Jason Coleman's presentation from WordCamp Philly 2011. Attendees brainstormed an idea for a WordPress plugin which Jason coded that night. The resulting plugin is called "Don't Break The Code" and can be found in the WordPress repository.

1. Building a Plugin in One Night
Presented by Jason Coleman
At WordCampPhilly, November 5th, 2011
JASON COLEMAN ∞ CEO, STRANGER STUDIOS ∞ M: 484-706-9266 ∞ JASON@STRANGERSTUDIOS.COM

2. Jason Coleman
• First WordPress version was 1.5
• Indy web developer since 2006
• 90% WordPress projects now
• Paid Memberships Pro membership plugin for WP
• Other Plugins: SS Downloads, SS Old URLs
• WineLog.net, Network Sites, WineLog Plugin
JASON COLEMAN ∞ CEO, STRANGER STUDIOS ∞ M: 484-706-9266 ∞ JASON@STRANGERSTUDIOS.COM

3. Assumptions
You know…
• How to use WordPress
• What a “plugin” is
• What a “finger-stash” is
JASON COLEMAN ∞ CEO, STRANGER STUDIOS ∞ M: 484-706-9266 ∞ JASON@STRANGERSTUDIOS.COM

4. Types of Plugins We Can Build
• Mashup with another service • Fork an existing/orphaned plugin
Simple Facebook Connect, WineLog, MapPress WooCommerce
• Shortcut • Add-on for another plugin
Custom Post Type UI, FAQ Manager, Contact Form 7 Modules, PMPro-Network
Enhanced Admin Bar
• Automation
• Shortcode RSS Importer
Amazon Widgets Shortcodes, Vipers Video Tags
• Ajaxify a task
• Widgets Buddypress-Ajax-Chat, WP Ajax Edit Comments
Yet Another Related Posts Plugin
JASON COLEMAN ∞ CEO, STRANGER STUDIOS ∞ M: 484-706-9266 ∞ JASON@STRANGERSTUDIOS.COM

5. What We’re Shooting For
Something…
Best
• Useful to the WordPress community Plugin
Ever!!
• Straight forward to code in 1 night
• Immediately useful (can build on later)
• Minimal Viable Product
• Impressive!
JASON COLEMAN ∞ CEO, STRANGER STUDIOS ∞ M: 484-706-9266 ∞ JASON@STRANGERSTUDIOS.COM

6. Let’s Brainstorm
• There are no bad suggestions
• Start general, then we’ll focus
• I will cut you off. Sorry.
• Useful for a lot of people?
• Impressive?
JASON COLEMAN ∞ CEO, STRANGER STUDIOS ∞ M: 484-706-9266 ∞ JASON@STRANGERSTUDIOS.COM

7. Some Ideas (If Needed)
• Adsense Tracker
• GroupTwitter
• Tabbed Search Results
• Footer Slideout Teaser
• Javascript Insert Template
• NYTimes w/PMPro
This is your brain
• Ajaxify Index
• Footnotr
• Google News
• Subpage Lists
JASON COLEMAN ∞ CEO, STRANGER STUDIOS ∞ M: 484-706-9266 ∞ JASON@STRANGERSTUDIOS.COM

8. Let’s Brainstorm Some More
• Now we’re focusing
• Best ideas
• Minimum Viable Product
• Business models?
• I will veto ideas. Sorry.
• Bonus: Useful, Impressive!
JASON COLEMAN ∞ CEO, STRANGER STUDIOS ∞ M: 484-706-9266 ∞ JASON@STRANGERSTUDIOS.COM

9. Voting Time!
1
2
3
JASON COLEMAN ∞ CEO, STRANGER STUDIOS ∞ M: 484-706-9266 ∞ JASON@STRANGERSTUDIOS.COM

10. Getting Started
• Watch me setup directories!
• Follow on GitHub!
• Watch me copy and paste code!
• Submitting the plugin tomorrow!
JASON COLEMAN ∞ CEO, STRANGER STUDIOS ∞ M: 484-706-9266 ∞ JASON@STRANGERSTUDIOS.COM

11. Follow Up
The attendees selected Don’t Break The Code, a plugin to disable the “Visual
Editor” tab on a per-post basis. Turns out there are many plugins in the repository
that do something similar already, but I worked out a solution that more closely
matched what the attendees wanted in a plugin like this. It’s available in the
repository now:
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/dont-break-the-code/
• Twitter: @jason_coleman
• Email: jason@strangerstudios.com
• Paid Memberships Pro: www.paidmembershipspro.com
• Stranger Studios: www.strangerstudios.com
• WineLog: www.winelog.net
• Blog: therealjasoncoleman.com
JASON COLEMAN ∞ CEO, STRANGER STUDIOS ∞ M: 484-706-9266 ∞ JASON@STRANGERSTUDIOS.COM