Use when reviewing WordPress plugins for GPL compliance, checking license headers or compatibility, evaluating upsell/freemium/trialware patterns, validating plugin naming or trademark rules, checking plugin slugs, understanding why a plugin was rejected from WordPress.org, or
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Use when reviewing WordPress plugins for GPL compliance, checking license headers or compatibility, evaluating upsell/freemium/trialware patterns, validating plugin naming or trademark rules, checking plugin slugs, understanding why a plugin was rejected from WordPress.org, or
---name: wp-plugin-directory-guidelines
description: "Use when reviewing WordPress plugins for GPL compliance, checking license headers or compatibility, evaluating upsell/freemium/trialware patterns, validating plugin naming or trademark rules, checking plugin slugs, understanding why a plugin was rejected from WordPress.org, or answering any question about the 18 WordPress.org Plugin Directory guidelines — even if the user doesn't mention 'guidelines' explicitly."
compatibility: "Targets WordPress 7.0+ (PHP 7.4.0+)."
---## Overview
Authoritative reference for the 18 WordPress.org Plugin Directory guidelines. Covers GPL licensing, plugin naming/trademark rules, trialware restrictions, and all other submission requirements.
## When to use
Use this skill when you need to:
- Review a WordPress plugin for compliance with the WordPress.org Plugin Directory guidelines
- Check GPL license compatibility for a plugin or its bundled libraries
- Verify license headers in plugin files
- Identify common guideline violations before submission
- Answer questions about what is or is not allowed on WordPress.org
- Evaluate premium/upsell flows, license checks, or freemium positioning
- Review "teaser" or "preview" UI for trialware violations
## Inputs required
- Plugin source code (or specific files to review)
- Optional: plugin readme and plugin header metadata for naming and license checks
1. Check the plugin's license header against the **Valid License Headers** section below.
2. Walk through the **18 Guidelines** checklist, paying special attention to Guidelines 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 17.
3. Confirm trialware/freemium compliance using the checklist in [guideline-review-checklist.md](references/guideline-review-checklist.md) (Guideline 5 section).
4. For bundled third-party code, verify license compatibility against **GPL-Compatible Licenses (Quick)** below.
5. Flag matches from **Common GPL Violations (Quick)** below.
6. For edge cases, consult the detailed references and the [GNU GPL FAQ](https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html).
## 18-Guideline Review Checklist
Use the detailed, per-guideline checklist in [guideline-review-checklist.md](references/guideline-review-checklist.md). Load this reference file only when a full guideline audit is requested.
## GPL Compliance (Guideline 1 in Detail)
Use [gpl-compliance.md](references/gpl-compliance.md) for full license tables, compatibility nuances, and examples. Keep this inline section as a quick decision aid.
### Verification (Licensing)
- Every licensing-related issue must cite **Guideline 1** and include the file path and exact license string.
- Confirm compatibility claims against **GPL-Compatible Licenses (Quick)** and escalate ambiguous licenses.
### Failure modes (Licensing)
- If a license is not clearly GPL-compatible, do not guess. Check the [GNU license list](https://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html).
- For dual-license packages, verify both licenses and redistribution terms.
### Quick Reference: WordPress GPL Requirements
- WordPress is **GPLv2 or later**.
- Plugins distributed on WordPress.org must be 100% GPL-compatible (code and assets).
- Include a valid `License:` header and `License URI:` in the main plugin file.
- Do not add restrictions that conflict with GPL freedoms.
### Valid License Headers
## GPL Versions Summary
| Version | Year | Key Addition |
|---------|------|--------------|
| GPLv1 | 1989 | Base copyleft: share-alike for modifications |
| GPLv2 | 1991 | "Liberty or death" clause (Section 7), clearer distribution terms |
Use [naming-rules.md](references/naming-rules.md) for full trademark lists, slug blocks, and naming examples. Keep this inline checklist for quick screening.
### Naming Checklist (Quick)
- Name is not a placeholder and has at least 5 alphanumeric characters.
- Header name and readme name match.
- Name is specific and function-related; avoid keyword stuffing.
- Trademark/project names appear only after connectors like `for`, `with`, `using`, `and`.
- No banned/discouraged terms or trademark portmanteaus.
- Slug is lowercase, hyphenated, <= 50 chars, and avoids blocked terms.
