WordPress Plugin Development Workflow

Overview

Specialized workflow for creating WordPress plugins with proper architecture, hooks system, admin interfaces, REST API endpoints, and security practices.

When to Use This Workflow

Use this workflow when:

• Creating custom WordPress plugins
• Extending WordPress functionality
• Building admin interfaces
• Adding REST API endpoints
• Integrating third-party services

Workflow Phases

Phase 1: Plugin Setup

Skills to Invoke

• app-builder – Project scaffolding
• backend-dev-guidelines – Backend patterns

Actions

1. Create plugin directory structure
2. Set up main plugin file with header
3. Implement activation/deactivation hooks
4. Set up autoloading
5. Configure text domain

Copy-Paste Prompts

Use @app-builder to scaffold a new WordPress plugin

Phase 2: Plugin Architecture

Skills to Invoke

• backend-dev-guidelines – Architecture patterns

Actions

1. Design plugin class structure
2. Implement singleton pattern
3. Create loader class
4. Set up dependency injection
5. Configure plugin lifecycle

Copy-Paste Prompts

Use @backend-dev-guidelines to design plugin architecture

Phase 3: Hooks Implementation

Skills to Invoke

• wordpress-penetration-testing – WordPress patterns

Actions

1. Register action hooks
2. Create filter hooks
3. Implement callback functions
4. Set up hook priorities
5. Add conditional hooks

Copy-Paste Prompts

Use @wordpress-penetration-testing to understand WordPress hooks

Phase 4: Admin Interface

Skills to Invoke

• frontend-developer – Admin UI

Actions

1. Create admin menu
2. Build settings pages
3. Implement options registration
4. Add settings sections/fields
5. Create admin notices

Copy-Paste Prompts

Use @frontend-developer to create WordPress admin interface

Phase 5: Database Operations

Skills to Invoke

• database-design – Database design
• postgresql – Database patterns

Actions

1. Create custom tables
2. Implement CRUD operations
3. Add data validation
4. Set up data sanitization
5. Create data upgrade routines

Copy-Paste Prompts

Use @database-design to design plugin database schema

Phase 6: REST API

Skills to Invoke

• api-design-principles – API design
• api-patterns – API patterns

Actions

1. Register REST routes
2. Create endpoint callbacks
3. Implement permission callbacks
4. Add request validation
5. Document API endpoints

Copy-Paste Prompts

Use @api-design-principles to create WordPress REST API endpoints

Phase 7: Security

Skills to Invoke

• wordpress-penetration-testing – WordPress security
• security-scanning-security-sast – Security scanning

Actions

1. Implement nonce verification
2. Add capability checks
3. Sanitize all inputs
4. Escape all outputs
5. Secure database queries

Copy-Paste Prompts

Use @wordpress-penetration-testing to audit plugin security

Phase 8: Testing

Skills to Invoke

• test-automator – Test automation
• php-pro – PHP testing

Actions

1. Set up PHPUnit
2. Create unit tests
3. Write integration tests
4. Test with WordPress test suite
5. Configure CI

Copy-Paste Prompts

Use @test-automator to set up plugin testing

Plugin Structure

plugin-name/
├── plugin-name.php
├── includes/
│   ├── class-plugin.php
│   ├── class-loader.php
│   ├── class-activator.php
│   └── class-deactivator.php
├── admin/
│   ├── class-plugin-admin.php
│   ├── css/
│   └── js/
├── public/
│   ├── class-plugin-public.php
│   ├── css/
│   └── js/
├── languages/
└── vendor/

Quality Gates

• Plugin activates without errors
• All hooks working
• Admin interface functional
• Security measures implemented
• Tests passing
• Documentation complete

Related Workflow Bundles

• wordpress – WordPress development
• wordpress-theme-development – Theme development
• wordpress-woocommerce – WooCommerce