DEV Community: Kamal

3 WordPress Plugin Boilerplate

Kamal — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 16:55:54 +0000

WordPress plugins are a great way to add custom functionality to your site. However, they can also be a great way to add clutter and bloat to your site if you’re not careful. That’s why it’s important to start with a plugin boilerplate. A plugin boilerplate is a set of files and folders that contain the minimum amount of code needed to create a working WordPress plugin.

There are many different ways to set up a WordPress plugin boilerplate. In this post, we’ll take a look at four of the most popular methods

WP CLI

The wp-cli plugin scafold is a command line interface tool that allows you to quickly generate a plugin scaffold. This is a great tool for developers who want to create a new plugin quickly and easily. The plugin scaffold will create all of the necessary files and folders for you, so all you need to do is fill in the code.

wp scaffold plugin my-plugin

Please note that this script must be run within your WordPress plugins directory else it will throw an error. All available commands here

WP Strap

This open-source project offers a well-organized and object-oriented boilerplate for WordPress plugin development and testing. The Boilerplate is based on the Plugin API, Coding Standards, and Documentation Standards and can be installed using Composer. It includes Codeception (unit/acceptance tests), TravisCI (continuous integration), and PHP_CodeSniffer (code style checks).

npx wp-strap plugin

This package includes Composer, Codeception (unit/acceptance testing), PHPCodeSniffer with WordPress Coding Standards to validate your code, TravisCI configuration for automatic testing & continuous integration, and Webpack 5 for front-end development with BabelJS v7, BrowserSync v2, PostCSS v8, and PurgeCSS v3.

WPPB.me

This project was started by Tom McFarlin’s WPPB foundation plugin and is now maintained by Devin Vinson. It provides a simple form for specifying plugin details and generating a zipped folder containing the plugin files.

Create a Beautiful Datepicker Field in WordPress Admin

Kamal — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 11:31:07 +0000

Adding a datepicker to a WordPress admin field is a great way to improve the user experience and make data entry more efficient. There are a few steps involved in setting this up, but the end result is worth it.

In this tutorial, I will show you how you can easily create a beautiful datepicker field just like on the screenshot below without any additional JavaScript libraries.

Let’s assume that you have a text field anywhere in WordPress admin. Just add class="any-custom-class" to it. Example:

<input type="text" class="my-datepicker" />

Now it is time to enqueue some CSS and JavaScript. You might say – “Wait, you’ve just told us that we are not going to use any JavaScript libraries!”. That’s true, but I meant additional libraries, but we can still use what is already a part of WordPress Core. It is jQuery UI.

add_action( 'admin_enqueue_scripts', 'khn_datepicker_css_and_js' );

function khn_datepicker_css_and_js() {
    wp_enqueue_script( 'jquery-ui-datepicker' );
    wp_enqueue_style( 'custom-css', get_stylesheet_directory_uri() . '/jquery-ui-datepicker-by-kamal.css' );
}

I’ve also added my own custom CSS for datepicker, you can find it on GitHub gist.

The last but not least, let’s initialize datepicker for every input field with the CSS class my-datepicker.

jQuery( function( $ ) {
    $( '.my-datepicker' ).datepicker();
} );

If you’re looking for some customization, you can check the official documentation.

10 Insightful WordPress Blogs to Follow as a Developer

Kamal — Sat, 06 Aug 2022 06:19:27 +0000

If you’re a WordPress developer or aspire to be one, you’re in the right place. This blog post will introduce you to 10 insightful WordPress blogs that you can follow to stay up-to-date on all things WordPress.

From beginner tips to advanced coding tutorials, these blogs have something for everyone. So without further ado, here are 10 insightful WordPress blogs to follow as a developer:

10 Best WordPress Blogs To Follow For Developers

Among numerous WordPress blogs examples, we are presenting some blogs that a WordPress developer should follow.

Let’s find out who is first on the list.

#1 WordPress.org- WordPress Developer Resources

WordPress.org is a great resource for WordPress developers. It provides a wealth of information and resources that can help you develop WordPress sites. The site is well organized and easy to navigate, and it provides a wealth of information on WordPress development. If you’re a WordPress developer, you should definitely check out WordPress.org.

#2 WP Tavern – WordPress News

WP Tavern is a popular blog that covers all things WordPress. From news and reviews to tutorials and themes, WP Tavern is a one-stop shop for WordPress users of all levels. Whether you’re a beginner just getting started with WordPress or a seasoned pro, you’re sure to find something of interest at WP Tavern.

#3 Smashing Magazine

Smashing Magazine is a great resource for web designers and developers. It covers a wide range of topics, from design to development to business. The articles are well-written and provide valuable insights. The site is also updated regularly, so you can always find new and relevant information.

#4 WPBeginner- Beginner’s Guide For WordPress

WPBeginner is a great resource for those new to WordPress. The site offers step by step tutorials on how to perform various tasks in WordPress, as well as tips and tricks on using the platform. WPBeginner also has a large community of users who are always willing to help newbies out.

#5 WP Hive – A Better WordPress Repository

WP Hive is a powerful, yet simple to use tool for managing WordPress websites. It gives you the ability to quickly and easily add, edit and delete content, as well as manage plugins and themes. WP Hive is perfect for those who want to take their WordPress website to the next level without having to hire a developer.

