Building Web Apps With Wordpress by Messenlehner, Brian -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Building Web Apps with WordPress Preface

Who This Book Is For Who This Book Is Not For What You’ll Learn About the Code Conventions Used in This Book Using Code Examples Safari® Books Online How to Contact Us Acknowledgments

Foreword 1. Building Web Apps with WordPress

What Is a Website? What Is an App? What Is a Web App?

Features of a Web App

Why Use WordPress?

You Are Already Using WordPress Content Management Is Easy with WordPress User Management Is Easy and Secure with WordPress Plugins Flexibility Is Important Frequent Security Updates Cost .NET App WordPress App Responses to Some Common Criticisms of WordPress

When Not to Use WordPress

You Plan to License or Sell Your Site’s Technology There Is Another Platform That Will Get You “There” Faster Flexibility Is NOT Important to You Your App Needs to Be Highly Real Time

WordPress as an Application Framework

WordPress Versus MVC Frameworks

MVC plugins for WordPress Models = plugins Views = themes Controllers = template loader

Anatomy of a WordPress App

What Is SchoolPress? SchoolPress Runs on a WordPress Multisite Network The SchoolPress Business Model Membership Levels and User Roles Classes Are BuddyPress Groups Assignments Are a Custom Post Type Submissions Are a (Sub)CPT for Assignments Semesters Are a Taxonomy on the Class CPT Departments Are a Taxonomy on the Class CPT SchoolPress Has One Main Custom Plugin SchoolPress Uses a Few Other Custom Plugins SchoolPress Uses the StartBox Theme Framework

2. WordPress Basics

WordPress Directory Structure

Root Directory /wp-admin /wp-includes /wp-content

/wp-content/plugins /wp-content/themes /wp-content/uploads /wp-content/mu-plugins

WordPress Database Structure

wp_options Functions Found in /wp-includes/option.php

add_option( $option, $value = ', $deprecated = ', $autoload = yes ) update_option( $option, $newvalue ) get_option( $option, $default = false ) delete_option( $option )

wp_users Functions Found in /wp-includes/…

wp_insert_user( $userdata ) wp_create_user( $username, $password, $email ) wp_update_user( $userdata ) get_user_by( $field, $value ) get_userdata( $userid ) wp_delete_user( $id, $reassign = novalue )

wp_usermeta

get_user_meta( $user_id, $key = '', $single = false ) update_user_meta( $user_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $prev_value = '' ) add_user_meta($user_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $unique = false) delete_user_meta($user_id, $meta_key, $meta_value = '')

wp_posts Functions found in /wp-includes/post.php

wp_insert_post($postarr, $wp_error = false) wp_update_post( $postarr = array(), $wp_error = false ) get_post( $post = null, $output = OBJECT, $filter = raw ) get_posts($args = null) wp_delete_post( $postid = 0, $force_delete = false )

wp_postmeta Functions Found in /wp-includes/post.php

get_post_meta($post_id, $key = '', $single = false) update_post_meta($post_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $prev_value = '') add_post_meta($post_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $unique = false) delete_post_meta($post_id, $meta_key, $meta_value = '')

wp_comments Functions Found in /wp-includes/comment.php

get_comment( $comment, $output = OBJECT ) get_comments( $args = '' ) wp_insert_comment( $commentdata ) wp_update_comment( $commentarr ) wp_delete_comment( $comment_id, $force_delete = false )

wp_commentsmeta Functions Found in /wp-includes/comment.php

get_comment_meta($comment_id, $key = '', $single = false) add_comment_meta($comment_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $unique = false) update_comment_meta($comment_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $prev_value = '') delete_comment_meta($comment_id, $meta_key, $meta_value = '')

wp_links wp_terms Functions Found in /wp-includes/taxonomy.php

get_terms( $taxonomies, $args = '' ) get_term( $term, $taxonomy, $output = OBJECT, $filter = raw ) wp_insert_term( $term, $taxonomy, $args = array() ) wp_update_term( $term_id, $taxonomy, $args = array() ) wp_delete_term( $term, $taxonomy, $args = array() )

wp_term_taxonomy /wp-includes/taxonomy.php

get_taxonomies( $args = array(), $output = names, $operator = and ) get_taxonomy( $taxonomy ) register_taxonomy( $taxonomy, $object_type, $args = array() )

wp_term_relationships

get_object_taxonomies( $object, $output = names ) wp_get_object_terms( $object_ids, $taxonomies, $args = array() ) wp_set_object_terms( $object_id, $terms, $taxonomy, $append = false )

