wp-plugin

name	wp-plugin
description	Quick scaffold for WordPress plugin development with proper structure, hooks, and best practices.

Skill: WordPress Plugin Development

Build production-ready WordPress plugins following best practices and WordPress coding standards.

Before Starting

1. Load /CLAUDE/context/wordpress-dev.md for standards
2. Check /CLAUDE/knowledge/wordpress-hooks.md for hook reference
3. Review /CLAUDE/knowledge/wordpress-patterns.md for common patterns

Plugin Boilerplate

Main Plugin File

<?php
/**
 * Plugin Name:       Plugin Name
 * Plugin URI:        https://example.com/plugin-name
 * Description:       Short description of the plugin.
 * Version:           1.0.0
 * Requires at least: 6.0
 * Requires PHP:      8.0
 * Author:            Gaurav Tiwari
 * Author URI:        https://yoursite.com
 * License:           GPL v2 or later
 * License URI:       https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html
 * Text Domain:       plugin-name
 * Domain Path:       /languages
 *
 * @package PluginName
 */

defined( 'ABSPATH' ) || exit;

// Plugin constants
define( 'PLUGIN_NAME_VERSION', '1.0.0' );
define( 'PLUGIN_NAME_FILE', __FILE__ );
define( 'PLUGIN_NAME_PATH', plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ ) );
define( 'PLUGIN_NAME_URL', plugin_dir_url( __FILE__ ) );

// Autoloader
if ( file_exists( PLUGIN_NAME_PATH . 'vendor/autoload.php' ) ) {
    require_once PLUGIN_NAME_PATH . 'vendor/autoload.php';
}

// Initialize plugin
function plugin_name_init() {
    // Load text domain
    load_plugin_textdomain(
        'plugin-name',
        false,
        dirname( plugin_basename( __FILE__ ) ) . '/languages'
    );

    // Initialize main class
    if ( class_exists( 'PluginName\\Plugin' ) ) {
        \PluginName\Plugin::instance();
    }
}
add_action( 'plugins_loaded', 'plugin_name_init' );

// Activation hook
register_activation_hook( __FILE__, 'plugin_name_activate' );
function plugin_name_activate() {
    // Check requirements
    if ( version_compare( PHP_VERSION, '8.0', '<' ) ) {
        deactivate_plugins( plugin_basename( __FILE__ ) );
        wp_die( esc_html__( 'This plugin requires PHP 8.0 or higher.', 'plugin-name' ) );
    }

    // Run activation tasks
    if ( class_exists( 'PluginName\\Activator' ) ) {
        \PluginName\Activator::activate();
    }

    // Set activation flag for redirect
    set_transient( 'plugin_name_activated', true, 30 );
}

// Deactivation hook
register_deactivation_hook( __FILE__, 'plugin_name_deactivate' );
function plugin_name_deactivate() {
    if ( class_exists( 'PluginName\\Deactivator' ) ) {
        \PluginName\Deactivator::deactivate();
    }
}

Main Plugin Class (Singleton)

<?php
/**
 * Main plugin class.
 *
 * @package PluginName
 */

namespace PluginName;

defined( 'ABSPATH' ) || exit;

/**
 * Plugin class.
 */
final class Plugin {

    /**
     * Plugin instance.
     *
     * @var Plugin|null
     */
    private static $instance = null;

    /**
     * Plugin version.
     *
     * @var string
     */
    public $version = PLUGIN_NAME_VERSION;

    /**
     * Get plugin instance.
     *
     * @return Plugin
     */
    public static function instance() {
        if ( null === self::$instance ) {
            self::$instance = new self();
        }
        return self::$instance;
    }

    /**
     * Constructor.
     */
    private function __construct() {
        $this->define_constants();
        $this->();
        ->();
    }

    
     {}

    
     {
          (  );
    }

    
     {
        
    }

    
     {
        
         PLUGIN_NAME_PATH . ;

        
         ( () ) {
             PLUGIN_NAME_PATH . ;
        }

        
         ( ! () ) {
             PLUGIN_NAME_PATH . ;
        }
    }

    
     {
        ( , ( ,  ),  );
        ( , ( ,  ) );
    }

    
     {
        
        (  );
    }

    
     {
        
         ( (  ) ) {
            (  );
             ( ! ( [] ) ) {
                ( (  ) );
                ;
            }
        }
    }

    
     {
         PLUGIN_NAME_URL . ( ,  );
    }

    
     {
         PLUGIN_NAME_PATH . ( ,  );
    }
}

Admin Settings Page

Settings Class

<?php
/**
 * Admin settings.
 *
 * @package PluginName
 */

namespace PluginName;

defined( 'ABSPATH' ) || exit;

/**
 * Admin class.
 */
class Admin {

    /**
     * Option name.
     *
     * @var string
     */
    private $option_name = 'plugin_name_settings';

