diff --git a/pluginmgr/core/plugins.go b/pluginmgr/core/plugins.go
index ecb28954d9f9f640290d2f61b2e91c7ea5fac840..401d430a1c4ed697bd54905d0a484924425742bc 100644
--- a/pluginmgr/core/plugins.go
+++ b/pluginmgr/core/plugins.go
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ var PLUGINS = node.Plugins(
 	portcheck.PLUGIN,
 	profiling.Plugin,
 	database.PLUGIN,
-	autopeering.PLUGIN,
+	autopeering.Plugin,
 	messagelayer.PLUGIN,
 	gossip.PLUGIN,
 	gracefulshutdown.PLUGIN,
diff --git a/plugins/autopeering/autopeering.go b/plugins/autopeering/autopeering.go
index dcbeefd3350162221a24217e0c593ec63811bf78..64754dd30687f3d907d9fbb414a5a7de05c2da06 100644
--- a/plugins/autopeering/autopeering.go
+++ b/plugins/autopeering/autopeering.go
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@ import (
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 
+	"github.com/iotaledger/goshimmer/plugins/autopeering/local"
+	"github.com/iotaledger/goshimmer/plugins/banner"
+	"github.com/iotaledger/goshimmer/plugins/config"
+	"github.com/iotaledger/goshimmer/plugins/gossip"
 	"github.com/iotaledger/hive.go/autopeering/discover"
 	"github.com/iotaledger/hive.go/autopeering/peer"
 	"github.com/iotaledger/hive.go/autopeering/peer/service"
@@ -18,11 +22,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/iotaledger/hive.go/identity"
 	"github.com/iotaledger/hive.go/logger"
 	"github.com/iotaledger/hive.go/node"
-
-	"github.com/iotaledger/goshimmer/plugins/autopeering/local"
-	"github.com/iotaledger/goshimmer/plugins/banner"
-	"github.com/iotaledger/goshimmer/plugins/config"
-	"github.com/iotaledger/goshimmer/plugins/gossip"
 )
 
 // autopeering constants
@@ -58,7 +57,7 @@ func hash32(b []byte) uint32 {
 // GetBindAddress returns the string form of the autopeering bind address.
 func GetBindAddress() string {
 	peering := local.GetInstance().Services().Get(service.PeeringKey)
-	host := config.Node.GetString(local.CFG_BIND)
+	host := config.Node.GetString(local.CfgBind)
 	port := strconv.Itoa(peering.Port())
 	return net.JoinHostPort(host, port)
 }
@@ -107,7 +106,7 @@ func start(shutdownSignal <-chan struct{}) {
 	// resolve the bind address
 	localAddr, err := net.ResolveUDPAddr(peering.Network(), GetBindAddress())
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatalf("Error resolving %s: %v", local.CFG_BIND, err)
+		log.Fatalf("Error resolving %s: %v", local.CfgBind, err)
 	}
 
 	conn, err := net.ListenUDP(peering.Network(), localAddr)
@@ -146,7 +145,7 @@ func start(shutdownSignal <-chan struct{}) {
 }
 
 func parseEntryNodes() (result []*peer.Peer, err error) {
-	for _, entryNodeDefinition := range config.Node.GetStringSlice(CFG_ENTRY_NODES) {
+	for _, entryNodeDefinition := range config.Node.GetStringSlice(CfgEntryNodes) {
 		if entryNodeDefinition == "" {
 			continue
 		}
diff --git a/plugins/autopeering/local/local.go b/plugins/autopeering/local/local.go
index 4a7c7e84515491ea2a071200aad6f1eaccc235cd..c16f755ed5802a2bbbf352bd47aa0b39443c3f76 100644
--- a/plugins/autopeering/local/local.go
+++ b/plugins/autopeering/local/local.go
@@ -7,12 +7,11 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 
+	"github.com/iotaledger/goshimmer/packages/database"
+	"github.com/iotaledger/goshimmer/plugins/config"
 	"github.com/iotaledger/hive.go/autopeering/peer"
 	"github.com/iotaledger/hive.go/autopeering/peer/service"
 	"github.com/iotaledger/hive.go/logger"
-
-	"github.com/iotaledger/goshimmer/packages/database"
-	"github.com/iotaledger/goshimmer/plugins/config"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -24,22 +23,22 @@ func configureLocal() *peer.Local {
 	log := logger.NewLogger("Local")
 
