wp-plugin-development
Use when developing WordPress plugins: architecture and hooks, activation/deactivation/uninstall, admin UI and Settings API, data storage, cron/tasks, security (nonces/capabilities/sanitization/escaping), and release packaging.
What this skill does
# WP Plugin Development ## When to use Use this skill for plugin work such as: - creating or refactoring plugin structure (bootstrap, includes, namespaces/classes) - adding hooks/actions/filters - activation/deactivation/uninstall behavior and migrations - adding settings pages / options / admin UI (Settings API) - security fixes (nonces, capabilities, sanitization/escaping, SQL safety) - packaging a release (build artifacts, readme, assets) ## Inputs required - Repo root + target plugin(s) (path to plugin main file if known). - Where this plugin runs: single site vs multisite; WP.com conventions if applicable. - Target WordPress + PHP versions (affects available APIs and placeholder support in `$wpdb->prepare()`). ## Procedure ### 0) Triage and locate plugin entrypoints 1. Run triage: - `node skills/wp-project-triage/scripts/detect_wp_project.mjs` 2. Detect plugin headers (deterministic scan): - `node skills/wp-plugin-development/scripts/detect_plugins.mjs` If this is a full site repo, pick the specific plugin under `wp-content/plugins/` or `mu-plugins/` before changing code. ### 1) Follow a predictable architecture Guidelines: - Keep a single bootstrap (main plugin file with header). - Avoid heavy side effects at file load time; load on hooks. - Prefer a dedicated loader/class to register hooks. - Keep admin-only code behind `is_admin()` (or admin hooks) to reduce frontend overhead. See: - `references/structure.md` ### 2) Hooks and lifecycle (activation/deactivation/uninstall) Activation hooks are fragile; follow guardrails: - register activation/deactivation hooks at top-level, not inside other hooks - flush rewrite rules only when needed and only after registering CPTs/rules - uninstall should be explicit and safe (`uninstall.php` or `register_uninstall_hook`) See: - `references/lifecycle.md` ### 3) Settings and admin UI (Settings API) Prefer Settings API for options: - `register_setting()`, `add_settings_section()`, `add_settings_field()` - sanitize via `sanitize_callback` See: - `references/settings-api.md` ### 4) Security baseline (always) Before shipping: - Validate/sanitize input early; escape output late. - Use nonces to prevent CSRF *and* capability checks for authorization. - Avoid directly trusting `$_POST` / `$_GET`; use `wp_unslash()` and specific keys. - Use `$wpdb->prepare()` for SQL; avoid building SQL with string concatenation. See: - `references/security.md` ### 5) Data storage, cron, migrations (if needed) - Prefer options for small config; custom tables only if necessary. - For cron tasks, ensure idempotency and provide manual run paths (WP-CLI or admin). - For schema changes, write upgrade routines and store schema version. See: - `references/data-and-cron.md` ## Verification - Plugin activates with no fatals/notices. - Settings save and read correctly (capability + nonce enforced). - Uninstall removes intended data (and nothing else). - Run repo lint/tests (PHPUnit/PHPCS if present) and any JS build steps if the plugin ships assets. ## Failure modes / debugging - Activation hook not firing: - hook registered incorrectly (not in main file scope), wrong main file path, or plugin is network-activated - Settings not saving: - settings not registered, wrong option group, missing capability, nonce failure - Security regressions: - nonce present but missing capability checks; or sanitized input not escaped on output See: - `references/debugging.md` ## Escalation For canonical detail, consult the Plugin Handbook and security guidelines before inventing patterns.
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