search
HomeBackend DevelopmentPHP TutorialCreating WordPress plugin options based on a JSON structure

The other day I was wondering how I could let WordPress plugin options be controlled by a JSON file, allowing one to more easily add additional settings in the future without having to adjust the code itself.

This article provides an example of an extremely simple WordPress plugin with a single settings pages consisting of 2 sections and 3 fields / options.

The full code can be found on Github.

Setting up the base

The plugin initially consists of 3 files.

  • adventures.json
  • adventures.php
  • class.adventures.php

adventures.php with a basic plugin registration:

<?php /*
Plugin Name: Adventures
Plugin URI: https://mortenhartvig.dk
Description: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed pharetra nisi eu varius pellentesque. Aenean posuere, velit mollis sodales convallis, ipsum lectus feugiat nunc, ac auctor sapien enim eu metus.
Version: 1
Requires at least: 6.1
Requires PHP: 8.3
Author: Morten Hartvig
Author URI: https://mortenhartvig.dk
License: Do whatever you want
*/

define('ADV__PLUGIN_DIR', plugin_dir_path(__FILE__));
define('ADV__PLUGIN_VIEW', ADV__PLUGIN_DIR . 'views');
define('ADV__PLUGIN_SLUG', 'adv');

require_once ADV__PLUGIN_DIR . 'class.adventures.php';

(new Adventures());

class.adventures.php with an empty class:

<?php class Adventures {
    public function __construct() {

    }
}

adventures.json contains the JSON structure of the plugin settings:

{
    "settings": {
        "pages": [
            {
                "title": "Adventures",
                "capability": "manage_options",
                "slug": "adv"
            }
        ],
        "sections": [
            {
                "id": "portal_base",
                "title": "Base configuration",
                "description": "Lorem 1, ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipisicing elit. Cumque nulla in officiis. Laborum quisquam illo eaque, deserunt facere mollitia sint doloremque maiores, obcaecati reiciendis voluptate itaque iure fugiat quia architecto!",
                "view": "section"
            },
            {
                "id": "portal_appearance",
                "title": "Appearance",
                "description": "Lorem 2, ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipisicing elit. Cumque nulla in officiis. Laborum quisquam illo eaque, deserunt facere mollitia sint doloremque maiores, obcaecati reiciendis voluptate itaque iure fugiat quia architecto!",
                "view": "section"
            }
        ],
        "fields": [
            {
                "id": "adv_portal_key",
                "title": "Portal Key",
                "section": "portal_base",
                "type": "text",
                "placeholder": "Enter your portal key",
                "view": "field.text"
            },
            {
                "id": "adv_api_host",
                "title": "Host API",
                "section": "portal_base",
                "type": "text",
                "placeholder": "Enter API host",
                "default": "https://api.mortenhartvig.dk",
                "view": "field.text"
            },
            {
                "id": "adv_portal_theme",
                "title": "Theme",
                "section": "portal_appearance",
                "type": "select",
                "options": {
                    "rounded.v1": "Round (V1)",
                    "squared.v1": "Square (V1)",
                    "standard": "Standard"
                },
                "default": "standard",
                "view": "field.select"
            }
        ]
    }
}

Reading JSON data

Create a property for your settings and call set_settings():

private $settings;

public function __construct() {
    $this->set_settings();
}

Create set_settings() and get_json_data():

private function set_settings() {
    $data = $this->get_json_data();

    $this->settings = $data['settings'];
}

private function get_json_data() {
    $file = ADV__PLUGIN_DIR . 'adventures.json';

    if (!file_exists($file)) {
        die('adventures.json not found');
    }

    return json_decode(file_get_contents($file), true);
}

If you add a die(print_r($this->settings)) to your __construct you can confirm that you indeed have your settings loaded.

