diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f95450d..261d54e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -3,8 +3,18 @@ plugins
 
 Plugins for Freeboard.io
 
-## datasource plugins ##
+### datasource plugins
 
-- [freeboard.io-node.js](/datasources/plugin_nodejs_sample/README.md)
+- [freeboard.io-node.js](/datasources/plugin_nodejs_sample/README.md) (This is a datasource plugin to connect freeboard.io dashboards to real-time node.js servers)
 
-This is a datasource plugin to connect freeboard.io dashboards to real-time node.js servers.
\ No newline at end of file
+### widget plugins
+
+- handlebars (author widgets using [handlebars templates](http://handlebarsjs.com))
+  - see [starter template](https://github.com/jritsema/freeboard-handlebars-widget) to make things easier
+  - see [repo](https://github.com/jritsema/freeboard-handlebars) for more info
+
+- reactjs (author widgets using [react](http://reactjs.com))
+  - see [starter template](https://github.com/jritsema/freeboard-react-widget) to make things easier
+
+- jqplot (author graph/chart based widgets using [jqPlot](http://www.jqplot.com))
+  - see [repo](https://github.com/jritsema/freeboard-jqplot) for more info
diff --git a/widgets/handlebars-plugin.js b/widgets/handlebars-plugin.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7b7ef35
--- /dev/null
+++ b/widgets/handlebars-plugin.js
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+(function () {
+
+  var handlebarsWidget = function (settings) {
+
+    var self = this;
+    var htmlElement = $('<div></div>');
+    var currentSettings = settings;
+    var template;
+
+    this.render = function (element) {
+      $(element).append(htmlElement);
+    }
+
+    this.onSettingsChanged = function (newSettings) {
+      currentSettings = newSettings;
+    }
+
+    this.onCalculatedValueChanged = function (settingName, newValue) {
+
+      //helpers need to be registered before compile is called
+      if (settingName === 'helpers') {
+        //console.log('registering helpers');
+
+        //unregister (in case it's already been registered)
+        Handlebars.unregisterHelper(newValue);
+        
+        Handlebars.registerHelper(newValue);
+      }      
+
+      //the template needs to be re-compiled when the view changes
+      if (settingName === 'view') {
+        //console.log('view changed');
+
+        //compile the template
+        template = Handlebars.compile(newValue);
+      }
+
+      //the model is injected into the compiled template to be rendered as HTML
+      if (settingName === 'model') {
+        //console.log('model changed');        
+
+        //evaluate the handlebars template by executing the template with a context
+        var html = template(newValue);
+        htmlElement.html(html);
+      }
+    }
+
+    this.onDispose = function () {
+    }
+
+    this.getHeight = function () {
+      return Number(currentSettings.height);
+    }
+
+    this.onSettingsChanged(settings);
+  };
+
+  freeboard.loadWidgetPlugin({
+    "type_name": "handlebarsWidget",
+    "display_name": "Handlebars",    
+    "fill_size": true,
+    "external_scripts": [
+      "plugins/thirdparty/handlebars-v2.0.0.js"
+    ],    
+    "settings": [
+      {
+        "name": "helpers",
+        "display_name": "Helpers",
+        "type": "calculated",
+        "description": "Code that gets passed to Handlebars.registerHelper().  See Handlebars docs."
+      },    
+      {
+        "name": "view",
+        "display_name": "view",
+        "type": "calculated",
+        "description": "HTML view with handlebars template bound to model"
+      },
+      {
+        "name": "model",
+        "display_name": "model",
+        "type": "calculated",
+        "description": "Model bound to view. Typically an exposed datasource or some code to manipulate data for the view"
+      },
+      {
+        "name": "height",
+        "display_name": "Height Blocks",
+        "type": "number",
+        "default_value": 4,
+        "description": "A height block is around 60 pixels"
+      }
+    ],
+    newInstance: function (settings, newInstanceCallback) {
+      newInstanceCallback(new handlebarsWidget(settings));
+    }
+  });
+
+}());
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/widgets/jqplot-plugin.js b/widgets/jqplot-plugin.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ea230a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/widgets/jqplot-plugin.js
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+(function () {
+
+  var jqPlotWidget = function (settings) {
+
+    var self = this;    
+    var currentSettings = settings;
+    var htmlElement;
+    var data;
+    var options;
+    var chartHeight = 300;
+    var chartWidth = 300;
+
+    //seems to be called once (or after settings change)
+    this.render = function (element) {
+      console.log('render');
+
+      //add external css
+      $(element).append('<link rel="stylesheet" href="http://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jqPlot/1.0.8/jquery.jqplot.min.css" />');      
+
+      //add the chart div to the dom
