
Description
Create or update a custom WordPress plugin for site functionality that should not live in a theme or a block. Use when the user needs reusable behavior, admin/settings UI, hooks, REST endpoints, scheduled tasks, integrations, or server-side logic for a Studio-backed site.
SKILL.md
Plugin Creator
Use this skill when the user needs custom WordPress functionality that should survive theme changes.
Ownership
This skill owns:
- minimal plugin scaffolding inside the selected Studio site
- plugin-specific implementation guardrails
Use studio for site selection, activation, wp_cli, and review.
Workflow
- Use
studioto resolve the target site. - Once you begin the actual plugin implementation workflow, call
record_workflow_eventwithworkflow: "plugin-build"andstage: "started". - Create the plugin under
<site-path>/wp-content/plugins/<slug>/. - Start with the smallest viable structure:
- a main plugin file with the header
- only add extra files, classes, or build tooling when the request needs them
- Keep load-time side effects light. Register hooks predictably and add activation, deactivation, or uninstall behavior only when the request actually needs lifecycle work.
- If the plugin accepts input or exposes admin actions, enforce capability checks and nonces, sanitize on input, and escape on output.
- If the plugin needs JS or CSS assets, add the minimal build setup required for those assets instead of scaffolding a large default toolchain.
- Activate and verify through
studio. - Call
record_workflow_eventwithworkflow: "plugin-build"andstage: "completed"once the plugin work is complete.
Guardrails
- Do not create a plugin for pure styling or template work.
- Keep the plugin editable and easy to reason about.
- Prefer the smallest viable file set and dependency footprint.
More skills from the build-with-wordpress repository
View all 8 skillsauditing
audit WordPress sites for performance and accessibility
Apr 6AccessibilityAuditPerformanceWordPressblock-creator
create WordPress Gutenberg blocks
Apr 6Block EditorFrontendPlugin DevelopmentWordPressdesign-previews-creator
generate WordPress design preview options
Apr 6DesignThemesWordPresssite-creator
create WordPress sites from a brief
Apr 6Local DevelopmentWordPressstudio
run local WordPress development with Studio
Apr 6CLILocal DevelopmentMCPWordPresstheme-creator
create WordPress block themes
Apr 6DesignFrontendThemesWordPress
More from Automattic
View publisherannotate
collect visual feedback with browser annotation tools
studio
May 6FrontendProductivityUX CopyUX Designblock-content
write editable WordPress block markup
studio
May 27Block EditorCSSHTMLWordPresshosting-plans-helper
provide WordPress.com hosting plan information
studio
Jul 2PricingReferenceWordPressliberate
migrate websites to WordPress
studio
Jul 9CMSMigrationWeb DevelopmentWordPressneed-for-speed
run frontend performance audits for WordPress sites
studio
May 6AuditFrontendPerformanceWordPressplugin-recommendations
recommend WordPress plugins for site features
studio
May 27Content CreationPlugin DevelopmentWordPress