Host Your WordPress Plugins on GitHub and Automate Plugin Packaging

Let’s talk plugin distribution.

Hosting your plugins on GitHub provides powerful benefits such as version control, collaboration, and easy sharing.

But distributing your plugin as a proper .zip file for users can be tedious, especially when you need to exclude unnecessary files like .git folders, node_modules, and .DS_Store.

This guide walks you through:

1. Hosting your WordPress plugins on GitHub.

2. Automating the creation of .zip files, saving them one level up in the main plugins folder.

Let's do this - GIF

Step 1: Host Your Plugin on GitHub

1.1. Create a New Repository

Go to github.com/new.
Name your repository (e.g., my-awesome-plugin).
Optionally add a description.
Set it to Public if you want to share the plugin or Private for internal use.

Initialize the repository with:

A README.md file to describe your plugin.
A .gitignore file (select “WordPress” from the GitHub template list).

1.2. Push Your Plugin Code to GitHub

If your plugin already exists locally:

Open your terminal and navigate to your plugin folder:

cd /path/to/your/plugin

Initialize Git and link it to your GitHub repository:

git init git remote add origin https://github.com/your-username/my-awesome-plugin.git

Add and commit your plugin files:

git add . git commit -m "Initial commit"

Push your code to GitHub:

git branch -M main git push -u origin main

1.3. Create a GitHub Release for Easy Downloads

GitHub automatically generates source code downloads for your repository, but these include the .git folder and may add a -main suffix to your plugin folder, which can break WordPress installation. To avoid this:

1. Go to the “Releases” section of your GitHub repository.

2. Click “Draft a new release”.

3. Add a version tag (e.g., v1.0.0), title, and description.

4. Upload your plugin .zip file (see the next section for how to create it).

5. Publish the release.

Your .zip file will now be available for download, and GitHub will track the number of downloads.

I'll show you automated - GIF - spongebob squarepants

Step 2: Automate Plugin Packaging with a Bash Script

Manually zipping your plugin every time you update it can be time-consuming. This script simplifies the process and saves the .zip file in the parent plugins folder for better organization.

2.1. Create the Bash Script

Open your terminal and create a new bash script:

nano ~/zipplugin.sh

Add the following script to the file:

`` #!/bin/bash # Get the plugin folder name from the current directory (default) default_plugin_name=$(basename "$PWD") # Use the first argument as the plugin name, or default to the current folder name plugin_name="${1:-$default_plugin_name}" # Define the parent directory path parent_dir=$(dirname "$PWD") # Define the zip name and location (one folder up) zip_name="$parent_dir/${plugin_name}.zip" # Define default exclusions exclude="${2:-".git/ .gitignore .DS_Store node_modules/*"}" echo "Creating zip: $zip_name" echo "Excluding: $exclude" # Create the zip file in the parent directory zip -r "$zip_name" . -x $exclude ``

Save and close the file by pressing CTRL+O, then CTRL+X.

Make the script executable:

chmod +x ~/zipplugin.sh

2.2. Add an Alias for Convenience

To make the script easier to use, add an alias to your shell configuration file.

Open your shell configuration file (~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc):

nano ~/.bashrc

Add the following alias:

alias zipplugin="~/zipplugin.sh"

Save and reload your shell:

source ~/.bashrc

2.3. Use the Script

Navigate to your plugin directory:

cd /path/to/plugins/my-plugin

Run the script to create a .zip file with the default folder name and exclusions:

zipplugin

The .zip file will be saved in the parent plugins directory:

/path/to/plugins/my-plugin.zip

Optionally specify a custom plugin name:

zipplugin custom-plugin-name

Customize the exclusions by adding a second argument:

zipplugin custom-plugin-name ".env/ test"

SEND IT - GIF

Step 3: Share Your Plugin

Now that your .zip file is ready, upload it to your GitHub release 💪💯

This makes sure that users can download and install your plugin without encountering issues like unnecessary files or incorrectly named folders.

1. Go to your GitHub repository.

2. Navigate to the “Releases” section.

3. Upload your .zip file to the release.