Extending WordPress

3. Leveraging WordPress Plugins

The GPLv2 License Installing WordPress Plugins Building Your Own Plugin File Structure for an App Plugin

/adminpages/ /classes/ /css/ /js/ /images/ /includes/ /includes/lib/ /pages/ /services/ /scheduled/ /schoolpress.php

Add-Ons to Existing Plugins Use Cases and Examples

The WordPress Loop WordPress Global Variables

$wpdb Using custom DB tables

Running queries

Escaping in DB queries SELECT queries with $wpdb

Insert, replace, and update

Action Hooks Filters

Free Plugins

All in One SEO Pack BadgeOS Custom Post Type UI Posts 2 Posts Members W3 Total Cache

Premium Plugins

Gravity Forms Backup Buddy WP All Import

Community Plugins

BuddyPress

Database tables Components Pages Settings Profile fields BuddyPress plugins

4. Themes

Themes Versus Plugins

When Developing Apps When Developing Plugins When Developing Themes

The Template Hierarchy Page Templates

Sample Page Template Using Hooks to Copy Templates When to Use a Theme Template

Theme-Related WP Functions

Using locate_template in Your Plugins

Style.css

Versioning Your Theme’s CSS Files

Functions.php Themes and Custom Post Types Popular Theme Frameworks

WP Theme Frameworks

_s (Underscores) StartBox Genesis

Non-WP Theme Frameworks

Creating a Child Theme for StartBox Including Bootstrap in Your App’s Theme Menus

Nav Menus Dynamic Menus

Responsive Design

Device and Display Detection in CSS Device and Feature Detection in JavaScript

Detecting the screen and window size with JavaScript and jQuery Feature detection in JavaScript

Device Detection in PHP

Browser detection in WordPress core Browser detection with PHP’s get_browser()

Final Note on Browser Detection

Versioning CSS and JS Files

5. Custom Post Types, Post Metadata, and Taxonomies

Default Post Types and Custom Post Types

Page Post Attachment Revisions Nav Menu Item

Defining and Registering Custom Post Types

register_post_type( $post_type, $args );

label labels menu_name description publicly_queryable exclude_from_search capability_type capabilities map_meta_cap hierarchical public rewrite has_archive query_var supports register_meta_box_cb permalink_epmask taxonomies show_ui menu_position menu_icon can_export show_in_nav_menus show_in_menu show_in_admin_bar delete_with_user _builtin _edit_link

What Is a Taxonomy and How Should I Use It?

Taxonomies Versus Post Meta Creating Custom Taxonomies register_taxonomy( $taxonomy, $object_type, $args )

label labels hierarchical update_count_callback rewrite query_var public show_ui show_in_nav_menus show_tagcloud show_admin_column capabilities

register_taxonomy_for_object_type( $taxonomy, $object_type )

Using Custom Post Types and Taxonomies in Your Themes and Plugins

The Theme Archive and Single Template Files Good Old WP_Query and get_posts()

Metadata with CPTs

add_meta_box( $id, $title, $callback, $screen, $context, $priority, $callback_args )

Custom Wrapper Classes for CPTs

Extending WP_Post Versus Wrapping It Why Use Wrapper Classes? Keep Your CPTs and Taxonomies Together Keep It in the Wrapper Class Wrapper Classes Read Better

6. Users, Roles, and Capabilities

Getting User Data Add, Update, and Delete Users Hooks and Filters What Are Roles and Capabilities?

