] for plugin',
+      [[function (_context, _options) {}, {it: 'should work'}]],
+    ],
   ])(`%s for the input of: %p`, (_message, plugins) => {
     expect(() => {
       normalizeConfig({
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus/src/server/configValidation.ts b/packages/docusaurus/src/server/configValidation.ts
index 60de610671..ce7d635735 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus/src/server/configValidation.ts
+++ b/packages/docusaurus/src/server/configValidation.ts
@@ -51,13 +51,36 @@ export const DEFAULT_CONFIG: Pick<
   baseUrlIssueBanner: true,
 };
 
-const PluginSchema = Joi.alternatives().try(
-  Joi.string(),
-  Joi.array()
-    .ordered(Joi.string().required(), Joi.object().required())
-    .length(2),
-  Joi.bool().equal(false), // In case of conditional adding of plugins.
-);
+const PluginSchema = Joi.alternatives()
+  .try(
+    Joi.function(),
+    Joi.array().ordered(Joi.function().required(), Joi.object().required()),
+    Joi.string(),
+    Joi.array()
+      .ordered(Joi.string().required(), Joi.object().required())
+      .length(2),
+    Joi.bool().equal(false), // In case of conditional adding of plugins.
+  )
+  // TODO isn't there a simpler way to customize the default Joi error message???
+  // Not sure why Joi makes it complicated to add a custom error message...
+  // See https://stackoverflow.com/a/54657686/82609
+  .error((errors) => {
+    errors.forEach((error) => {
+      error.message = ` => Bad Docusaurus plugin value as path [${error.path}].
+Example valid plugin config:
+{
+  plugins: [
+    ["@docusaurus/plugin-content-docs",options],
+    "./myPlugin",
+    ["./myPlugin",{someOption: 42}],
+    function myPlugin() { },
+    [function myPlugin() { },options]
+  ],
+};
+`;
+    });
+    return errors as any;
+  });
 
 const ThemeSchema = Joi.alternatives().try(
   Joi.string(),
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus/src/server/index.ts b/packages/docusaurus/src/server/index.ts
index da7e02907e..fd7ec3d4a1 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus/src/server/index.ts
+++ b/packages/docusaurus/src/server/index.ts
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ import {
 } from './translations/translations';
 import {mapValues} from 'lodash';
 
