Plugins are an integral part of the WordPress content management system. They play a pivotal role in enhancing the look, feel and functionality of a WordPress website. Several plugins are available on the web for free download and use. There is, however, nothing like a custom developed plugin which meets all the requisites of your online business. Developing your own WordPress plugin involves lot of hard work and a thorough identification with the development environment. Just developing a plugin is not enough, it is essential to develop it in the right manner. If you are a WordPress programmer, this post might interest you in specific. Here are a few tips that you must consider in order to develop your WordPress plugin in the best possible manner:
Use Unique Class and Functions Names
There are several instances when you and some other developer use a function that has the same name. What happens then? Well, the plugins break. Solving this issue is quite simple- give all your classes and functions a unique name. You can come up with a two or three letter connotation for your plugin and add it as a prefix to the function name. For instance, if your plugin will be called SimpleFrame, you can name your function as:
Write The README File Aptly:
This is highly recommended. Writing a good README file is very essential in order to popularize your plugin within the user community. It shows that you care about the users who will be showing interest in your plugin. A badly written README file is likely to turn off the user and push him to look for some other plugin.
Utilize $wpdb for All Database Queries:
Using Mysql_connect to establish connection with databases again and again is a waste of both time and efforts. $wpdb takes care of all your database queries using a single line code.
global $wpdb
Every time you try to establish a connection with the database, this function saves you from writing at least three or four lines of extra code. For Instance, this:
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$name = mysql_real_escape_string($name); $result = mysql_query("INSERT INTO $myplugin->categories_table (name) VALUES ('$name')"); if (!$result) die("Could not insert into database. ".mysql_error()); Turns into this: $wpdb->insert($myplugin->categories_table, array('name' => $name), array('%s')); |
Use wp_enqueue_script for Calling jQuery:
The most common reason for which most plugins fail to function aptly is that they call they jQuery in the wrong way. This can be very frustrating at times.
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WordPress has a dedicated function that takes care of all the calls made to the jQuery. It is called the wp_enqueque_script function. Using this function, this is how WordPress will call jQuery in a plugin:
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wp_enqueue_script('jquery');
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Considering the aforementioned tips while developing you very first plugin, will ensure that your plugin is highly user-friendly and offers enhanced functionality. If you are not a WordPress programmer yourself, you can choose to hire WordPress developers to take care of all your plugin development needs. Partnering the right developer for your plugin development venture will ensure that you get a plugin that is a perfect suit for your business requisites.
About the Author
Nick Carter is a web editor for Ossmedia Ltd. He writes concrete information on why & how to hire wordpress developers, joomla, drupal & hire magento programmers for cost effective CMS