    /**
     * Constructor.
     */
    public function __construct() {
        add_action( 'admin_menu', array( $this, 'add_menu_page' ) );
        add_action( 'admin_init', array( $this, 'register_settings' ) );
        add_action( 'admin_enqueue_scripts', array( $this, 'enqueue_scripts' ) );
    }

    /**
     * Add menu page.
     */
    public function add_menu_page() {
        add_menu_page(
            __( 'Plugin Name', 'plugin-name' ),
            __( 'Plugin Name',  ),
            ,
            ,
            ( ,  ),
            ,
            
        );

        (
            ,
            ( ,  ),
            ( ,  ),
            ,
            ,
            ( ,  )
        );
    }

    
     {
        (
            ,
            ->option_name,
            (
                              => ,
                 => ( ,  ),
                           => ->(),
            )
        );

        
        (
            ,
            ( ,  ),
            ( ,  ),
            
        );

        
        (
            ,
            ( ,  ),
            ( ,  ),
            ,
            ,
            (
                          => ,
                 => ( ,  ),
            )
        );

        (
            ,
            ( ,  ),
            ( ,  ),
            ,
            ,
            (
                          => ,
                        => ,
                 => ( ,  ),
            )
        );
    }

    
     {
         (
             => ,
                    => ,
        );
    }

    
     {
         = ( ->option_name, ->() );
         [  ] ??  ?? ->()[  ] ?? ;
    }

    
     {
         = ();

        [] = ( [] ) ? () [] : ;
        []        = ( [] ??  );

         ;
    }

    
     {
         ( ! (  ) ) {
            ;
        }

        
         ( ( [] ) ) {
            (
                ,
                ,
                ( ,  ),
                
            );
        }

        (  );
        
        <div {
          . ( ,  ) . ;
    }

    
     {
         = ->( [] );
        
        <label>
            <input
                type=
                name=
                value=
                 ( ,  ); 
            />
              ( [] ); 
        </label>
        
    }

    
     {
         = ->( [] );
          = [] ?? ;
        
        <input
            type=
            name=
            value=
            {
         (  !==  ) {
            ;
        }

        (
            ,
            PLUGIN_NAME_URL . ,
            (),
            PLUGIN_NAME_VERSION
        );

        (
            ,
            PLUGIN_NAME_URL . ,
            (  ),
            PLUGIN_NAME_VERSION,
            
        );

        (
            ,
            ,
            (
                 => (  ),
                   => (  ),
            )
        );
    }
}

AJAX Handler

<?php
/**
 * AJAX handler.
 *
 * @package PluginName
 */

namespace PluginName;

defined( 'ABSPATH' ) || exit;

/**
 * Ajax class.
 */
class Ajax {

    /**
     * Constructor.
     */
    public function __construct() {
        // Admin AJAX
        add_action( 'wp_ajax_plugin_name_action', array( $this, 'handle_action' ) );

        // Public AJAX (logged in + logged out)
        add_action( 'wp_ajax_plugin_name_public', array( $this, 'handle_public_action' ) );
        add_action( 'wp_ajax_nopriv_plugin_name_public', array( $this, 'handle_public_action' ) );
    }

    /**
     * Handle admin AJAX action.
     */
    public function handle_action() {
        // Verify nonce
        if ( ! check_ajax_referer( 'plugin_name_admin', 'nonce', false ) ) {
            wp_send_json_error(
                (  => ( ,  ) ),
                
            );
        }

        
         ( ! (  ) ) {
            (
                (  => ( ,  ) ),
                
            );
        }

        
         = ( [] ) ? ( ( [] ) ) : ;

         ( (  ) ) {
            (
                (  => ( ,  ) ),
                
            );
        }

        
         {
             = ->(  );
            ( (  =>  ) );
        }  ( \  ) {
            (
                (  => ->() ),
                
            );
        }
    }

    
     {
        
         ;
    }

    
     {
        
         ( ! ( , ,  ) ) {
            ( (  => ( ,  ) ) );
        }

        
         = ( ( [] ??  ) );
         ( ->(  ) ) {
            (
                (  => ( ,  ) ),
                
            );
        }

        
        ( (  =>  ) );
    }

    
     {
         =  . (  );
              = () (  );

         (  >=  ) {
             ;
        }

        ( ,  + , MINUTE_IN_SECONDS );
         ;
    }
}

REST API Endpoint

<?php
/**
 * REST API.
 *
 * @package PluginName
 */

namespace PluginName;

defined( 'ABSPATH' ) || exit;

/**
 * REST_API class.
 */
class REST_API {

    /**
     * Namespace.
     *
     * @var string
     */
    private $namespace = 'plugin-name/v1';

    /**
     * Constructor.
     */
    public function __construct() {
        add_action( 'rest_api_init', array( $this, 'register_routes' ) );
    }

