Abstract: The current document is directed to an artifact-management subsystem and interface to the artifact-management subsystem that is, at least in part, implemented by plug-ins to a particular artifact repository. The currently disclosed artifact-management-subsystem interface includes a comprehensive set of search types, using which particular artifacts can be identified and retrieved from various artifact repositories. The search types include search types natively supported by one or more repositories as well as search types implemented by plug-ins to a particular artifact repository, with the plug-ins, in certain cases, accessing additional, remote artifact repositories. Use of plug-in technology provides a path to a comprehensive artifact-management-subsystem interface that does not involve the complexities and problems associated with individually interfacing to a variety of different types of artifact repositories.