Checking a User’s Role and Capabilities Creating Custom Roles and Capabilities

Extending the WP_User Class Adding Registration and Profile Fields Customizing the Users Table in the Dashboard Plugins

Theme My Login Hide Admin Bar from Non-Admins Paid Memberships Pro PMPro Register Helper Members

7. Other WordPress APIs, Objects, and Helper Functions

Shortcode API

Shortcode Attributes Nested Shortcodes Removing Shortcodes Other Useful Shortcode-Related Functions

Widgets API

Before You Add Your Own Widget Adding Widgets Defining a Widget Area Embedding a Widget Outside of a Dynamic Sidebar

Dashboard Widgets API

Removing Dashboard Widgets Adding Your Own Dashboard Widget

Settings API

Do You Really Need a Settings Page? Could You Use a Hook or Filter Instead? Use Standards When Adding Settings Ignore Standards When Adding Settings

Rewrite API

Adding Rewrite Rules Flushing Rewrite Rules Other Rewrite Functions

WP-Cron

Adding Custom Intervals Scheduling Single Events Kicking Off Cron Jobs from the Server Using Server Crons Only

WP Mail

Sending Nicer Emails with WordPress

File Header API

Adding File Headers to Your Own Files Adding New Headers to Plugins and Themes

8. Secure WordPress

Why It’s Important Security Basics

Update Frequently Don’t Use the Username “admin” Use a Strong Password Examples of Bad Passwords Examples of Good Passwords

Hardening Your WordPress Install

Don’t Allow Admins to Edit Plugins or Themes Change Default Database Tables Prefix Move wp-config.php Hide Login Error Messages Hide Your WordPress Version Don’t Allow Logins via wp-login.php Add Custom .htaccess Rules for Locking Down wp-admin

Backup Everything! Scan Scan Scan! Useful Security Plugins

Spam-Blocking Plugins

Akismet Bad Behavior

Backup Plugins

Backup Buddy VaultPress

Scanner Plugins

WP Security Scan Exploit Scanner BBQ Antivirus-Once

Limit Login Attempts Ask Apache Password Protect

Writing Secure Code

Check User Capabilities

user_can( $user, $capability ) current_user_can( $capability ) current_user_can_for_blog( $blog_id, $capability )

Custom SQL Statements Data Validation, Sanitization, and Escaping

esc_url( $url, $protocols = null, $_context = display ) esc_url_raw( $url, $protocols = null ) esc_html( $text ) esc_js( $text ) esc_attr( $text ) esc_textarea( $text ) sanitize_option( $option, $value ) sanitize_text_field($str) sanitize_user( $username, $strict = false ) sanitize_title( $title, $fallback_title = '' ) sanitize_email( $email ) sanitize_file_name( $filename ) wp_kses( $string, $allowed_html, $allowed_protocols = array () )

Nonces

wp_create_nonce( $action = -1 ) wp_verify_nonce($nonce, $action = -1) check_admin_referer($action = -1, $query_arg = _wpnonce) wp_nonce_url( $actionurl, $action = -1 ) wp_nonce_field( $action = -1, $name = “_wpnonce”, $referer = true , $echo = true ) check_ajax_referer( $action = -1, $query_arg = false, $die = true )

9. JavaScript, jQuery, and AJAX

What Is AJAX? What Is JSON? jQuery and WordPress

Enqueuing Other JavaScript Libraries Where to Put Your Custom JavaScript

AJAX Calls with WordPress and jQuery Managing Multiple AJAX Requests Heartbeat API

Initialization Client-side JavaScript Server-side PHP Initialization Client-side JavaScript Server-side PHP

WordPress Limitations with Asynchronous Processing Backbone.js

10. XML-RPC

wp.getUsersBlogs wp.getPosts wp.getPost wp.newPost wp.editPost wp.deletePost wp.getTerms wp.getTerm wp.newTerm wp.editTerm wp.deleteTerm wp.getTaxonomies wp.getTaxonomy wp.getUsers wp.getUser wp.getProfile wp.editProfile wp.getCommentCount wp.getPageTemplates wp.getOptions wp.setOptions wp.getComment wp.getComments wp.deleteComment wp.editComment wp.newComment wp.getMediaLibrary wp.getMediaItem wp.uploadFile wp.getPostFormats wp.getPostType wp.getPostTypes

11. Mobile Apps with WordPress

App Wrapper iOS Applications

Enrolling as an Apple Developer Building Your App with Xcode

Storyboard View controller iOS simulator

App Distribution iOS Resources

Android Applications

AndroidManifest.xml activity_main.xml

MainActivity.java

Creating an APK file Getting Your App on Google Play Android Resources

Extend Your App AppPresser Mobile App Use Cases

12. PHP Libraries, External APIs, and Web Services

Imagick MaxMind GeoIP Google Maps JavaScript API v3

Directions Distance Matrix Elevation Geocoding Street View Service Practical App

Google Translate Google+

People Activities Comments Moments

Amazon Product Advertising API

Request Parameters Operations Response Groups

Twitter REST API v1.1

Set Up Your App on Twitter.com Leverage a PHP Library

Facebook

Pictures Search Permissions Building an Application Leverage What’s Out There

Twilio Microsoft Sharepoint We Missed a Few

13. Building WordPress Multisite Networks

Why Multisite? Setting Up a Multisite Network Managing a Multisite Network

Dashboard Sites Users Themes Plugins Settings

Operational Settings Registration Settings New Site Settings Upload Settings Menu Settings