 	var peeringIP net.IP
-	if str := config.Node.GetString(CFG_EXTERNAL); strings.ToLower(str) == "auto" {
+	if str := config.Node.GetString(CfgExternal); strings.ToLower(str) == "auto" {
 		// let the autopeering discover the IP
 		peeringIP = net.IPv4zero
 	} else {
 		peeringIP = net.ParseIP(str)
 		if peeringIP == nil {
-			log.Fatalf("Invalid IP address (%s): %s", CFG_EXTERNAL, str)
+			log.Fatalf("Invalid IP address (%s): %s", CfgExternal, str)
 		}
 		if !peeringIP.IsGlobalUnicast() {
 			log.Warnf("IP is not a global unicast address: %s", peeringIP.String())
 		}
 	}
 
-	peeringPort := config.Node.GetInt(CFG_PORT)
+	peeringPort := config.Node.GetInt(CfgPort)
 	if 0 > peeringPort || peeringPort > 65535 {
-		log.Fatalf("Invalid port number (%s): %d", CFG_PORT, peeringPort)
+		log.Fatalf("Invalid port number (%s): %d", CfgPort, peeringPort)
 	}
 
 	// announce the peering service
@@ -48,13 +47,13 @@ func configureLocal() *peer.Local {
 
 	// set the private key from the seed provided in the config
 	var seed [][]byte
-	if str := config.Node.GetString(CFG_SEED); str != "" {
+	if str := config.Node.GetString(CfgSeed); str != "" {
 		bytes, err := base64.StdEncoding.DecodeString(str)
 		if err != nil {
-			log.Fatalf("Invalid %s: %s", CFG_SEED, err)
+			log.Fatalf("Invalid %s: %s", CfgSeed, err)
 		}
 		if l := len(bytes); l != ed25519.SeedSize {
-			log.Fatalf("Invalid %s length: %d, need %d", CFG_SEED, l, ed25519.SeedSize)
+			log.Fatalf("Invalid %s length: %d, need %d", CfgSeed, l, ed25519.SeedSize)
 		}
 		seed = append(seed, bytes)
 	}
@@ -80,6 +79,7 @@ func configureLocal() *peer.Local {
 	return local
 }
 
+// GetInstance returns the instance of the local peer.
 func GetInstance() *peer.Local {
 	once.Do(func() { instance = configureLocal() })
 	return instance
diff --git a/plugins/autopeering/local/parameters.go b/plugins/autopeering/local/parameters.go
index 9ffa15c81fe7fbc745b3c85723dda0af8a32a20a..b04ae156c9bf40e5a1de1d9db024b0655a166f22 100644
--- a/plugins/autopeering/local/parameters.go
+++ b/plugins/autopeering/local/parameters.go
@@ -5,15 +5,19 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	CFG_BIND     = "network.bindAddress"
-	CFG_EXTERNAL = "network.externalAddress"
-	CFG_PORT     = "autopeering.port"
-	CFG_SEED     = "autopeering.seed"
+	// CfgBind defines the config flag of the network bind address.
+	CfgBind = "network.bindAddress"
+	// CfgExternal defines the config flag of the network external address.
+	CfgExternal = "network.externalAddress"
+	// CfgPort defines the config flag of the autopeering port.
+	CfgPort = "autopeering.port"
+	// CfgSeed defines the config flag of the autopeering private key seed.
+	CfgSeed = "autopeering.seed"
 )
 