-type LoadContextOptions = {
+export type LoadContextOptions = {
   customOutDir?: string;
   customConfigFilePath?: string;
   locale?: string;
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus/src/server/plugins/__tests__/__fixtures__/site-with-plugin/badPlugins.docusaurus.config.js b/packages/docusaurus/src/server/plugins/__tests__/__fixtures__/site-with-plugin/badPlugins.docusaurus.config.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1aa6972aba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/docusaurus/src/server/plugins/__tests__/__fixtures__/site-with-plugin/badPlugins.docusaurus.config.js
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) Facebook, Inc. and its affiliates.
+ *
+ * This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+ * LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+ */
+
+module.exports = {
+  title: 'My Site',
+  tagline: 'The tagline of my site',
+  url: 'https://your-docusaurus-test-site.com',
+  baseUrl: '/',
+  favicon: 'img/favicon.ico',
+  plugins: [42, true],
+};
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus/src/server/plugins/__tests__/__fixtures__/site-with-plugin/docs/hello.md b/packages/docusaurus/src/server/plugins/__tests__/__fixtures__/site-with-plugin/docs/hello.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fec56017dc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/docusaurus/src/server/plugins/__tests__/__fixtures__/site-with-plugin/docs/hello.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# Hello
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus/src/server/plugins/__tests__/__fixtures__/site-with-plugin/docusaurus.config.js b/packages/docusaurus/src/server/plugins/__tests__/__fixtures__/site-with-plugin/docusaurus.config.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d2f0d0862f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/docusaurus/src/server/plugins/__tests__/__fixtures__/site-with-plugin/docusaurus.config.js
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) Facebook, Inc. and its affiliates.
+ *
+ * This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+ * LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+ */
+
+module.exports = {
+  title: 'My Site',
+  tagline: 'The tagline of my site',
+  url: 'https://your-docusaurus-test-site.com',
+  baseUrl: '/',
+  favicon: 'img/favicon.ico',
+  plugins: [
+    function (context, options) {
+      return {name: 'first-plugin'};
+    },
+    [
+      function (context, options) {
+        return {name: 'second-plugin'};
+      },
+      {it: 'should work'},
+    ],
+    './plugin3.js',
+    ['./plugin4.js', {}],
+  ],
+};
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus/src/server/plugins/__tests__/__fixtures__/site-with-plugin/plugin3.js b/packages/docusaurus/src/server/plugins/__tests__/__fixtures__/site-with-plugin/plugin3.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b220cc30b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/docusaurus/src/server/plugins/__tests__/__fixtures__/site-with-plugin/plugin3.js
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+module.exports = function (context, options) {
+  return {
+    name: 'third-plugin',
+  };
+};
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus/src/server/plugins/__tests__/__fixtures__/site-with-plugin/plugin4.js b/packages/docusaurus/src/server/plugins/__tests__/__fixtures__/site-with-plugin/plugin4.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8417ead825
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/docusaurus/src/server/plugins/__tests__/__fixtures__/site-with-plugin/plugin4.js
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+module.exports = function (context, options) {
+  return {
+    name: 'fourth-plugin',
+  };
+};
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus/src/server/plugins/__tests__/__fixtures__/site-with-plugin/sidebars.json b/packages/docusaurus/src/server/plugins/__tests__/__fixtures__/site-with-plugin/sidebars.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3687442804
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/docusaurus/src/server/plugins/__tests__/__fixtures__/site-with-plugin/sidebars.json
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{
+  "docs": {
+    "Test": ["hello"]
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus/src/server/plugins/__tests__/__snapshots__/init.test.ts.snap b/packages/docusaurus/src/server/plugins/__tests__/__snapshots__/init.test.ts.snap
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d34313a5bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/docusaurus/src/server/plugins/__tests__/__snapshots__/init.test.ts.snap
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+// Jest Snapshot v1, https://goo.gl/fbAQLP
+
+exports[`initPlugins plugins with bad values throw user-friendly error message 1`] = `
+" => Bad Docusaurus plugin value as path [plugins,0].
+Example valid plugin config:
+{
+  plugins: [
+    [\\"@docusaurus/plugin-content-docs\\",options],
+    \\"./myPlugin\\",
+    [\\"./myPlugin\\",{someOption: 42}],
+    function myPlugin() { },
+    [function myPlugin() { },options]
+  ],
+};
+
+ => Bad Docusaurus plugin value as path [plugins,1].
+Example valid plugin config:
+{
+  plugins: [
+    [\\"@docusaurus/plugin-content-docs\\",options],
+    \\"./myPlugin\\",
+    [\\"./myPlugin\\",{someOption: 42}],
+    function myPlugin() { },
+    [function myPlugin() { },options]
+  ],
+};
+
+"
+`;
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus/src/server/plugins/__tests__/init.test.ts b/packages/docusaurus/src/server/plugins/__tests__/init.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..185781bfa4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/docusaurus/src/server/plugins/__tests__/init.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) Facebook, Inc. and its affiliates.
+ *
+ * This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+ * LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+ */
+
+import path from 'path';
+
+import {loadContext, LoadContextOptions, loadPluginConfigs} from '../../index';
+import initPlugins from '../init';
+
+describe('initPlugins', () => {
+  async function loadSite(options: LoadContextOptions = {}) {
+    const siteDir = path.join(__dirname, '__fixtures__', 'site-with-plugin');
+    const context = await loadContext(siteDir, options);
+    const pluginConfigs = loadPluginConfigs(context);
+    const plugins = initPlugins({
+      pluginConfigs,
+      context,
+    });
+
+    return {siteDir, context, plugins};
+  }
+
+  test('plugins gets parsed correctly and loads in correct order', async () => {
+    const {context, plugins} = await loadSite();
+    expect(context.siteConfig.plugins?.length).toBe(4);
+    expect(plugins.length).toBe(4);
+
+    expect(plugins[0].name).toBe('first-plugin');
+    expect(plugins[1].name).toBe('second-plugin');
+    expect(plugins[2].name).toBe('third-plugin');
+    expect(plugins[3].name).toBe('fourth-plugin');
+  });
+
+  test('plugins with bad values throw user-friendly error message', async () => {
+    await expect(() =>
+      loadSite({
+        customConfigFilePath: 'badPlugins.docusaurus.config.js',
+      }),
+    ).rejects.toThrowErrorMatchingSnapshot();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus/src/server/plugins/init.ts b/packages/docusaurus/src/server/plugins/init.ts
index 9b2366109d..b21875efa7 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus/src/server/plugins/init.ts
+++ b/packages/docusaurus/src/server/plugins/init.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import {
   DocusaurusPluginVersionInformation,
   ImportedPluginModule,
   LoadContext,
+  PluginModule,
   Plugin,
   PluginConfig,
   PluginOptions,
@@ -23,6 +24,106 @@ import {
   normalizeThemeConfig,
 } from '@docusaurus/utils-validation';
 
