How is a WordPress Plugin Reviewed?

You created a WordPress plugin and submitted it to the Plugin Repository. What happens when you submit your plugin for review? How does WordPress review plugins?

How does WordPress Review Your Plugin

Mika Epstein at WordCamp Atlanta 2016 explains the process.

How do you prevent your plugin from being rejected?

  • Give your plugin a unique name. Don’t use “plugin” or “WordPress” in the name.
  • Avoid using Trademarks. Company or product names may be trademark. If you want to use Google Analytics as part of your name, you can’t because it is trademarked.
  • Don’t steal another developer’s plugin and pass it off as your own. If you are modifying or forking another plugin, credit the owner of the original and change the code so they can see that you made changes to it.
  • Make sure your code does things the way WordPress expects. They may reject your code if you don’t sanitize your data, hard code calls to WordPress directories or don’t document that your plugin uses calls to third party api’s or plugins.
  • Seven Day Rule. Communicating with your plugin reviewer is key. They may reject your plugin if you don’t respond to your reviewer after seven days.

Reviewing your plugin can be a long process. Every plugin is reviewed by a live person; it is not automated. Working closely with your plugin reviewer, helps you to fix problems and get through the process more quickly. Remember, they actually read the code and test it to make sure it works. You can make your chances of being accepted by doing the following: use a unique name, avoid using trademarks, give credit to others when you use their code and review your code to make sure it does things the way WordPress expects.