Plugin header and activation in Wordpress - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is the purpose of the plugin header in a WordPress plugin?

The plugin header is a specially formatted comment block at the top of the main plugin file. It provides WordPress with essential information like the plugin's name, version, author, and description so WordPress can recognize and display the plugin in the admin area.

beginner

Which minimum fields are required in a WordPress plugin header for it to be recognized?

At minimum, the plugin header must include the 'Plugin Name' field. Other fields like 'Description', 'Version', and 'Author' are recommended but not strictly required.

beginner

How do you register a function to run when a WordPress plugin is activated?

You use the register_activation_hook function, passing the main plugin file path and the function name you want to run on activation. This function runs once when the plugin is activated.

intermediate

What kind of tasks are typically done in a plugin activation hook?

Common tasks include creating database tables, setting default options, or initializing plugin settings. These prepare the plugin to work correctly after activation.

beginner

Show an example of a minimal WordPress plugin header.

/* Plugin Name: My Simple Plugin Version: 1.0 Author: Your Name Description: A brief description of what the plugin does. */

What is the main role of the plugin header in WordPress?

A To store user data

B To style the plugin's admin page

C To provide WordPress with plugin information for recognition

D To activate the plugin automatically

The plugin header tells WordPress about the plugin so it can list and manage it.

Which function is used to run code when a plugin is activated?

A register_activation_hook

B add_action('init')

C plugin_activate()

D activate_plugin()

register_activation_hook links a function to run once when the plugin activates.

Which field is mandatory in the plugin header for WordPress to recognize the plugin?

A Version

B Plugin Name

C Author

D Description

Plugin Name is the only required field for WordPress to detect the plugin.

What is a common use of the activation hook in a plugin?

A Displaying the plugin UI

B Running on every page load

C Styling the website

D Creating database tables

Activation hooks often set up database tables or default settings.

Where should the plugin header be placed in the plugin file?

A At the very top of the main plugin PHP file

B Inside a function

C At the bottom of the file

D In a separate config file

The plugin header must be at the top of the main plugin file for WordPress to read it.

Explain what a WordPress plugin header is and why it is important.

Think about how WordPress knows your plugin exists.

Describe how to run code when a WordPress plugin is activated and give examples of what you might do in that code.

Activation happens once when the user turns on the plugin.