Deployment / packaging

  • So I’m writing my first WordPress Plugin and it uses React, so now I’m getting close to the point where I have to deploy it.

    Other (non-web based) software languages I’ve previously worked on have had a packaging management stuff going on where there is actually a complex process to create your own setup.exe file other people to install your software, but those weren’t anything to do with web stuff.

    So what’s the process for packaging and deployment for React WordPress plugins?

    How do I stop other people from just copy and pasting my work and selling it on as their own? I’ve integrated Freemius into my plugin so will that stop people from just stealing my work? I don’t see it doing any encryption that I would stop a simply copy and paste.

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  • To package and deploy your React-based WordPress plugin, follow these steps: Packaging Your Plugin

    1. Set Up Your Plugin Structure:
      • Create a directory for your plugin under /wp-content/plugins/.
      • Inside this directory, include essential files such as index.php, package.json, and a src folder containing your React components (e.g., index.js, index.scss).
    2. Configure package.json:
      • Define your plugin metadata and dependencies. For instance: { "name": "your-plugin-name", "description": "A description of your plugin", "type": "wordpress-plugin", "license": "GPL-2.0-or-later", "devDependencies": { "@wordpress/scripts": "^28.4.0" }, "scripts": { "build": "wp-scripts build", "start": "wp-scripts start" } }
      • This configuration allows you to use WordPress’s build tools for compiling your React code.
    3. Install Dependencies:
      • Run the following commands in your plugin directory: npm init -y npm install @wordpress/scripts --save-dev
    4. Build Your Plugin:
      • Use the command npm run build to compile your React code into a distributable format. This will create a build folder containing optimized JavaScript and CSS files.
    5. Enqueue Scripts and Styles:
      • In your main plugin file (e.g., index.php), enqueue the compiled scripts and styles: function enqueue_my_plugin_scripts() { wp_enqueue_script('my-plugin-script', plugins_url('build/index.js', __FILE__), array('wp-element'), '1.0.0', true); wp_enqueue_style('my-plugin-style', plugins_url('build/index.css', __FILE__)); } add_action('wp_enqueue_scripts', 'enqueue_my_plugin_scripts');

    Deployment

    • Upload to WordPress: After building your plugin, you can upload the entire plugin folder to the /wp-content/plugins/ directory of your WordPress installation.
    • Activate the Plugin: Log into your WordPress admin dashboard, navigate to the Plugins section, and activate your newly uploaded plugin.

    Protecting Your Code

    Since the code for plugin is available publically, you can’t prevent someone copying the code. Howerver you can try:

    1. Licensing: Clearly state the license under which you are distributing your plugin (e.g., GPL). This informs users of their rights regarding usage and distribution.
    2. Freemius Integration: While Freemius can help manage licensing and payments, it does not inherently protect against code theft. It can provide insights into usage and limit access to premium features based on licensing, but it won’t encrypt or obfuscate your code.
    3. Code Obfuscation: Consider using tools like Webpack with plugins that can obfuscate your JavaScript code, making it harder to read and modify.
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