Submitting to WordPress.org

Here’s a quick rundown of how the submission process works and what to expect. For more details about the SDK integration into themes or plugins, check the WPBay SDK Integration Documentation.

Prerequisites

• Your plugin must follow WordPress coding standards.
• Include a readme.txt with proper headers, tags, and changelog.
• License must be GPL-compatible (e.g. GPL-2.0+).

Submission Steps

1. Visit https://wordpress.org/plugins/add/
2. Submit your plugin slug and description.
3. Wait for a manual review (typically 1–7 days).
4. Once approved, you’ll get access to an SVN repository.
5. Upload your files using SVN and tag your release version in /tags/1.0.0/.

Tip: Use a minimal but complete version first. You can add complex features in updates after approval.

Sample Plugin Using WPBay SDK

Below is a basic plugin that integrates with the WPBay SDK:

<?php
/*
 * Plugin Name: PostTally
 * Plugin URI: https://wordpress.org/plugins/posttally/
 * Description: Displays the total number of published posts using [post_count]. Includes optional WPBay SDK integration for licensing and feedback.
 * Version: 1.0.0
 * Author: CaddyTzitzy
 * License: GPL-2.0+
 * Text Domain: posttally
 */

if (!defined('ABSPATH')) exit;

// Load WPBay SDK
if (!function_exists('posttally_load_wpbay_sdk')) {
    function posttally_load_wpbay_sdk() {
        require_once dirname(__FILE__) . '/wpbay-sdk/WPBay_Loader.php';
        global $wpbay_sdk_latest_loader;
        $sdk_loader_class = $wpbay_sdk_latest_loader;
        $sdk_params = array(
            'api_key'                => 'YOUR-WPBAY-API-KEY', //dummy API Key
            'product_file'           => __FILE__,
            'is_free'                => true,
            'uploaded_to_wp_org'     => true,
            'no_activation_required' => true,
        );
        if (class_exists($sdk_loader_class)) {
            return $sdk_loader_class::load_sdk($sdk_params);
        }
        return false;
    }
    posttally_load_wpbay_sdk();
    do_action('posttally_load_wpbay_sdk_loaded');
}

// Shortcode Plugin Logic
class PostTally {
    public function __construct() {
        add_action('init', array($this, 'register_shortcodes'));
    }

    public function register_shortcodes() {
        add_shortcode('post_count', array($this, 'post_count_shortcode'));
    }

    public function post_count_shortcode($atts) {
        $count = wp_count_posts('post')->publish;
        return esc_html(number_format_i18n($count));
    }
}
new PostTally();
?>

What the WPBay SDK Can Do

All features are optional — simply toggle via flags like 'is_upgradable' => false.

WPBay SDK Setup Guide

1. Download the SDK or clone from Git (coming soon).
2. Include the /wpbay-sdk/ folder inside your plugin root.
3. Use the loader like in the example above, you can dynamically create it in your SDK Integration Documentation page.
4. Adjust sdk_params for your plugin settings:
   • is_free, is_upgradable, uploaded_to_wp_org, etc.
5. Optionally listen to hooks like do_action('yourplugin_load_wpbay_sdk_loaded'); to extend logic.

FAQ for New Plugin Devs

Q: Does using WPBay SDK get my plugin rejected?
A: No. It’s designed to be wp.org-safe by default. All SDK features are opt-in and fully compliant.

Q: Do I have to add licensing to plugins on wp.org?
A: No. You can mark 'no_activation_required' => true and 'is_free' => true.

Q: Can I later offer a Pro version through WPBay?
A: Yes! You can enable upgrade paths with 'is_upgradable' => true.

Directory Structure Best Practices

When packaging your plugin or theme for WordPress.org or WPBay, structure matters. Here’s the required layout:

Plugin Example

my-plugin/
├── wpbay-sdk/                  # WPBay SDK folder
│   └── WPBay_Loader.php
├── languages/                  # .pot/.po/.mo files
├── assets/                     # Screenshots, banners
├── includes/                   # Modular plugin code
├── css/
├── js/
├── readme.txt                  # Required for WP.org
├── my-plugin.php               # Main plugin file
└── uninstall.php               # Optional

Theme Example

my-theme/
├── wpbay-sdk/
│   └── WPBay_Loader.php
├── assets/
├── inc/
├── templates/
├── functions.php
└── style.css

Managing Multiple Products With One API Key

You can use the same API key across all your products (plugins and themes). However, you’ll still need to:

• Include the SDK separately in each product.
• Assign a unique product ID to each one, obtained from your WPBay dashboard.

Example

'sdk_params' => array(
    'api_key'          => 'YOUR-WPBAY-API-KEY',
    'wpbay_product_id' => '1234', // Each product has its own ID
)

Developer Mode Tips & Workflow

Workflow Example:

1. Add your slug (e.g. my-plugin) under “Allowed Testing Slugs” in your dashboard.
2. Copy the generated constants into your main plugin file:

define( 'WPBAY_MY-PLUGIN_DEVELOPER_MODE', true );
define( 'WPBAY_MY-PLUGIN_SECRET_KEY', 'YOUR-WPBAY-SECRET-KEY' );

3. Use this Developer Testing Purchase Code in wp-config.php:

define('WPBAY_TEST_PURCHASE_CODE', 'YOUR-WPBAY-TEST-PURCHASE-CODE');

4. Activate your plugin on a local or staging site. It’ll behave like a paid product but is fully sandboxed.

⚠️ Developer licenses auto-expire after 24 hours. Only 3 sandbox activations are allowed at any time.

Advanced Developer Hooks & Filters

The SDK provides several WordPress hooks to extend or override behavior:

Action Hooks

Filter Hooks

Example:

add_filter('wpbay_sdk_disable_auto_update', '__return_true');

Integrating WPBay Analytics (Optional)

If enabled, usage analytics include:

• WordPress version
• Active theme
• List of active plugins
• Site locale and timezone

These metrics help you understand your customer environment, but no personal data is collected unless the user consents.

Disable by setting:

'disable_analytics' => true,

You can also log custom events:

$sdk->logger->track_event('my_custom_event', array(
    'action' => 'did_something_useful',
    'user_role' => 'admin',
));

Marketing With SDK Notices (Upgrade & Ratings)

The SDK includes:

• Rating prompts (rating_notice after X days)
• Upgrade CTA (if is_upgradable is true)

These appear as dismissible admin notices or inside dedicated SDK pages.

Disable all SDK notices?

Set:

'disable_feedback' => true,
'disable_upgrade_form' => true,

Going Live: Checklist Before Uploading to WPBay or WordPress.org

Final Checks:

• Remove Developer Mode constants.
• Set debug_mode => false.
• Confirm valid wpbay_product_id.
• Test activation and deactivation flows.
• Add screenshots for WordPress.org (if applicable).
• Include a readme.txt with stable tag and changelog.

Join the WPBay Developer Community

• Access premium developer discussions on Discord.
• Be featured in weekly product spotlights.
• Submit feature requests or report bugs directly using the below email.

Check the link in your WPBay dashboard or email us: [email protected].