How to Become the Master of Your Own WordPress Plugin Updates

Are you tired of waiting for the Plugin Gods (a.k.a WordPress.org) to bless your plugins with updates? Do you want to be the Captain of your plugin update ship? Well, you're in luck, because today, we’re going to set sail on an adventure to create your very own self-hosted plugin update system! 🏴‍☠️

Yes, you heard it right! You can send updates from your very own server, bypassing the mysterious WordPress plugin repository. Think of it as creating your own private update club. 🕵️‍♂️

Grab your snacks 🍿, because it’s going to be fun, informative, and full of code (yay, code!). Let's dive in!

Step 1: The Hook — AKA the Plugin Whisperer 🧙‍♂️

First, you need to hook into WordPress. We’re not talking about a pirate hook here. No, this is the magic WordPress hook — pre_set_site_transient_update_plugins! It whispers plugin update secrets into WordPress's ears (or whatever WordPress has instead of ears). 💫

In your plugin’s main.php file, add this code to begin your journey:

add_filter('pre_set_site_transient_update_plugins', 'custom_check_for_noob_plugin_updates');

Boom! You’ve just told WordPress, “Hey, listen to me! I’ve got updates!” 🎧

Step 2: Writing the Spell 🧙‍♀️

Next, we’ll write the function that tells WordPress about your plugin update. Think of it as casting a spell on WordPress so it fetches your plugin updates from your self-hosted server.

function custom_check_for_noob_plugin_updates($transient) {
    // If WordPress has no updates to check, abort the mission!
    if (empty($transient->checked)) {
        return $transient;
    }

    // Your custom plugin details!
    $plugin_slug = 'my-noob-plugin/my-noob-plugin.php'; // The slug of your custom plugin.
    $current_version = '1.0.0'; // Your current version (make sure this is up to date!).

    // Check for updates from your custom server (self-hosted plugin update server).
    $response = wp_remote_get('https://example.com/plugin-update-check?version=' . $current_version);

    // Handle if the server returns an error (aka your server took a nap).
    if (is_wp_error($response)) {
        return $transient;  // No updates, no worries.
    }

    // Grab the update info from your server’s response.
    $update_data = json_decode(wp_remote_retrieve_body($response));

    // If a new version is available, tell WordPress about it.
    if (!empty($update_data) && version_compare($current_version, $update_data->new_version, '<')) {
        $transient->response[$plugin_slug] = (object) array(
            'slug'        => 'my-noob-plugin', // Plugin slug
            'plugin'      => $plugin_slug,
            'new_version' => $update_data->new_version, // The new version
            'package'     => $update_data->download_url, // Where WordPress can download the update
            'url'         => 'https://example.com/plugin-info', // A page with more info
        );
    }

    return $transient;
}

In this magical incantation:

• We check for updates from your super-awesome custom server (you’re hosting it!).
• If there's a shiny new version of your plugin, we whisper this to WordPress, saying, “Look! There's a new version!” 🧙‍♂️
• you can find more usage about the hook - pre_set_site_transient_update_plugins

Step 3: The Self-Hosted Plugin Update Server 🎩

Now, let’s talk about your self-hosted plugin update server. This is where all the magic happens behind the curtain! 🎪

Your server needs to serve WordPress with update information. You’ll need to set up a simple JSON response on your server that looks like this:

{
  "new_version": "1.1.0",
  "download_url": "https://example.com/my-custom-plugin-v1.1.zip"
}

When WordPress checks for plugin updates, your server will say: “Hey, there’s a new version of the plugin (v1.1.0)! Here’s the download link. Enjoy!”

Step 4: How to Test (AKA “Am I Doing This Right?”) 🤔

Once you’ve added the code and set up your server, it’s time to see if it all works! 🕵️‍♂️

1. Install your custom plugin on a WordPress site.
2. Head over to Dashboard > Updates in WordPress and click the “Check Again” button. (Seriously, click it like your life depends on it!)
3. If everything is set up correctly, you’ll see the update notification for your custom plugin!

WordPress will say, “Hey, I found a new version of your plugin on this self-hosted server!” 🚀

Step 5: Bragging Rights 🏆

Congratulations, you’ve successfully bypassed WordPress.org and created your very own plugin update server! You’re officially the Captain of Your Own Plugin Update Ship! 🎉

You can now:

• Send updates to your plugins from your server.
• Share custom updates with your VIP users (don’t forget to wear sunglasses while doing this 😎).
• Brag to your friends about how cool and tech-savvy you are.

Conclusion

With great power comes great responsibility. You now control your plugin updates like the true Plugin Master you are! So keep your server running, keep your plugins updated, and most importantly, have fun with your newfound superpowers! 🦸‍♂️

And remember, as Spiderman’s uncle might have said, “With custom plugin updates, comes the responsibility to keep your server online.”

Happy coding! 🧙‍♀️🚀