#6 Envato Tuts+- Tutorials & Online Courses

Envato Tuts+ is an online education platform that offers tutorials and courses on a wide range of topics, from web design and development to video production and graphic design. The platform is home to a community of creatives who share their knowledge and expertise through articles, tutorials, and courses, helping learners level up their skills and achieve their creative potential.

#7 CodeinWP- A Hub for WordPress Freelancers, Bloggers & Creators

If you’re a WordPress freelancer, blogger or creator, CodeinWP is a hub you should definitely be aware of. It’s a great resource for finding WordPress jobs, connecting with other professionals and keeping up with the latest news and trends.

CodeinWP also has an extensive blog with articles on everything from WordPress tips and tutorials, to interviews with successful freelancers and insights into the WordPress industry. If you’re looking to build your WordPress skills and knowledge, or simply want to stay up-to-date with what’s going on in the WordPress world, CodeinWP is a great place to start.

#8 WP Mayor- Your Resource For Anything WordPress-related

If you’re looking for anything WordPress-related, WP Mayor is your resource. They provide in-depth articles and reviews on WordPress themes, plugins, hosting, and more. You can also find helpful tutorials and tips on their blog. Whether you’re a WordPress beginner or a pro, WP Mayor has the information you need to make the most out of your WordPress site.

#9 WPMU Dev- Your All-In-One WordPress Platform

WPMU Dev is a great resource for WordPress developers of all skill levels. The blog is updated regularly with new tips, tricks, and tutorials to help you get the most out of WordPress. Whether you’re just getting started with WordPress development or you’re a seasoned pro, WPMU Dev is a great place to learn and keep up with the latest WordPress news and trends.

#10 WPlift: you will find everything about WordPress

WPlift is a popular blog that covers all things WordPress. From tutorials and how-tos, to theme and plugin reviews, to news and opinion pieces, WPlift has something for everyone interested in WordPress.

WPlift was founded in 2010 by Oliver Dale, and has since become one of the go-to sources for WordPress information. The blog is updated regularly with new content, and the team of writers and editors are always on hand to provide helpful and insightful commentary.

If you’re looking for a one-stop shop for all things WordPress, then WPlift is the blog for you. Check it out today and see what all the fuss is about!

Final Thoughts on WordPress Blogs to Follow

WordPress is a great platform for bloggers. It is user-friendly and has a lot of features that allow you to customize your blog to your liking. There are a lot of WordPress blogs to follow, but here are my final thoughts on the matter:

If you want to learn about WordPress, then I recommend following the WordPress Codex. It is the official documentation for WordPress and it is very comprehensive. If you want to learn about blogging in general, then I recommend following some of the top bloggers in the industry. These bloggers usually have a lot of experience and they can offer valuable insights on blogging.

Originally published at blog.kamalhosen.co

Using Composer With WordPress

Kamal — Wed, 13 Jul 2022 08:41:00 +0000

Composer is a dependency manager for PHP, widely used in modern web development for managing libraries and dependencies efficiently. When working with WordPress, Composer can streamline your development workflow, manage plugins and themes as dependencies, and ensure version control across your projects. Here's how you can use Composer with WordPress:

1. Install Composer

First, you need to install Composer on your system. You can download and install it from getcomposer.org.

2. Initialize Composer in Your Project

Navigate to your WordPress project directory and run the following command to initialize Composer:

composer init

This command will prompt you to set up your composer.json file, where you'll specify the project’s dependencies.

3. Add WordPress Core as a Dependency

You can manage the WordPress core files using Composer. Add the following to your composer.json:

{
  "require": {
    "johnpbloch/wordpress": "^5.8"
  },
  "extra": {
    "wordpress-install-dir": "wp"
  }
}

This configuration installs WordPress into the wp directory.

4. Manage Plugins and Themes

You can add plugins and themes as dependencies in your composer.json file. For example, to add the popular Contact Form 7 plugin:

{
  "require": {
    "packagist-plugin/contact-form-7": "^5.4"
  }
}

Using Packagist, a repository that mirrors the WordPress plugin and theme directories, you can easily include plugins and themes.

5. Autoload Custom Classes

Composer can autoload your custom PHP classes, making it easier to manage your code. Add the autoload section to your composer.json:

{
  "autoload": {
    "psr-4": {
      "MyNamespace\\": "src/"
    }
  }
}

Run composer dump-autoload to generate the autoload files.

6. Install and Update Dependencies

After setting up your composer.json, run:

composer install

This command installs all the dependencies listed in your composer.json. To update them, use:

composer update

7. Use Environment-Specific Configurations

You can use Composer to manage environment-specific configurations, such as development or production settings. This ensures consistency across different environments.

Example:

{
  "require-dev": {
    "phpunit/phpunit": "^9.5"
  }
}

Conclusion

Using Composer with WordPress enhances your development workflow, providing better dependency management and version control. It allows you to easily manage WordPress core, plugins, and themes, ensuring a consistent environment across different projects. By integrating Composer into your WordPress projects, you can streamline development and focus more on building robust, feature-rich websites.

For more detailed information and advanced usage, refer to the official Composer documentation and Packagist.