[wp-hackers] What Should A Plugin Author Do To Make Plugins Extensible?

[Raj]

Wish there was some way to resolve dependencies in Wordpress. For example, a
plugin that works depending on WP-eCommerece when installed, should prompt
the user of a missing dependency and offer to automatically install it. Has
this ever been considered before?

-----Original Message-----
From: wp-hackers-bounces at lists.automattic.com
[mailto:wp-hackers-bounces at lists.automattic.com] On Behalf Of Eric Mann
Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 6:55 AM
To: wp-hackers at lists.automattic.com
Subject: Re: [wp-hackers] What Should A Plugin Author Do To Make Plugins
Extensible?

+1 for an API system in the readme file.  And to support it, I'm going to
start adding API documentation to all of my systems.

-----Original Message-----
From: wp-hackers-bounces at lists.automattic.com
[mailto:wp-hackers-bounces at lists.automattic.com] On Behalf Of Mike Schinkel
Sent: Monday, August 30, 2010 2:09 PM
To: wp-hackers at lists.automattic.com
Cc: wp-hackers at lists.automattic.com
Subject: Re: [wp-hackers] What Should A Plugin Author Do To Make Plugins
Extensible?

It would be nice in the plugin page had a separate section label API to
encourage more plugin developers to think about including an API and to give
other developers an easy place to look for API docs. JWTCW. 

-Mike

On Aug 30, 2010, at 4:58 PM, Jeremy Clarke <jer at simianuprising.com> wrote:

> On Mon, Aug 30, 2010 at 12:12 AM, Andrew Nacin <wp at andrewnacin.com> wrote:
> 
>> 
>> - Wrap functions in function_exists(). Not necessary for functions
>> attached
>> to hooks as those can be removed, or those where overriding them makes
>> little sense (unless you want to be sure there are no conflicts... It's
>> good
>> practice).
>> 
>> - Include actions and filters of your own.
>> 
>> 
> And *mention the new actions/filters/pluggable-functions that you've added
> in your plugin description*. If you don't mention them then developers
won't
> know they are there and will be less likely to choose your plugin because
> they don't realize that you're doing extra work to make their lives
easier.
> 
> IMHO this even applies to template tags and helper functions. I think a
lot
> more functions from plugins are worth mentioning on the plugin page and
> treating as a kind of API. If nothing else it would encourage plugin devs
to
> think of their functions as an API rather than something only they use,
> which might increase usability for others.
> 
> -- 
> Jeremy Clarke
> Code and Design | globalvoicesonline.org
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