Final answer:
The activation of a communities plugin by default depends on the specific software or platform. Generally, plugins require user installation and activation, although some community-centric software might have such functions built-in and active from the start. For a definitive answer, one should consult the platform's documentation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question 'Is the communities plugin active by default?' appears to relate to a specific software or platform that supports plugins. Plugins are additional pieces of software that can be installed within a broader software environment to provide extra functionality or features. Whether a communities plugin is active by default would depend on the specific platform or software you are using.
For example, a content management system (CMS) like WordPress has a wide range of plugins available, including those for implementing community features. In such systems, plugins are generally not active by default; they need to be installed and then activated by the user or administrator. However, some software solutions targeted specifically at creating communities might have such functionality built-in and active from the start.
Without knowing the specific context or platform, it's impossible to give a definitive answer, but typically, plugins require user intervention to be activated. It's always recommended to consult the documentation of the specific software or platform to understand how its plugin system works.