Plugins allow you to extend WordPress in powerful ways, but developing them from scratch can be difficult. CodeWP makes plugin development easy with its conversational interface and AI capabilities. In just a few prompts, you can generate complete, production-ready plugins without needing to know code!
Accessing the Editor
To start creating a new plugin, first access the code editor:
From the dashboard, click a mode like PHP to instantly open the editor.
Or go to "Create New" and choose "New Plugin" after picking a mode.
Describing Your Plugin
With the editor open, it's time to describe what you want your plugin to do. The key is being detailed in your prompt. Explain exactly what features and functionality you want.
For example:
"I want to create a booking plugin for reservations. It should have a booking form shortcode that lets you select dates and services. Add validation and prevent double-bookings on the same date/time. Email notifications to admin and customer on form submit. Include an admin dashboard to manage bookings."
CodeWP will analyze this prompt and generate all the necessary files for this complex plugin.
Reviewing Generated Code
After submitting your prompt, CodeWP goes to work generating all plugin code including:
Main plugin PHP file with headers, actions, filters
JavaScript for AJAX form submissions and validation
CSS for styling the booking form front-end
Additional PHP classes and functions
Dashboard pages, settings, custom tables in admin
The plugin will be organized properly into the standard directories like /admin, /includes, etc. Take some time to review the generated code and make tweaks as needed.
Add Details with Additional Prompts
If you need more specificity and customization, enter additional prompts to expand on your original request. For example:
"Add custom validation rules to check for double-bookings by date."
"Make the admin dashboard responsive for mobile."
CodeWP will recognize existing files and continue building on top of them.
Export and Install the Plugin
When your plugin generation is complete, export the zip file:
Go to the Packages panel and export the entire plugin folder.
Download and install on a dev site to test functionality.
When ready, deploy to production and activate!
Now you have a complete custom plugin created conversationally in just minutes without needing to write code yourself.
Next Steps
A few things to keep in mind:
Test extensively on dev and staging sites first.
Consider enqueuing scripts/styles properly for performance.
Add security measures like nonces and validation as needed.
Refactor code or break into smaller class files if it gets lengthy.
CodeWP makes plugin development intuitive. Let us know if you have any other questions!