[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #11308: Handling plugin dependencies

[WordPress Trac]

#11308: Handling plugin dependencies
-------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
 Reporter:  apeatling    |       Owner:  westi  
     Type:  enhancement  |      Status:  new    
 Priority:  normal       |   Milestone:  3.0    
Component:  Plugins      |     Version:         
 Severity:  normal       |    Keywords:  plugins
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 I wanted to start a ticket for this so I have my ideas down for
 discussion.

 BuddyPress would benefit greatly if WordPress could natively handle plugin
 dependancies, but I can also see this being a useful feature for plugins
 that want to use the existing WP plugin API for extensions.

 As it stands, users who install plugins designed for BuddyPress have to
 manually deactivate each plugin before upgrading or deactivating
 BuddyPress. They also need to make sure BuddyPress is active before
 installing a dependant plugin (many people don't and see errors).

 So, I think two things should be handled:

 1. Making sure the plugin that is being depended on is active before
 activating the dependant plugin.

 2. Making sure when the plugin being depended on is deactivated, all
 dependant plugins are first deactivated.

 This could be kept very simple for plugin authors. They could add
 something like this to their plugin comment header:

 {{{
 Requires: plugin-name [, plugin-name ... ]
 }}}

 I'll have a crack at a patch for this sometime in the new year, happy to
 debate this thoroughly before then.

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Ticket URL: <http://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/11308>
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