Professional WordPress Plugin Development, 2nd Edition

2Plugin Framework

WHAT'S IN THIS CHAPTER?

• Creating a solid plugin foundation
• Determining directory and URL paths
• Creating activation and deactivation functions
• Cleaning up during the uninstall process
• Writing code following coding standards
• Properly documenting plugin code

CODE DOWNLOADS FOR THIS CHAPTER

The code downloads for this chapter are found at www.wiley.com/go/prowordpressdev2e on the Downloads tab.

When creating a plugin for WordPress, it's important to start with a solid foundation. This means getting your plugin folders and files organized and coming up with a naming scheme that you can use consistently throughout the plugin. The setup is the most essential piece of the puzzle. By nailing down these basics, you'll be well on your way to building your first WordPress plugin.

REQUIREMENTS FOR PLUGINS

The WordPress plugin system is flexible and allows for plugins to be either a single file or a folder with many files. In this section, you'll learn the basics of creating a plugin.

Naming Your Plugin

The most important thing when naming your plugin is for it to be something unique. It's also good practice for the name to reflect what the plugin actually does. For example, you wouldn't want to name a forum plugin “Joe's Plugin” because that doesn't tell potential users anything about what your plugin does.

You also need to consider whether your plugin name is too generic. It's possible that the name has already been taken by another plugin developer. ...