Take back control of your WordPress plugin’s details display
Reclaim Details is a zero-configuration library that enables WordPress plugins to display rich "View details" information using local readme.txt files and assets, independent of the WordPress.org repository.
Why Reclaim Details?
- Independence: Your plugin details aren’t tied to WordPress.org
- Control: Use your own
readme.txtcontent and assets - WordPress-native: Displays using authentic WordPress.org-style popups
- Zero config: Auto-detects your plugin, no parameters needed
- Reusable: Works with any WordPress plugin
Quick Start
Installation
Option 1: Direct Include (Recommended)
// In your main plugin file or init hook
require_once 'path/to/reclaim-details/init.php';Option 2: Composer
composer require magicoli/reclaim-detailsOption 3: Manual with Autoloader
require_once 'path/to/reclaim-details/autoload.php';
new ReclaimDetailsReclaimDetails();That’s It!
No configuration needed. The library will:
- Auto-detect your plugin
- Parse your
readme.txtfile - Add "View details" link to your plugin row
- Display WordPress.org-style popup with your content
How It Works
Before: Generic Plugin Row
My Awesome Plugin
A simple description from plugin headers.
Version 1.0.0 | By Author Name | Visit plugin siteAfter: Rich Plugin Details
My Awesome Plugin
A comprehensive description with features and details.
Version 1.0.0 | By Author Name | Visit plugin site | View detailsClicking "View details" opens a beautiful WordPress.org-style popup containing all your readme.txt content.
Required Files
The library reads from standard WordPress plugin structure:
your-plugin/
├── your-plugin.php # Main plugin file (auto-detected)
├── readme.txt # WordPress readme format
└── assets/ # Optional screenshots
├── screenshot-1.png
├── screenshot-2.jpg
└── ...Example readme.txt
=== My Awesome Plugin ===
Contributors: yourname
Tags: awesome, plugin
Requires at least: 5.0
Tested up to: 6.4
Requires PHP: 7.4
Stable tag: 1.0.0
License: GPL v2 or laterShort description of your plugin.
== Description ==
Detailed description with formatting.
= Features =
- Feature one
- Feature two
== Installation ==
- Upload the plugin
- Activate it
- Configure settings
== Changelog ==
= 1.0.0 =
- Initial release
Advanced Usage
Manual Plugin Specification
// If auto-detection doesn't work for your setup
new ReclaimDetailsReclaimDetails('/path/to/your/plugin.php');Integration Examples
In Plugin Constructor:
class MyPlugin {
public function __construct() {
add_action('init', [$this, 'init']);
}public function init() { require_once plugin_dir_path(FILE) . ‘lib/reclaim-details/init.php’; // … rest of your init code } }
Direct in Main Plugin File:
<?php
/**
* Plugin Name: My Awesome Plugin
*/// Load Reclaim Details require_once DIR . ‘/vendor/magicoli/reclaim-details/init.php’;
// Your plugin code…
Supported Content
Readme Sections
- Description – Rich formatted content
- Installation – Step-by-step instructions
- Changelog – Version history
- FAQ – Frequently asked questions
- Screenshots – Automatic asset detection
Metadata
- Plugin name, version, author
- WordPress compatibility (
Requires at least,Tested up to) - PHP version requirements
- License information
Assets
- Screenshots (
assets/screenshot-1.png, etc.) - Banners (planned)
- Icons (planned)
Technical Details
Requirements
- PHP: 7.4 or higher
- WordPress: 5.0 or higher
- File:
readme.txtin plugin root
Features
- PSR-4 Compliant: Proper autoloading
- Zero Dependencies: Uses only WordPress core functions
- Smart Detection: Finds plugin files automatically
- WordPress Native: Uses official
plugins_apifilter - Memory Efficient: Loads only when needed
Architecture
lib/reclaim-details/
├── composer.json # Composer package
├── init.php # One-line integration
├── autoload.php # PSR-4 autoloader
└── src/Reclaim/Details/
└── ReclaimDetails.php # Main classDevelopment
Testing the Library
# Check syntax
php -l src/Reclaim/Details/ReclaimDetails.phpTest autoloader
php -r "require ‘autoload.php’; var_dump(class_exists(‘ReclaimDetailsReclaimDetails’));"
Integration Testing
- Add to your test plugin
- Check WordPress admin → Plugins
- Look for "View details" in plugin description
- Click to verify popup content
Examples in the Wild
- OSProjects Plugin – The original implementation
- Your plugin here! – Submit a PR to add your plugin
Contributing
- Fork the repository
- Create your feature branch
- Test with multiple plugin setups
- Submit a pull request
License
This project is licensed under the AGPL-3.0-or-later License – see the LICENSE file for details.
Acknowledgments
- capevace for their wp-package-parser which saved me a lot of time… once I found it
- WordPress core team for the
plugins_apisystem - The open source community for inspiration
- Plugin developers who deserve control over their plugin presentation
Part of the Reclaim Suite: Taking back control of WordPress plugin independence
- [x] Reclaim Details – Plugin information display
- [ ] Reclaim Updates – Plugin update system (coming soon)
Made with ❤️ by Magìiíc