+type NormalizedPluginConfig = {
+  plugin: PluginModule;
+  options: PluginOptions;
+  // Only available when a string is provided in config
+  pluginModule?: {
+    path: string;
+    module: ImportedPluginModule;
+  };
+};
+
+function normalizePluginConfig(
+  pluginConfig: PluginConfig,
+  pluginRequire: NodeRequire,
+): NormalizedPluginConfig {
+  // plugins: ['./plugin']
+  if (typeof pluginConfig === 'string') {
+    const pluginModuleImport = pluginConfig;
+    const pluginPath = pluginRequire.resolve(pluginModuleImport);
+    const pluginModule = importFresh<ImportedPluginModule>(pluginPath);
+    return {
+      plugin: pluginModule?.default ?? pluginModule,
+      options: {},
+      pluginModule: {
+        path: pluginModuleImport,
+        module: pluginModule,
+      },
+    };
+  }
+
+  // plugins: [function plugin() { }]
+  if (typeof pluginConfig === 'function') {
+    return {
+      plugin: pluginConfig,
+      options: {},
+    };
+  }
+
+  if (Array.isArray(pluginConfig)) {
+    // plugins: [
+    //   ['./plugin',options],
+    // ]
+    if (typeof pluginConfig[0] === 'string') {
+      const pluginModuleImport = pluginConfig[0];
+      const pluginPath = pluginRequire.resolve(pluginModuleImport);
+      const pluginModule = importFresh<ImportedPluginModule>(pluginPath);
+      return {
+        plugin: pluginModule?.default ?? pluginModule,
+        options: pluginConfig[1] ?? {},
+        pluginModule: {
+          path: pluginModuleImport,
+          module: pluginModule,
+        },
+      };
+    }
+    // plugins: [
+    //   [function plugin() { },options],
+    // ]
+    if (typeof pluginConfig[0] === 'function') {
+      return {
+        plugin: pluginConfig[0],
+        options: pluginConfig[1] ?? {},
+      };
+    }
+  }
+
+  throw new Error(
+    `Unexpected: cant load plugin for plugin config = ${JSON.stringify(
+      pluginConfig,
+    )}`,
+  );
+}
+
+function getOptionValidationFunction(
+  normalizedPluginConfig: NormalizedPluginConfig,
+): PluginModule['validateOptions'] {
+  if (normalizedPluginConfig.pluginModule) {
+    // support both commonjs and ES modules
+    return (
+      normalizedPluginConfig.pluginModule.module?.default?.validateOptions ??
+      normalizedPluginConfig.pluginModule.module?.validateOptions
+    );
+  } else {
+    return normalizedPluginConfig.plugin.validateOptions;
+  }
+}
+
+function getThemeValidationFunction(
+  normalizedPluginConfig: NormalizedPluginConfig,
+): PluginModule['validateThemeConfig'] {
+  if (normalizedPluginConfig.pluginModule) {
+    // support both commonjs and ES modules
+    return (
+      normalizedPluginConfig.pluginModule.module.default?.validateThemeConfig ??
+      normalizedPluginConfig.pluginModule.module.validateThemeConfig
+    );
+  } else {
+    return normalizedPluginConfig.plugin.validateThemeConfig;
+  }
+}
+
 export type InitPlugin = Plugin<unknown> & {
   readonly options: PluginOptions;
   readonly version: DocusaurusPluginVersionInformation;
@@ -42,75 +143,82 @@ export default function initPlugins({
   const createRequire = Module.createRequire || Module.createRequireFromPath;
   const pluginRequire = createRequire(context.siteConfigPath);
 
