Prerequisites {#prerequisites}

Before you begin developing for MainWP, ensure you have:

• PHP 7.4 or higher
• WordPress 5.6 or higher
• MainWP Dashboard plugin installed
• A code editor (we recommend VS Code)
• Basic knowledge of PHP and WordPress development

Environment Setup {#environment-setup}

1. Set up a local WordPress development environment:

# Using Local by Flywheel or similar tool
local-by-flywheel create-site mainwp-dev

2. Install required development tools:

# Install Composer globally
curl -sS https://getcomposer.org/installer | php
mv composer.phar /usr/local/bin/composer

# Install Node.js and npm (optional, for build tools)
brew install node

MainWP Installation {#mainwp-installation}

1. Install the MainWP Dashboard plugin:

   • Download from MainWP.com
   • Upload and activate in WordPress
   • Complete the setup wizard

2. Install MainWP Child plugin on test sites:

   • Download the Child plugin
   • Install on your test WordPress sites
   • Connect sites to your dashboard

Creating Your First Extension {#create-extension}

Start with this basic extension structure:

<?php
/*
Plugin Name: My MainWP Extension
Plugin URI: https://yourwebsite.com/mainwp-extension
Description: Description of your extension
Version: 1.0
Author: Your Name
Author URI: https://yourwebsite.com
Documentation URI: https://yourwebsite.com/docs
*/

class My_MainWP_Extension {
    public function __construct() {
        add_action('init', array($this, 'init'));
    }

    public function init() {
        // Your initialization code here
    }
}

new My_MainWP_Extension();

Extension Structure {#basic-structure}

A typical MainWP extension includes:

• Main plugin file
• Admin interface files
• API handlers
• Helper classes
• Assets (CSS/JS)

Example directory structure:

my-mainwp-extension/
├── includes/
│   ├── class-admin.php
│   ├── class-api.php
│   └── class-helpers.php
├── assets/
│   ├── css/
│   └── js/
└── my-mainwp-extension.php

Testing Your Extension {#testing}

1. Local Testing

   • Activate your extension on your development site
   • Test all features thoroughly
   • Check for conflicts with other extensions

2. Debug Mode

   define('MAINWP_DEBUG', true);
   

3. Common Test Cases

   • Extension activation/deactivation
   • Settings saving/loading
   • API interactions
   • User interface elements
   • Error handling

4. Testing with Multiple Child Sites

   • Test with various WordPress versions
   • Test with different server configurations
   • Verify performance with many connected sites

Remember to always follow MainWP's coding standards and best practices when developing your extension. For more detailed information, check out our Extension Development Guide.