Tag: Wordpress Plugins

Often there is requirement to create your own PHP application and generally most people tend to install a plugin which allows to run PHP code snippets as it is much easier to do so.
Although this approach may seem ok it may not be ideal. Lot of times people use this approach because they do not know how to create plugin for the same in WordPress.

Actually it is much easier to create wordpress plugin than you think.
I understand it may take a bit longer to create a plugin than just writing a PHP code snippet. However the difference is not that big.

Creating your own WordPress plugin for your requirement works out better in the long run

1. It allows you to deactivate as soon as you feel you do not need the code to run on your site
2. You are in total control of the code.
3. If the PHP plugin which allows you to run your PHP code snippets stops providing support or is no longer maintained then you need to find another plugin and move all your code to the other plugin. This means lot of your applications may break in the meantime.

Here is one simple solution to create wordpress plugin to run our small PHP code snippet.

1. First of all create a folder in your plugin folder where the plugin files will reside e.g. my_php_code_snippet
2. Create a main plugin file inside the folder called as plugin.php with below content
   
   PHP Code Snippet Plugin Main file

   <?php /* Plugin Name: My PHP Code Snippet Description: This plugin allows me to write my own PHP code snippet Version: 1.0 Tested up to: WPMU 4.4 License: GNU General Public License 2.0 (GPL) http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html Author: My Name Author URI: Plugin URI: tags: Some tags */ include(plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ )."/my_php_code_snippet_class.php"); $my_php_code_snippet_class=new MyPHPCodeSnippetClass(); ?>

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   <?php /* Plugin Name: My PHP Code Snippet Description: This plugin allows me to write my own PHP code snippet Version: 1.0 Tested up to: WPMU 4.4 License: GNU General Public License 2.0 (GPL) http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html Author: My Name Author URI: Plugin URI: tags: Some tags */   include(plugin_dir_path( __FILE__ )."/my_php_code_snippet_class.php"); $my_php_code_snippet_class=new MyPHPCodeSnippetClass(); ?>

3. Now create a file named my_php_code_snippet_class.php in the same folder with below contents
   
   PHP code snippets class file

   <?php class MyPHPCodeSnippetClass{ public function __construct(){ add_shortcode( 'PHP_CODE_SNIPPET_1', array($this,'php_code_snippet_1') ); } function php_code_snippet_1(){ //////////////////////// //YOUR PHP CODE GOES HERE //////////////////////// } } ?>

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   <?php class MyPHPCodeSnippetClass{          public function __construct(){         add_shortcode( 'PHP_CODE_SNIPPET_1', array($this,'php_code_snippet_1') );       }          function php_code_snippet_1(){                      ////////////////////////         //YOUR PHP CODE GOES HERE         ////////////////////////                            } }   ?>

   
   If you want the snippet to be executed only for logged in users just add is_user_logged_in condition
   
   PHP Code snippet class

   PHP

   <?php class MyPHPCodeSnippetClass{ public function __construct(){ add_shortcode( 'PHP_CODE_SNIPPET_1', array($this,'php_code_snippet_1') ); } function php_code_snippet_1(){ if ( is_user_logged_in() ) { //////////////////////// //YOUR PHP CODE GOES HERE //////////////////////// } } } ?>

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   <?php class MyPHPCodeSnippetClass{          public function __construct(){         add_shortcode( 'PHP_CODE_SNIPPET_1', array($this,'php_code_snippet_1') );       }          function php_code_snippet_1(){           if ( is_user_logged_in() ) {             ////////////////////////         //YOUR PHP CODE GOES HERE         ////////////////////////         }                   } }   ?>

4. Activate the plugin
5. Finally add the shortcode [PHP_CODE_SNIPPET_1] on the page on which you wish to execute the PHP code snippet