-  const plugins: InitPlugin[] = pluginConfigs
-    .map((pluginItem) => {
-      let pluginModuleImport: string | undefined;
-      let pluginOptions: PluginOptions = {};
+  function doGetPluginVersion(
+    normalizedPluginConfig: NormalizedPluginConfig,
+  ): DocusaurusPluginVersionInformation {
+    // get plugin version
+    if (normalizedPluginConfig.pluginModule?.path) {
+      const pluginPath = pluginRequire.resolve(
+        normalizedPluginConfig.pluginModule?.path,
+      );
+      return getPluginVersion(pluginPath, context.siteDir);
+    } else {
+      return {type: 'local'};
+    }
+  }
 
-      if (!pluginItem) {
+  function doValidateThemeConfig(
+    normalizedPluginConfig: NormalizedPluginConfig,
+  ) {
+    const validateThemeConfig = getThemeValidationFunction(
+      normalizedPluginConfig,
+    );
+    if (validateThemeConfig) {
+      return validateThemeConfig({
+        validate: normalizeThemeConfig,
+        themeConfig: context.siteConfig.themeConfig,
+      });
+    } else {
+      return context.siteConfig.themeConfig;
+    }
+  }
+
+  function doValidatePluginOptions(
+    normalizedPluginConfig: NormalizedPluginConfig,
+  ) {
+    const validateOptions = getOptionValidationFunction(normalizedPluginConfig);
+    if (validateOptions) {
+      return validateOptions({
+        validate: normalizePluginOptions,
+        options: normalizedPluginConfig.options,
+      });
+    } else {
+      // Important to ensure all plugins have an id
+      // as we don't go through the Joi schema that adds it
+      return {
+        ...normalizedPluginConfig.options,
+        id: normalizedPluginConfig.options.id ?? DEFAULT_PLUGIN_ID,
+      };
+    }
+  }
+
+  const plugins: InitPlugin[] = pluginConfigs
+    .map((pluginConfig) => {
+      if (!pluginConfig) {
         return null;
       }
+      const normalizedPluginConfig = normalizePluginConfig(
+        pluginConfig,
+        pluginRequire,
+      );
+      const pluginVersion: DocusaurusPluginVersionInformation = doGetPluginVersion(
+        normalizedPluginConfig,
+      );
+      const pluginOptions = doValidatePluginOptions(normalizedPluginConfig);
 
-      if (typeof pluginItem === 'string') {
-        pluginModuleImport = pluginItem;
-      } else if (Array.isArray(pluginItem)) {
-        [pluginModuleImport, pluginOptions = {}] = pluginItem;
-      } else {
-        throw new TypeError(`You supplied a wrong type of plugin.
-A plugin should be either string or [importPath: string, options?: object].
+      // Side-effect: merge the normalized theme config in the original one
+      context.siteConfig.themeConfig = {
+        ...context.siteConfig.themeConfig,
+        ...doValidateThemeConfig(normalizedPluginConfig),
+      };
 
