Do it in code! A guide to creating a custom site structure plugin in WordPress.
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The document is a comprehensive guide for creating a custom site structure plugin in WordPress, focusing on functionality that should reside in code rather than the database. It discusses using custom post types, taxonomies, and metaboxes while providing methods and resources like developer libraries and code generators to simplify the process. Additionally, it shares a sample plugin example for a film listing, emphasizing best practices for managing code and deploying it across multiple websites.
Do it in code! A guide to creating a custom site structure plugin in WordPress.
- 1. 1 Do it in code! A guide to creating a custom site structure plugin in WordPress. Presented by: Peter Hebert Rex Rana Design and Development Ltd. Rex Rana
- 2. 2 What is site structure? Post Types Metaboxes and Fields Taxonomy Menus Permalink Structure Rex Rana
- 3. 3 Why a custom plugin? Functionality should live in code, not the database Themes for presentation, plugins for functionality Manage code in version control system (git, svn) Code Portability / Deployment dev / staging / production re-use for multiple websites / different clients
- 4. 4 Our Sample Plugin We'll create a Film listing (like IMDB) Custom Post Type: Film Custom Taxonomy: Genre Metabox: Film Info Fields: Release Date, Duration, Director https://github.com/rexrana/my-custom-structure
- 5. 5 WordPress core functionality Not easy to use — you have to do all the heavy li ing CRUD functions (create, read, update and delete) Callback functions with HTML to display fields in admin Sanitization / validation of input nonces It's a lot to remember — time could be better spent
- 6. 6 Thankfully, there’s a better way! Many tools exist for simplifying the creation of site structure: Plugins (Advanced Custom Fields, Pods, etc.) Most have an export to code functionality Developer libraries: CMB2, Custom Meta Boxes Code Generators: GenerateWP, WP-CLI scaffold command
- 7. 7 GUI-based structure plugins Create your structure in the admin, then export to code. export to XML (v4 and below), JSON (v5), PHP framework Migrate: Packages Pods Deploy - uses WordPress REST API (beta) / Packager Advanced Custom Fields Pods Toolset Embedded Toolset
- 8. 8 Developer library: CMB2 github.com/WebDevStudios/CMB2 Toolkit for building metaboxes, custom fields, and forms Takes care of all the hard stuff for you Declare metaboxes and fields using arrays of parameters 32 field types included, with API to declare your own Use on Post Types, Options Pages, User Profiles even on the front end of your site
- 9. 9 Developer library: Custom Meta Boxes github.com/humanmade/Custom-Meta-Boxes/ Framework for easily adding custom fields works similarly to CMB2 (parameter arrays) (seems to) only work on post edit pages fork of original CMB (predecessor to CMB2) 20 field types included, plus repeater field features a basic 12 column grid system to align fields
- 10. 10 Code Generators: GenerateWP generatewp.com Form-based wizards for generating code compliant with WordPress coding standards Select a tool, fill in the form, generate the code Copy ready-to-use code directly to your plugin.
- 11. 11 Code Generators: WP-CLI 'scaffold' wp-cli.org/commands/scaffold/ Command within WordPress command-line interface (CLI) Generates starter code for themes, plugins, unit tests, post types and taxonomy. Limited - cannot specify advanced parameters, only gives minimal config with defaults Provides a quick start-off point
- 12. 12 WP-CLI Scaffolding Examples Run commands from within site directory 'Film' post type wp scaffold posttype film label=Film textdomain=structure dashicon=editorvideo plugin=mycustomstructure 'Genre' taxonomy wp scaffold taxonomy genre post_types=film label=Genre textdomain=structure plugin=mycustomstructure
- 13. 13 Putting it all together If using ACF or CMB2 : Install plugin in normal way, or: Download to a subdirectory, include in your plugin's main PHP file Create separate PHP files for each of: Post Types, Taxonomy, Metaboxes/Fields include these files in your main plugin PHP file this makes items easier to find, comment out or remove
- 14. 14 Developer library includes Advanced Custom Fields if( file_exists( dirname(__FILE__).'/lib/advancedcustom fields/acf.php' ) ) { include_once( 'lib/advancedcustomfields/acf.php' ); } CMB2 if( file_exists( dirname(__FILE__).'/lib/cmb2/init.php' ) ) { include_once( 'lib/cmb2/init.php' ); }
- 15. 15 Includes for declaring structure include_once('posttypes/film.php'); include_once('taxonomies/genre.php'); // METABOXES AND FIELDS /* using WordPress core functionality */ include_once('inc/wpfields.php'); /* using ACF */ include_once('inc/acffields.php'); /* using CMB2 */ include_once('inc/cmb2metaboxes.php');
- 16. 16 Resources CMB2: THE METABOX STRIKES BACK (Justin Sternberg) Plugin comparison - Custom Post Types / Fields (Google spreadsheet) Custom Post Type Permalinks (plugin) story w.com/cmb2-metabox-strikes-back goo.gl/o7kU9s wordpress.org/plugins/custom-post-type-permalinks/
- 17. 17 Thank You Find me online: rexrana.ca peterhebert.com @RexRanaDesign @peter_hebert peterhebert rexrana