How and where to learn WordPress plugin development (FYI, we build plugins)

It can be overwhelming when you first try to get into WordPress plugin development. Honestly, one of the best ways to learn is just to dive right in and start coding. However, this is something that doesn’t just happen overnight. Be ready to commit and invest some time learning WordPress, PHP, and React.

With that being said, having some good resources on hand can help you navigate all the craziness and cut through the noise quicker. My brother and I develop WordPress plugins full-time, so we are constantly bouncing between different sources to speed up our workflows.

WordPress plugin development resources

Below is a shortlist of WordPress plugin development resources that we use in our daily work.

WordPress Plugin Handbook

I always recommend starting out with the official WordPress Plugin Handbook. This is a good basic introduction and overview.

You’ll also want to dive into the Block Editor Handbook if you’re creating a plugin for the Block Editor.

WordPress Codex

The WordPress Codex has a good overview of writing a plugin, and what all it entails.

Make WordPress Core

Make sure to check out the PHP coding standards when it comes to WordPress core.

WordPress.tv

WordPress.tv has great plugin development videos you can watch.

WordPress Development Stack Exchange

There is a Stack Exchange just for WordPress development. This is a place you can find answers and also ask questions.

SitePoint

SitePoint has some good articles focused on the topic of WordPress plugin development.

Kinsta

Here is an in-depth tutorial on how to publish a plugin to the WordPress repository.

Gutenberg (Block Editor) Courses

Zac Gordon has the best courses when it comes to learning JavaScript and coding for Gutenberg. Check out JavaScript for WordPress.

Additional resources

The Codex also has a list of some additional plugin development resources.

WordPress plugin marketing and selling

Stepping beyond development, there is a lot more to learn about marketing and selling WordPress plugins. Check out a few articles we’ve written:

Summary

There are thousands of other great articles around the web about plugin development, but I recommend going through all the resources above first.

Also, if you have any questions about WordPress plugin development, I’d be happy to answer them and share how we do things with our own plugins. Feel free to drop them in the comments below.

author bio
Brian Jackson

I craft actionable content and develop performance-driven WordPress plugins. Connect on X, subscribe to my newsletter (once a month), or buy me coffee.

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