-For more information, visit https://docusaurus.io/docs/using-plugins.`);
-      }
-
-      if (!pluginModuleImport) {
-        throw new Error('The path to the plugin is either undefined or null.');
-      }
-
-      // The pluginModuleImport value is any valid
-      // module identifier - npm package or locally-resolved path.
-      const pluginPath = pluginRequire.resolve(pluginModuleImport);
-      const pluginModule: ImportedPluginModule = importFresh(pluginPath);
-      const pluginVersion = getPluginVersion(pluginPath, context.siteDir);
-
-      const plugin = pluginModule.default || pluginModule;
-
-      // support both commonjs and ES modules
-      const validateOptions =
-        pluginModule.default?.validateOptions ?? pluginModule.validateOptions;
-
-      if (validateOptions) {
-        pluginOptions = validateOptions({
-          validate: normalizePluginOptions,
-          options: pluginOptions,
-        });
-      } else {
-        // Important to ensure all plugins have an id
-        // as we don't go through the Joi schema that adds it
-        pluginOptions = {
-          ...pluginOptions,
-          id: pluginOptions.id ?? DEFAULT_PLUGIN_ID,
-        };
-      }
-
-      // support both commonjs and ES modules
-      const validateThemeConfig =
-        pluginModule.default?.validateThemeConfig ??
-        pluginModule.validateThemeConfig;
-
-      if (validateThemeConfig) {
-        const normalizedThemeConfig = validateThemeConfig({
-          validate: normalizeThemeConfig,
-          themeConfig: context.siteConfig.themeConfig,
-        });
-
-        context.siteConfig.themeConfig = {
-          ...context.siteConfig.themeConfig,
-          ...normalizedThemeConfig,
-        };
-      }
+      const pluginInstance = normalizedPluginConfig.plugin(
+        context,
+        pluginOptions,
+      );
 
       return {
-        ...plugin(context, pluginOptions),
+        ...pluginInstance,
         options: pluginOptions,
         version: pluginVersion,
       };
diff --git a/website/docs/using-plugins.md b/website/docs/using-plugins.md
index 82a05c4c65..f746338eae 100644
--- a/website/docs/using-plugins.md
+++ b/website/docs/using-plugins.md
@@ -119,28 +119,62 @@ Docusaurus' implementation of the plugins system provides us with a convenient w
 
 ## Creating plugins {#creating-plugins}
 
-A plugin is a module which exports a function that takes two parameters and returns an object when executed.
+A plugin is a function that takes two parameters: `context` and `options`.
 
-### Module definition {#module-definition}
+It returns a plugin instance object, containing plugin [lifecycle APIs](./lifecycle-apis.md).
 
-The exported modules for plugins are called with two parameters: `context` and `options` and returns a JavaScript object with defining the [lifecycle APIs](./lifecycle-apis.md).
+It can be defined as a function or a module.
 
-For example if you have a reference to a local folder such as this in your `docusaurus.config.js`:
+### Functional definition {#functional-definition}
+
+You can use a plugin as a function, directly in the Docusaurus config file:
 
 ```js title="docusaurus.config.js"
 module.exports = {
   // ...
-  plugins: [path.resolve(__dirname, 'my-plugin')],
+  plugins: [
+    // highligh-start
+    function myPlugin(contex, options) {
+      // ...
+      return {
+        name: 'my-plugin',
+        async loadContent() {
+          // ...
+        },
+        async contentLoaded({content, actions}) {
+          // ...
+        },
+        /* other lifecycle API */
+      };
+    },
+    // highlight-end
+  ],
+};
+```
+
+### Module definition {#module-definition}
+
+You can use a plugin as a module, loading it from a separate file or NPM package:
+
+```js title="docusaurus.config.js"
+module.exports = {
+  // ...
+  plugins: [
+    // without options:
+    './my-plugin',
+    // or with options:
+    ['./my-plugin', options],
+  ],
 };
 ```
 
 Then in the folder `my-plugin` you can create an index.js such as this
 
-```js title="index.js"
-module.exports = function (context, options) {
+```js title="my-plugin.js"
+module.exports = function myPlugin(context, options) {
   // ...
   return {
-    name: 'my-docusaurus-plugin',
+    name: 'my-plugin',
     async loadContent() {
       /* ... */
     },
@@ -152,11 +186,9 @@ module.exports = function (context, options) {
 };
 ```
 
-The `my-plugin` folder could also be a fully fledged package with it's own package.json and a `src/index.js` file for example
-
 #### `context` {#context}
 
-`context` is plugin-agnostic and the same object will be passed into all plugins used for a Docusaurus website. The `context` object contains the following fields:
+`context` is plugin-agnostic, and the same object will be passed into all plugins used for a Docusaurus website. The `context` object contains the following fields:
 
 ```ts
 interface LoadContext {