    /**
     * Register routes.
     */
    public function register_routes() {
        register_rest_route(
            $this->namespace,
            '/items',
            array(
                array(
                    'methods'             => \WP_REST_Server::READABLE,
                    'callback'            => array( $this, 'get_items' ),
                    'permission_callback' => array( $this,  ),
                                    => ->(),
                ),
                (
                                 => ::,
                                => ( ,  ),
                     => ( ,  ),
                                    => ->(),
                ),
            )
        );

        (
            ->namespace,
            ,
            (
                (
                                 => ::,
                                => ( ,  ),
                     => ( ,  ),
                                    => (
                         => (
                             => {
                                 (  );
                            },
                        ),
                    ),
                ),
                (
                                 => ::,
                                => ( ,  ),
                     => ( ,  ),
                ),
                (
                                 => ::,
                                => ( ,  ),
                     => ( ,  ),
                ),
            )
        );
    }

    
     {
         (
                 => (
                           => ,
                 => ,
            ),
             => (
                           => ,
                 => ,
            ),
               => (
                 => ,
            ),
        );
    }

    
     {
         (
             => (
                          => ,
                 => ,
            ),
             => (
                 => ,
            ),
        );
    }

    
     {
         ; 
    }

    
     {
         (  );
    }

    
     {
             = ->(  );
         = ->(  );
           = ->(  );

        
         = (); 

         (  );
    }

    
     {
           = ->(  );
         = ->(  );

        
         = (
            (
                   => ,
                 => ,
                  => ,
                    => ,
            )
        );

         ( (  ) ) {
             ;
        }

         (
            (
                      => ,
                 => ( ,  ),
            )
        );
    }
}

Custom Post Type

<?php
/**
 * Register custom post type.
 *
 * @package PluginName
 */

namespace PluginName;

defined( 'ABSPATH' ) || exit;

/**
 * Post_Types class.
 */
class Post_Types {

    /**
     * Constructor.
     */
    public function __construct() {
        add_action( 'init', array( $this, 'register_post_types' ) );
        add_action( 'init', array( $this, 'register_taxonomies' ) );
    }

    /**
     * Register post types.
     */
    public function register_post_types() {
        $labels = array(
            'name'                  => _x( 'Items', 'Post type general name', 'plugin-name' ),
            'singular_name'         => _x( 'Item', 'Post type singular name', 'plugin-name' ),
            'menu_name'             => _x( 'Items', 'Admin Menu text',  ),
                           => ( ,  ),
                      => ( ,  ),
                         => ( ,  ),
                          => ( ,  ),
                         => ( ,  ),
                      => ( ,  ),
                         => ( ,  ),
                => ( ,  ),
                         => ( ,  ),
                          => ( ,  ),
                  => ( ,  ),
             => ( ,  ),
        );

         = (
                         => ,
                         => ,
             => ,
                        => ,
                   => ,
                   => ,
                      => ,
                        => (  =>  ),
                => ,
                    => ,
                   => ,
                  => ,
                      => ,
                       => ( , , , ,  ),
        );

        ( ,  );
    }

    
     {
         = (
                          => ( , ,  ),
                 => ( , ,  ),
                  => ( ,  ),
                     => ( ,  ),
                   => ( ,  ),
             => ( ,  ),
                     => ( ,  ),
                   => ( ,  ),
                  => ( ,  ),
                 => ( ,  ),
                     => ( ,  ),
        );

         = (
                  => ,
                        => ,
                       => ,
             => ,
                  => ,
                     => ,
                       => (  =>  ),
        );

        ( , (  ),  );
    }
}

Uninstall

<?php
/**
 * Uninstall script.
 *
 * @package PluginName
 */

// Exit if not called from WordPress.
if ( ! defined( 'WP_UNINSTALL_PLUGIN' ) ) {
    exit;
}

// Delete options
delete_option( 'plugin_name_settings' );
delete_option( 'plugin_name_version' );

// Delete transients
delete_transient( 'plugin_name_cache' );

// Delete user meta (if applicable)
delete_metadata( 'user', 0, 'plugin_name_user_data', '', true );

// Drop custom tables (if applicable)
global $wpdb;
$wpdb->query( "DROP TABLE IF EXISTS {$wpdb->prefix}plugin_name_table" );

// Clear scheduled hooks
wp_clear_scheduled_hook( 'plugin_name_cron_event' );

// Clean up uploads (optional - be careful)
// $upload_dir = wp_upload_dir();
// $plugin_dir = $upload_dir['basedir'] . '/plugin-name';
// if ( is_dir( $plugin_dir ) ) {
//     // Recursive delete
// }

Quality Checklist

Before releasing:

• Main plugin file has correct headers
• All classes use namespace
• Singleton pattern implemented correctly
• All hooks prefixed with plugin slug
• Settings use Settings API
• AJAX handlers verify nonces
• REST API has permission callbacks
• All strings translatable
• Uninstall.php cleans up properly
• Activation checks PHP/WP version
• Assets loaded conditionally
• No PHP errors/warnings
• PHPCS passes
• Security audit complete