Creating a Plugin Activation Wizard for WordPress
Posted on 19th June 2023
Introduction
As a WordPress developer, sooner or later you will need to create a plugin activation wizard. This is a tutorial that will help you get started with plugin development, and show you how to create an activation wizard for your plugin.
What is a Plugin Activation Wizard?
A plugin activation wizard is a series of screens that guide the user through the process of activating and setting up a plugin. It is typically used for plugins that have complex settings, or need to connect to external services.
Why Use a Plugin Activation Wizard?
There are a few reasons why you might want to use a plugin activation wizard for your plugin:
- To make it easy for users to get started with your plugin.
- To guide users through the process of connecting to external services.
- To help users understand the complex settings of your plugin.
How to Create a Plugin Activation Wizard
Creating a plugin activation wizard is a two-step process:
- Create the plugin activation wizard screens.
- Add code to your plugin to display the plugin activation wizard.
1. Create the Plugin Activation Wizard Screens
The first step is to create the HTML for the plugin activation wizard screens. There are a few things to keep in mind when doing this:
- The plugin activation wizard should be easy to use and understand.
- The plugin activation wizard should be visually appealing.
- The plugin activation wizard should be responsive (mobile-friendly).
2. Add Code to Your Plugin to Display the Plugin Activation Wizard
Once you have created the HTML for the plugin activation wizard screens, you need to add code to your plugin to display the wizard. There are a few things to keep in mind when doing this:
- The code should be well-commented so that others can understand it.
- The code should be clean and well-organized.
- The code should be tested before being added to your plugin.
Conclusion
Creating a plugin activation wizard is a two-step process: creating the screens, and adding code to your plugin. Following these steps will help you create a wizard that is easy to use, visually appealing, and responsive.
Assuming you have a plugin that you want to share with the world, the first thing you need to do is package it up into a ZIP file. This is the file that users will download and install on their WordPress site.
Next, you need to create a file called readme.txt and include it in the ZIP file. The readme.txt file is important because it contains information about your plugin, such as the name, description, author, version, etc.
Once you have created the ZIP file and readme.txt file, you can upload it to the WordPress plugin directory.
If you want to distribute your plugin via another method, such as your own website, you can still do so. However, you will need to create a WordPress plugin activation wizard to make it easy for users to install and activate your plugin.
The first thing you need to do is create a PHP file called plugin-activation.php. In this file, you will need to include the following code:
In this code, you need to change the plugin name, plugin URI, and description to match your own plugin. You also need to change the author name to your own name.
Next, you need to create the plugin-activation-wizard.class.php file and include the following code:
In the activate() function, you will need to include the code that will run when your plugin is activated. This could be something as simple as setting an option in the WordPress database.
In the deactivate() function, you will need to include the code that will run when your plugin is deactivated. This could be something as simple as deleting an option from the WordPress database.
Now that you have created the plugin files, you need to upload them to your WordPress site. Once you have done that, you can activate the plugin by going to the Plugins page in the WordPress admin area and clicking the Activate link.
If you want to distribute your plugin via your own website, you can do so by creating a download page for your plugin. On this page, you will need to include a link to the ZIP file and a link to the readme.txt file.
You can also add a link to the plugin activation wizard on this page. To do so, you will need to use the following code:
<?php
$plugin_activation_wizard_url = plugins_url( 'plugin-activation.php', __FILE__ );
echo 'Activate Plugin‘;
?>
This code will output a link to the plugin activation wizard. When a user clicks on this link, they will be taken to the plugin activation wizard page.
On this page, they will need to enter their WordPress username and password. Once they have done that, they will be taken to the plugin activation page.
On this page, they will need to click the Activate Plugin button. Once they have done that, your plugin will be activated and they will be able to use it.
If you want to make it easier for users to find your plugin, you can submit it to the WordPress plugin directory. To do so, you will need to create a file called readme.txt and include it in the ZIP file.
The readme.txt file is important because it contains information about your plugin, such as the name, description, author, version, etc.
Once you have created the ZIP file and readme.txt file, you can upload it to the WordPress plugin directory.