 func init() {
-	flag.String(CFG_BIND, "0.0.0.0", "bind address for global services such as autopeering and gossip")
-	flag.String(CFG_EXTERNAL, "auto", "external IP address under which the node is reachable; or 'auto' to determine it automatically")
-	flag.Int(CFG_PORT, 14626, "UDP port for incoming peering requests")
-	flag.BytesBase64(CFG_SEED, nil, "private key seed used to derive the node identity; optional Base64 encoded 256-bit string")
+	flag.String(CfgBind, "0.0.0.0", "bind address for global services such as autopeering and gossip")
+	flag.String(CfgExternal, "auto", "external IP address under which the node is reachable; or 'auto' to determine it automatically")
+	flag.Int(CfgPort, 14626, "UDP port for incoming peering requests")
+	flag.BytesBase64(CfgSeed, nil, "private key seed used to derive the node identity; optional Base64 encoded 256-bit string")
 }
diff --git a/plugins/autopeering/parameters.go b/plugins/autopeering/parameters.go
index 138b8d56e451c9024fd85c1b4296965337061c4d..01022ef352e2ae927b2841f399dd20c8a366607f 100644
--- a/plugins/autopeering/parameters.go
+++ b/plugins/autopeering/parameters.go
@@ -5,9 +5,10 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	CFG_ENTRY_NODES = "autopeering.entryNodes"
+	// CfgEntryNodes defines the config flag of the entry nodes.
+	CfgEntryNodes = "autopeering.entryNodes"
 )
 
 func init() {
-	flag.StringSlice(CFG_ENTRY_NODES, []string{"V8LYtWWcPYYDTTXLeIEFjJEuWlsjDiI0+Pq/Cx9ai6g=@116.202.49.178:14626"}, "list of trusted entry nodes for auto peering")
+	flag.StringSlice(CfgEntryNodes, []string{"V8LYtWWcPYYDTTXLeIEFjJEuWlsjDiI0+Pq/Cx9ai6g=@116.202.49.178:14626"}, "list of trusted entry nodes for auto peering")
 }
diff --git a/plugins/autopeering/plugin.go b/plugins/autopeering/plugin.go
index e84cac5b7ed2b730bb65b25cad4bebe1b9ac9900..04e8d65a1b7e8a1e99ee56719db5738f8cef4702 100644
--- a/plugins/autopeering/plugin.go
+++ b/plugins/autopeering/plugin.go
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@ import (
 
 const name = "Autopeering" // name of the plugin
 
-var PLUGIN = node.NewPlugin(name, node.Enabled, configure, run)
+// Plugin defines the autopeering plugin.
+var Plugin = node.NewPlugin(name, node.Enabled, configure, run)
 
 func configure(*node.Plugin) {
 	log = logger.NewLogger(name)
diff --git a/plugins/gossip/gossip.go b/plugins/gossip/gossip.go
index 6255d8e33a7e1ffff6f2aa26eb296a8a590d03dc..be42070803563bd6d164cd4bf443ec41bf45c856 100644
--- a/plugins/gossip/gossip.go
+++ b/plugins/gossip/gossip.go
@@ -47,10 +47,10 @@ func start(shutdownSignal <-chan struct{}) {
 	gossipEndpoint := lPeer.Services().Get(service.GossipKey)
 
 	// resolve the bind address
-	address := net.JoinHostPort(config.Node.GetString(local.CFG_BIND), strconv.Itoa(gossipEndpoint.Port()))
+	address := net.JoinHostPort(config.Node.GetString(local.CfgBind), strconv.Itoa(gossipEndpoint.Port()))
 	localAddr, err := net.ResolveTCPAddr(gossipEndpoint.Network(), address)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatalf("Error resolving %s: %v", local.CFG_BIND, err)
+		log.Fatalf("Error resolving %s: %v", local.CfgBind, err)
 	}
 
 	listener, err := net.ListenTCP(gossipEndpoint.Network(), localAddr)
diff --git a/plugins/portcheck/plugin.go b/plugins/portcheck/plugin.go
index 202c8bb4593cd3f72fad996d5ed50f2959ae6c77..260439a964d4907c78344c81911651151bc49632 100644
--- a/plugins/portcheck/plugin.go
+++ b/plugins/portcheck/plugin.go
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ func checkAutopeeringConnection() {
 	// resolve the bind address
 	localAddr, err := net.ResolveUDPAddr(peering.Network(), autopeering.GetBindAddress())
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatalf("Error resolving %s: %v", local.CFG_BIND, err)
+		log.Fatalf("Error resolving %s: %v", local.CfgBind, err)
 	}
 	// open a connection
 	conn, err := net.ListenUDP(peering.Network(), localAddr)