Web development blog of SimpleMediaCode.com » WordPress widget

WordPress theme feature vs. WordPress plugin. What is best?

Rolands Umbrovskis — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 12:20:43 +0000

As WordPress developer at SimpleMediaCode.com I came to point where I have to decide: make some functions as WordPress theme features or make them more optional and theme independent as WordPress plugins.

WordPress plugin coding

If I create plugin for WordPress theme, I am hardening that, so that this function will make sure, that futures are theme independent, if for some reason someone would like to change WordPress theme. In this case, if function is displaying content for private reading (for membership pages), it will still available in other themes as well.

Pluses by developing WordPress plugin:

WordPress theme theme independent,
cross theme usage,
more freedom to turn on and off.

Minus(es):

harder to implement in theme

WordPress theme feature coding

But if You are using only one theme for site (custom design for site), I’m sure You can make functions as features for WordPress theme. This is good for specific placement of information, like sidebars or footer information.

WP theme feature pluses:

good support of WordPress theme hacks and hooks,
compatible with WordPress theme.

Minus(es):

sometimes theme administrations panel can come with too much options

So, before creating WordPress theme options page, think about plugin replacements!

There are many more pros and cons… What’s Yours?

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Final cut for my first WordPress plugin

Rolands Umbrovskis — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:17:37 +0000

More than one month ago I published my first WordPress plugin “Draugiem.lv/lapas fan page” for social network in Latvia draugiem.lv (FRYPE.COM). And now I want to make final cut with version 1.0 (0.1.5) and upgrade it.

For now on my To-Do list:

make for widget separate administration page,
rewrite JSON parsing script from Javascript to PHP,
and remove counter* and make it optional.

*counter reads ONLY clicks on profile and page links, nothing more

Next on list

An FaceBook.com application for pages and profiles. Now testing.

Download page for WordPress plugin on WordPress.org http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/draugiemlvlapas-fan-page/

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Writing first public WordPress Plugin (widget)

Rolands Umbrovskis — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:08:13 +0000

Today was first release of “Draugiem.lv/lapas Fan page” (for non-Latvian draugiem.lv best known as Frype.com) WordPress sidebar widget for FRYPE business pages.

About “Draugiem.lv/lapas Fan page” WordPress widget

This plugin makes it easy to add draugiem.lv/lapas (frype.com) fan page to sidebar of WordPress blog.

Widget features: (http://mediabox.lv/en/wordpress-plugins/draugiem-lv-lapas-fan-page/)

customizable widget title,
customizable width (included recommended widths from frype.com),
customizable user count in sidebar or possibility turn visibility off,
changeable fan pages URL (e.g. http://draugiem.lv/umbrovskiscom),
In Your language. By default included Latvian and English.

This plugin is mainly written for Latvians :) http://mediabox.lv/blog/wordpress/spraudni/draugiem-lv-lapas-fanu-lapa/

Changelog

0.1.3 (test for upcoming 0.2) Custom CSS
0.1.1 & 0.1.2 code clean up
0.1 initial release

Web development blog of SimpleMediaCode.com - Web development blog of SimpleMediaCode.com - Internet marketing, web development and maintenance of online communication