[theme-reviewers] Bundling Plugins

[Philip Walton]

Or even just an example of a theme you've done this in?


On 5/2/11 7:42 AM, Josh Stauffer wrote:
> Just as Chip described is how I am going about it in my theme development.
>
> Although, I am interested to find out more about the "automatic 
> install and activate" that Ryan is referring to. Any tutorials on this?
>
> Josh
>
>
> On Mon, May 2, 2011 at 9:15 AM, Chip Bennett <chip at chipbennett.net 
> <mailto:chip at chipbennett.net>> wrote:
>
>     That's a good distinction: simply bundling "plugin.zip" into the
>     Theme is, IMHO, absolutely inappropriate. Simply add installation
>     instructions that the Theme relies on "Plugin X', and to install
>     the Plugin from the repository. Also, in all instances, any Theme
>     dependent upon a Plugin MUST degrade gracefully, such that it
>     functions acceptably without the Plugin.
>
>     As to what Plugin code is suitable for incorporation: I think
>     that, as long as the functionality is Theme-related (and, clearly,
>     SEO functionality IS Theme-related, since SEO is entirely
>     Theme-dependent), it is fair game. But, the Theme developer who
>     chooses to incorporate such functionality into the Theme then
>     bears the burden of fully maintaining that incorporated code. It
>     is an issue for the Theme Review Team, since we then take on the
>     burden of reviewing such extra functionality - but then, in the
>     end, that's our job.
>
>     On the other hand, just as we exclude non-Theme-related
>     functionality as "Plugin territory", I think we should hold the
>     same standard for incorporated Plugins. To be explicit: Theme
>     functionality should involve the *presentation* of content;
>     anything that involves the *creation* or *management* of content
>     should be left to Plugins.
>
>     Also, regarding "best practices", I will add: I think the "best
>     practice" recommendation should be that Themes, if they choose,
>     should incorporate *support* for a given Plugin, rather than
>     incorporating the Plugin code itself. One example might be the
>     WP-PageNavi Plugin, which can be supported as easily as adding:
>
>         if ( function_exists( 'wp_paginate' ) ) {
>
>
>         wp_paginate( 'title=' );
>
>
>         } else {
>
>
>         *// do something else instead*
>
>
>         }
>
>
>
>     Or, for Yoast Breadcrumbs:
>
>         if ( function_exists('yoast_breadcrumb') ) {
>
>
>         yoast_breadcrumb('<li id="breadcrumbs">','</li>');
>
>
>         } else {
>
>
>         // do something else instead
>
>         } ?>
>
>
>
>     This method allows for graceful degradation, and does not encumber
>     the Theme developer with maintaining someone else's code.
>
>     Chip
>
>     On Mon, May 2, 2011 at 8:57 AM, Ryan Hellyer <ryan at pixopoint.com
>     <mailto:ryan at pixopoint.com>> wrote:
>
>         There are situations in which it makes sense to build a theme
>         which relies on specific plugins to function, but it is often
>         not a good idea to incorporate the entire code base into the
>         theme since the plugin may be under active development. In
>         this situation I tend to have the plugin automatically install
>         and activate the plugin(s). I think it would be a good idea if
>         this sort of situation was allowed in the theme repository.
>
>         Simply bundling the plugins zip file into the theme and
>         requiring the user to copy the files over seems counter
>         productive though and shouldn't be allowed IMO since the user
>         could just as easily get the plugin from the repository instead.
>
>         There are some excellent themes in the repository which
>         incorporate large amounts of "plugin like" functionality so I
>         would assume that seamlessly integrated functionality would be
>         deemed appropriate for the repository.
>
>         Just taking something like Yoasts SEO plugin and dumping it
>         verbatim into a theme would be plain weird and shouldn't be
>         allowed though IMO, as it would include a bunch of text
>         unrelated to the theme and create confusion for the user.
>         However if it were integrated seamlessly and cleanly, then I
>         don't see any problems with that approach, albeit I personally
>         would never roll that much SEO functionality into a theme.
>
>         Ryan,
>
>
>
>
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