WordPress powers almost 27% of all websites on the internet. If you are thinking of joining the ranks of the 50,000+ available WordPress plugins, then you need to create a custom WordPress Plugin and go about it the right way. This is where CarbonCode Solutions comes in!
There are plenty of stock WordPress plugins out there, but you may require a custom solution for your needs. There are many types of Wordpress plugins, such as
Content plugins
These types of plugins include things like custom post plugins, widget plugins, shortcode plugins, form plugins, gallery plugins, and video feed plugins.
API plugins
These types of plugins work with the WordPress REST API or pull in content from external services such as Google Maps and more.
Community plugins
These types of plugins may add functionality to your WordPress website such as adding social networking features.
WordPress plugins have numerous use cases across a variety of industries.
Ecommerce
WordPress’ ecommerce capabilities only shine through with plugins. From WooCommerce to Klarna, there are options out there. Sometimes pre-existing solutions are not right for you and your business.
Blogging
WordPress is primarily known for its blogging capabilities, and there are plenty of plugins out there for blogging such as Yoast and Grammarly. If you have specific needs or are looking to develop a custom solution for the market, then you have to explore to see if a custom WordPress plugin is for you.
Security
The WordPress platform, when done incorrectly, can be considered insecure. Plugins
like WPScan and WP Activity Log help with this, but are not the be all and end all.
This is why developing a custom WordPress plugin for your security needs may be
crucial if you are handling certain types of data.
The possibilities are endless!
The main plugin file
The main plugin file is the main deliverable in the WordPress plugin development process. It is written in the PHP programming language and will contain code that makes the plugin run.
Folders for different file types
While there are no hard and fast rules on how folders are structured in a WordPress
plugin, it makes sense to adopt the same structure that is commonplace in the
WordPress plugin development process.
Folders in your plugin might include:
Stylesheets
If your plugin outputs content that needs styling, either in the front-end or in the admin screens, you may need stylesheets.
Include files to organise the code
If you need to organise your plugin, this can be done by splitting your code into
“include files”. You then put these include files into their own folder.
This way, you can keep the code in your main plugin file lean, and use a good file
structure to keep everything else well organised. If you don’t have a large plugin, you
may not need to use include files.
