[wp-meta] [Making WordPress.org] #1056: Plugin Directory Sidebar Links

[Making WordPress.org]

#1056: Plugin Directory Sidebar Links
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 Reporter:  ramiy             |       Owner:  coffee2code
     Type:  defect            |      Status:  assigned
 Priority:  normal            |   Milestone:
Component:  Plugin Directory  |  Resolution:
 Keywords:                    |
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Comment (by coffee2code):

 My point is largely two-fold:

 1. We should work out some sort of consistent experience with the Theme
 Directory, whatever that might be. The Theme Directory has a
 [https://wordpress.org/themes/getting-started/ contribution landing page]
 that provides a basic intro to contributing to the directory as well as
 linking out to various resources at various sites (docs at the Theme
 Developer handbook on developer.wordpress.org, Codex (for Theme Unit Test
 data), make/themes (for guidelines), and locally to the upload page).
 Naturally, it doesn't have to be what the Theme Directory currently has.

 2. We shouldn't lose discoverability of plugin developer tools (e.g.
 readme.txt example, readme validator) when removing the sidebar links and
 redirecting the "Developers" link to the Plugin Developer handbook. The
 handbook only mentions the readme.txt example buried on
 [https://developer.wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-org/deploying-your-
 plugin/ this page] (there is also a broken or incomplete reference to it
 on [https://developer.wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-org/ the landing
 page]). The readme validator, as far as I can tell, is not referenced at
 all. Even if present, we're requiring devs to visually parse docs to find
 the links they want.[[br]][[br]]The same is true for the "add" link.
 Getting to the /add page (without knowing the link already) requires a
 visitor go to the Plugin Directory, then click "Development" and get taken
 to a different-looking docs site, scan the in-line links to find a link to
 the page to submit a plugin to the directory, and then follow such a link
 to the /add form.

 You're sort of validating what I'm saying because your first list item and
 ending paragraph suggest making a "Submit your plugin" link that points to
 /add/ and adding links to the handbook at the top of that page. Having
 /add be a landing page is consistent with what I suggested: a page in the
 directory (which I think is important) that links out to docs, potentially
 points out a few things for developers, potentially points to tools, and
 then links to an actual add form (or presents it right there).

 Having to go through the Plugin Developer handbook to find the "add" link
 (and other tools) when those are only presented in-line with docs doesn't
 make for a great experience. (Which is what the original proposal was
 leading to, hence [comment:9 my comment] in the first place.)

 I'll attach two simple mockups of what the landing page could look like.
 The first image is a mockup of /about being a landing page (identical to
 what the Theme Directory has). The second image is a mockup of /add
 getting some prefatory text. I wouldn't pay too much mind to the actual
 copy in the mockups. Either page would be the destination for the
 "Developers" (or, if renamed, "Submit your plugin") link.

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Ticket URL: <https://meta.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/1056#comment:11>
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