---
name: wordpress-plugin-development
description: WordPress plugin development workflow covering plugin architecture, hooks, admin interfaces, REST API, and security best practices.
author: synthoperator
---

# 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