Updates

Multisite Database Structure

Network-Wide Tables

wp_blogs wp_blog_versions wp_registration_log wp_signups wp_site wp_sitemeta

Individual Site Tables Shared Site Tables

Multisite Plugins

WordPress MU Domain Mapping Blog Copier More Privacy Options Multisite Global Search Multisite Robots.txt Manager

Basic Multisite Functionality

$blog_id is_multisite() get_current_blog_id() switch_to_blog( $new_blog ) restore_current_blog() get_blog_details( $fields = null, $get_all = true ) update_blog_details( $blog_id, $details = array() ) get_blog_status( $id, $pref ) update_blog_status( $blog_id, $pref, $value ) get_blog_option( $id, $option, $default = false ) update_blog_option( $id, $option, $value ) delete_blog_option( $id, $option ) get_blog_post( $blog_id, $post_id ) add_user_to_blog( $blog_id, $user_id, $role ) create_empty_blog( $domain, $path, $weblog_title, $site_id = 1 ) Functions We Didn’t Mention

14. Localizing WordPress Apps

Do You Even Need to Localize Your App? How Localization Is Done in WordPress Defining Your Locale in WordPress Prepping Your Strings with Translation Functions

__($text, $domain = “default”) _e($text, $domain = “default”) _x($text, $context, $domain = “default”) _ex($title, $context, $domain = “default”) Escaping and Translating at the Same Time

Creating and Loading Translation Files

Our File Structure for Localization Generating a .pot File Creating a .po File Creating a .mo File Loading the Textdomain

Localizing Nonstring Assets

15. Ecommerce

Choosing a Plugin

Shopping Cart Plugins

Our favorite: Jigoshop Notable runner-up: WooCommerce

Membership Plugins

Our favorite: Paid Memberships Pro

Digital Downloads

Our favorite: Easy Digital Downloads

Payment Gateways Merchant Accounts SSL Certificates and HTTPS

Installing an SSL Certificate on Your Server SSL with Paid Memberships Pro SSL with Jigoshop WordPress Login and WordPress Admin over SSL WordPress Frontend over SSL SSL on Select Pages Avoiding SSL Errors with the “Nuclear Option”

Setting Up Software as a Service (SaaS) with Paid Memberships Pro The Software as a Service Model

Step 0: Figure Out How You Want to Charge for Your App Step 1: Installing and Activating Paid Memberships Pro Step 2: Setting Up the Level Step 3: Setting Up Pages Step 4: Payment Settings Step 5: Email Settings Step 6: Advanced Settings Step 7: Locking Down Pages

Lock down a specific page Lock down a page by URL Lock down a portion of a page by shortcode Lock down a portion of a page by PHP code using the pmpro_hasMembershipLevel() function

Step 8: Customizing Paid Memberships Pro

Restricting nonmembers to the homepage Locking down files Change user roles based on membership levels International and long-form addresses Upgrade/downgrade pricing

16. WordPress Optimization and Scaling

Terms Origin Versus Edge Testing

What to Test Chrome Debug Bar Apache Bench

Installing Apache Bench Running Apache Bench Testing with Apache Bench Graphing Apache Bench results with gnuplot

Siege Blitz.io

W3 Total Cache

Page Cache Settings Minify Database Caching Object Cache CDNs GZIP Compression

Hosting

WordPress-Specific Hosts Rolling Your Own Server

Apache server setup Nginx server setup Nginx in front of Apache MySQL optimization advanced-cache.php and object-cache.php Alternative PHP Cache (APC) Memcached Redis Varnish Batcache

Selective Caching

The Transient API Multisite Transients

Using JavaScript to Increase Performance Custom Tables Bypassing WordPress

Index Colophon Copyright

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