Updating Your Plugin – The Art of “Hey, I Fixed It!”

Congratulations, your plugin is live! 🎉 Now what?

Well, people will use it. And they’ll find bugs. And request features. And one guy will want it to be compatible with Windows XP, on Tuesdays, in Sanskrit.

“Shipping an update is like sending an apology letter… with features.”

But it’s okay — because you know how to update like a pro.

🚧 Step 1: Make the Changes

Just like last time, edit your plugin files locally. You’re working with the trunk/ folder in your local SVN repo:

my-noob-plugin/
├── trunk/
│   ├── my-noob-plugin.php (updated)
│   ├── readme.txt (also updated)

💡 Pro Tip: Always update your readme.txt:

• Change the Stable tag
• Add your shiny new changelog

== Changelog ==

= 1.1.0 =
* Fixed that one bug that made the plugin scream in production
* Added unicorn mode (you're welcome)
* Updated compatibility to WP 6.5.2

Use emojis, humor, clarity. It’s a blog post for devs in a hurry.

Also: include upgrade notes if anything needs attention. (Looking at you, database migrations 👀)

🎯 Step 2: Tag That Update

SVN loves tags like a proud grandma with photo albums.

You’re basically saying:

“This snapshot right here? This is version 1.1.0. Frame it.”

svn cp trunk tags/1.1.0

Stick to the golden versioning format: MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH

• 1.0.0 → First stable release
• 1.1.0 → New features, no breakage
• 1.1.1 → Bug fix or typo you swore wasn’t there
• 2.0.0 → Breaking changes (brace for chaos)

Rule: If you break backward compatibility, don’t be sneaky. Bump the major. Be honest.

Boom. Snapshot taken. Now onto…

🤖 Step 3: Test Like It’s Launch Day (Because It Is)

Before you hit update:

• Clone a clean install of WordPress to make sure your plugin isn’t secretly summoning demons.
• Install popular plugins (Yoast, WooCommerce, etc.)
• Use WP_DEBUG and Query Monitor
• Test PHP 7.x → 8.x
• Break it, fix it, test again

Bonus: Spin up a disposable site using Local WP or WP Sandbox

⚙️ Step 4: Auto-Updates & Rollbacks (a Love-Hate Story)

WordPress supports automatic plugin updates. Which is awesome... until you accidentally drop a semicolon.

Make sure:

• Your plugin handles auto-updates gracefully
• You never commit half-baked code
• You provide a previous stable version for rollback

Pro tip: Use GitHub Actions to build and zip your plugin for release. Even better: tag releases, then ping your updater.

🧨 Step 5: Commit and Deploy

Add your changed files and tell SVN you’re serious:

svn add --force *
svn ci -m "Release 1.1.0 – bug fixes, new features, existential dread"

Give it a few minutes. WordPress.org’s magical hamsters will process your update and BAM — it’s live.

Users will get a lovely notification:

“There is a new version of My Noob Plugin available. Update now?”

They click. You smile. Everyone wins. Except bugs.

🐛 Found a Bug? Forgot Something? Panic Not.

Just fix it, bump the version again (1.1.1? 1.2.0?), update the changelog, and re-commit. No need to spiral. You’re human (and a heroic one at that).