Reminder: Plugins Must Not Interfere with Updates

While we do look for plugins that touch the update services on submission, we do not monitor existing plugins, which is where this reminder stems from.

Unless your pluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party has the purpose of managing updates, you must not change the defaults of WordPress’ update settings.

You may offer a feature to auto-update, but it has to honor the coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. settings. This means if someone has set their site to “Never update any of my plugins or themes” you are not to change those for them unless they opt-in and request it.

The reason for this is that plugins should not over-reach their authority. When a plugin is made, it is self-defined by the developers as what it will do and why. There are some logical reasons to expand that of course (an anti-spam comment plugin may grow to also handle feedback forms), but for most plugins, the arbitrary management of plugin updates is outside their stated goals.

Plugins crossing over purposes, overriding settings that are unrelated to the function of their specific goal, can and will cause unexpected outcomes. It also destroys the faith users have in you to not break their sites. Sadly, this happened recently to a well used plugin, and the fallout has been pretty bad.

We do understand that many plugins want to take advantage of the new features within WordPress. But if your plugin is a custom blockBlock Block is the abstract term used to describe units of markup that, composed together, form the content or layout of a webpage using the WordPress editor. The idea combines concepts of what in the past may have achieved with shortcodes, custom HTML, and embed discovery into a single consistent API and user experience., you really don’t have a need to be changing how the uploader works, or even setting your plugin to default-auto-update.

At this time, we have no plans to spell this out in a guideline. We do currently, regularly flag plugins that go outside their dictated (self defined) boundaries, and this is not a change. Please, respect your users.

#reminder, #updates