Creating WordPress plugin options based on a JSON structure

Settings page

Call init_hooks() from the constructor:

public function __construct() {
    $this->set_settings();
    $this->init_hooks();
}

Create init_hooks():

private function init_hooks() {
    add_action('admin_menu', [$this, 'register_settings_pages']);
}

Create register_settings_pages() and settings_page_callback().

public function register_settings_pages() {
    foreach ($this->settings['pages'] as $page) {
        add_options_page($page['title'], $page['title'], $page['capability'], $page['slug'], [$this, 'settings_page_callback']);    
    }
}

public function settings_page_callback() {
    $this->render('settings.php');
}

Create render():

private function render($filename, $args) {
    if (is_array($args)) {
        $value = get_option($args['id']);

        if (empty($value) && isset($args['default'])) {
            $value = $args['default'];
        }

        $args = array_merge($args, ['value' => $value]);
    }

    $file = ADV__PLUGIN_VIEW . $filename;

    if (!str_ends_with($file,'.php')) {
        $file .= '.php';
    }

    if(!file_exists($file)) {
        die('File not found ' . $filename);
    }

    require $file;
}

Create views/settings.php:

<div>



<p><img src="/static/imghwm/default1.png" data-src="https://img.php.cn/upload/article/000/000/000/173390329693560.jpg?x-oss-process=image/resize,p_40" class="lazy" alt="Creating WordPress plugin options based on a JSON structure"></p>

<h3>
  
  
  Sections
</h3>

<p>Add another action in init_hooks:<br>
</p>

<pre class="brush:php;toolbar:false">private function init_hooks() {
    add_action('admin_menu', [$this, 'register_settings_pages']);
    add_action('admin_init', [$this, 'register_settings_sections']);
}

Create register_settings_sections() and settings_section_callback():

public function register_settings_sections() {
    foreach ($this->settings['sections'] as $section) {
        add_settings_section($section['id'], $section['title'], [$this, 'settings_section_callback'], ADV__PLUGIN_SLUG, $section);
    }
}

public function settings_section_callback($args) {
    $this->render($args['view'], $args);
}

Create views/section.php:

<p>
    <?php echo $args['description']; ?>
</p>

Fields

Add a third action in init_hooks:

private function init_hooks() {
    add_action('admin_menu', [$this, 'register_settings_pages']);
    add_action('admin_init', [$this, 'register_settings_sections']);
    add_action('admin_init', [$this, 'register_settings_fields']);
}

Create register_settings_fields() and settings_field_callback():

public function register_settings_fields() {
    foreach ($this->settings['fields'] as $field) {
        add_settings_field($field['id'], $field['title'], [$this, 'settings_field_callback'], ADV__PLUGIN_SLUG, $field['section'], $field);

        register_setting(ADV__PLUGIN_SLUG, $field['id']);
    }
}

public function settings_field_callback($args) {
    $this->render($args['view'], $args);
}

Create views/field.select.php:

<?php $html_options = '';

foreach ($args['options'] as $key => $val) {
    $html_options .= sprintf('<option value="%s">%s</option>', $key, selected($args['value'], $key, false), $val);
}

printf('<select name="%s">



<p>Create views/field.text.php:<br>
</p>

<pre class="brush:php;toolbar:false"><?php printf('<input name="%s">



<h3>
  
  
  Saving
</h3>

<p>To view and save your options add a form to settings.php:<br>
</p>

<pre class="brush:php;toolbar:false"><div>



<p>Change an option and attempt to <em>Save</em>. The save should be successful.</p>

<p><img src="/static/imghwm/default1.png" data-src="https://img.php.cn/upload/article/000/000/000/173390329893991.jpg?x-oss-process=image/resize,p_40" class="lazy" alt="Creating WordPress plugin options based on a JSON structure"></p>

<p>Your settings are now saved and can be accessed throughout the site via:<br>
</p>

<pre class="brush:php;toolbar:false"><?php echo get_option('adv_portal_theme'); // squared.v1

Adding new fields

Add the JSON below to adventures.json:

{
    "id": "adv_api_token",
    "title": "Host API Token",
    "section": "portal_base",
    "type": "text",
    "placeholder": "Enter API host token",
    "default": "",
    "view": "field.text"
}

It will automatically be added to your settings:

Creating WordPress plugin options based on a JSON structure

The above is the detailed content of Creating WordPress plugin options based on a JSON structure. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

Statement
The content of this article is voluntarily contributed by netizens, and the copyright belongs to the original author. This site does not assume corresponding legal responsibility. If you find any content suspected of plagiarism or infringement, please contact admin@php.cn
How can you check if a PHP session has already started?How can you check if a PHP session has already started?Apr 30, 2025 am 12:20 AM

In PHP, you can use session_status() or session_id() to check whether the session has started. 1) Use the session_status() function. If PHP_SESSION_ACTIVE is returned, the session has been started. 2) Use the session_id() function, if a non-empty string is returned, the session has been started. Both methods can effectively check the session state, and choosing which method to use depends on the PHP version and personal preferences.