+      var chartDiv = '<div id="' + currentSettings.id + '" style="height:' + currentSettings.chartHeight + 'px;width:' + currentSettings.chartWidth + 'px;"></div>';
+      console.log(chartDiv);
+      htmlElement = $(chartDiv);
+      $(element).append(htmlElement);
+    }
+
+    this.onSettingsChanged = function (newSettings) {
+      currentSettings = newSettings;
+    }
+
+    //seems to be called after render whenever a calculated value changes
+    this.onCalculatedValueChanged = function (settingName, newValue) {
+      console.log('onCalculatedValueChanged for ' + settingName);
+
+      if (settingName == 'data')
+        data = newValue;
+        
+      if (settingName == 'options')
+        options = newValue;
+
+      //render the chart
+      htmlElement.empty();
+      $.jqplot(currentSettings.id, data, options);
+    }
+
+    this.onDispose = function () {
+    }
+
+    this.getHeight = function () {
+      return Number(currentSettings.height);
+    }
+
+    this.onSettingsChanged(settings);
+  };
+
+  freeboard.loadWidgetPlugin({
+    "type_name": "jqPlotWidget",
+    "display_name": "jqPlot",    
+    "fill_size": true,
+    "external_scripts": [
+      "http://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jqPlot/1.0.8/jquery.jqplot.min.js",
+      "http://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jqPlot/1.0.8/plugins/jqplot.pieRenderer.min.js",
+      "http://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jqPlot/1.0.8/plugins/jqplot.barRenderer.min.js",
+      "http://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jqPlot/1.0.8/plugins/jqplot.categoryAxisRenderer.min.js",
+      "http://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jqPlot/1.0.8/plugins/jqplot.pointLabels.min.js"
+    ],    
+    "settings": [
+      {
+        "name": "id",
+        "display_name": "id",
+        "default_value": "chart1",
+        "description": "dom element id of the chart (must be unique for multiple charts)"
+      },        
+      {
+        "name": "data",
+        "display_name": "Chart Data",
+        "type": "calculated",
+        "description": "The data to plot"
+      },    
+      {
+        "name": "options",
+        "display_name": "Chart Options",
+        "type": "calculated",
+        "description": "js object containing jqPlot options for chart"
+      },
+      {
+        "name": "chartHeight",
+        "display_name": "Chart Height (px)",
+        "type": "number",
+        "default_value": 300,
+        "description": "chart height in pixels"
+      },
+      {
+        "name": "chartWidth",
+        "display_name": "Chart Widgth (px)",
+        "type": "number",
+        "default_value": 300,
+        "description": "chart width in pixels"
+      },      
+      {
+        "name": "height",
+        "display_name": "Height Blocks",
+        "type": "number",
+        "default_value": 5,
+        "description": "A height block is around 60 pixels"
+      }
+    ],
+    newInstance: function (settings, newInstanceCallback) {
+      newInstanceCallback(new jqPlotWidget(settings));
+    }
+  });
+
+}());
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/widgets/react-plugin.js b/widgets/react-plugin.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..58bff22
--- /dev/null
+++ b/widgets/react-plugin.js
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+(function () {
+
+  var ReactWidget = function (settings) {
+
+    var self = this;
+    var currentSettings = settings;
+    var mountPoint;
+    var reactClass;
+    var data;
+
+    this.render = function (element) {
+      mountPoint = element;
+    }
+
+    this.onSettingsChanged = function (newSettings) {
+      currentSettings = newSettings;
+    }
+
+    this.onCalculatedValueChanged = function (settingName, newValue) {
+
+      if (settingName === 'data') {
+        data = newValue;
+      }
+
+      if (settingName === 'code') {
+        reactClass = newValue;        
+      }
+
+      React.render(React.createElement(reactClass, { data: data }), mountPoint);
+    }
+
+    this.onDispose = function () {
+    }
+
+    this.getHeight = function () {
+      return Number(currentSettings.height);
+    }
+
+    this.onSettingsChanged(settings);
+  };
+
+  freeboard.loadWidgetPlugin({
+    "type_name": "ReactWidget",
+    "display_name": "React",    
+    "fill_size": true,
+    "external_scripts": [
+      "plugins/thirdparty/react-0.12.2.js"
+    ],    
+    "settings": [
+      {
+        "name": "code",
+        "display_name": "Component",
+        "type": "calculated",
+        "description": ""
+      },     
+      {
+        "name": "data",
+        "display_name": "Data",
+        "type": "calculated",
+        "description": ""
+      },         
+      {
+        "name": "height",
+        "display_name": "Height Blocks",
+        "type": "number",
+        "default_value": 4,
+        "description": "A height block is around 60 pixels"
+      }
+    ],
+    newInstance: function (settings, newInstanceCallback) {
+      newInstanceCallback(new ReactWidget(settings));
+    }
+  });
+
+}());
\ No newline at end of file