Describe a scenario where using sessions is essential in a web application.Describe a scenario where using sessions is essential in a web application.Apr 30, 2025 am 12:16 AM

Sessionsarevitalinwebapplications,especiallyfore-commerceplatforms.Theymaintainuserdataacrossrequests,crucialforshoppingcarts,authentication,andpersonalization.InFlask,sessionscanbeimplementedusingsimplecodetomanageuserloginsanddatapersistence.

How can you manage concurrent session access in PHP?How can you manage concurrent session access in PHP?Apr 30, 2025 am 12:11 AM

Managing concurrent session access in PHP can be done by the following methods: 1. Use the database to store session data, 2. Use Redis or Memcached, 3. Implement a session locking strategy. These methods help ensure data consistency and improve concurrency performance.

What are the limitations of using PHP sessions?What are the limitations of using PHP sessions?Apr 30, 2025 am 12:04 AM

PHPsessionshaveseverallimitations:1)Storageconstraintscanleadtoperformanceissues;2)Securityvulnerabilitieslikesessionfixationattacksexist;3)Scalabilityischallengingduetoserver-specificstorage;4)Sessionexpirationmanagementcanbeproblematic;5)Datapersis

Explain how load balancing affects session management and how to address it.Explain how load balancing affects session management and how to address it.Apr 29, 2025 am 12:42 AM

Load balancing affects session management, but can be resolved with session replication, session stickiness, and centralized session storage. 1. Session Replication Copy session data between servers. 2. Session stickiness directs user requests to the same server. 3. Centralized session storage uses independent servers such as Redis to store session data to ensure data sharing.

Explain the concept of session locking.Explain the concept of session locking.Apr 29, 2025 am 12:39 AM

Sessionlockingisatechniqueusedtoensureauser'ssessionremainsexclusivetooneuseratatime.Itiscrucialforpreventingdatacorruptionandsecuritybreachesinmulti-userapplications.Sessionlockingisimplementedusingserver-sidelockingmechanisms,suchasReentrantLockinJ

Are there any alternatives to PHP sessions?Are there any alternatives to PHP sessions?Apr 29, 2025 am 12:36 AM

Alternatives to PHP sessions include Cookies, Token-based Authentication, Database-based Sessions, and Redis/Memcached. 1.Cookies manage sessions by storing data on the client, which is simple but low in security. 2.Token-based Authentication uses tokens to verify users, which is highly secure but requires additional logic. 3.Database-basedSessions stores data in the database, which has good scalability but may affect performance. 4. Redis/Memcached uses distributed cache to improve performance and scalability, but requires additional matching

Define the term 'session hijacking' in the context of PHP.Define the term 'session hijacking' in the context of PHP.Apr 29, 2025 am 12:33 AM

Sessionhijacking refers to an attacker impersonating a user by obtaining the user's sessionID. Prevention methods include: 1) encrypting communication using HTTPS; 2) verifying the source of the sessionID; 3) using a secure sessionID generation algorithm; 4) regularly updating the sessionID.

See all articles

Hot AI Tools

Undresser.AI Undress

Undresser.AI Undress

AI-powered app for creating realistic nude photos

AI Clothes Remover

AI Clothes Remover

Online AI tool for removing clothes from photos.

Undress AI Tool

Undress AI Tool

Undress images for free

Clothoff.io

Clothoff.io

AI clothes remover

Video Face Swap

Video Face Swap

Swap faces in any video effortlessly with our completely free AI face swap tool!

Hot Tools

ZendStudio 13.5.1 Mac

ZendStudio 13.5.1 Mac

Powerful PHP integrated development environment

EditPlus Chinese cracked version

EditPlus Chinese cracked version

Small size, syntax highlighting, does not support code prompt function

PhpStorm Mac version

PhpStorm Mac version

The latest (2018.2.1) professional PHP integrated development tool

Atom editor mac version download

Atom editor mac version download

The most popular open source editor

WebStorm Mac version

WebStorm Mac version

Useful JavaScript development tools