WordPress Plugin Debugging Tools Documentation!
Table of Contents
1. WordPress Configuration Settings
define( 'WP_DEBUG', true );
define( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', true );
define( 'WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false );
define( 'SCRIPT_DEBUG', true );2. Basic Debugging Plugins
3. Mobile and Web Live Server Debugging
- Herd/Valet Live Server Setup
define('WP_SITEURL', 'http://' . $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST']); define('WP_HOME', 'http://' . $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST']); - Relative URL Plugin
- Installation and Activation
- Command for Live Server
bash herd share //for herd server valet share //for valet server
4. Email Debugging
- Ensure Mail Server is Running
bash brew services list To run: brew services start mailhog - Use an SMTP Plugin
- Mail Dashboard
bash URL: mail.test:8025 // For mailhog
5. Additional Plugin Debugging Tools
- Debug Bar By wordpressdotorg
- Query Monitor Plugin Extension
1. WordPress Configuration Settings
To enable debugging in WordPress plugins, make sure the following lines are added to your plugin’s wp-config.php file:
define( 'WP_DEBUG', true );
define( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', true );
define( 'WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false );
define( 'SCRIPT_DEBUG', true );These settings will log errors, display them, and enable script debugging for your plugin.
2. Basic Debugging Plugins
* Die Dumper (DD)
Die Dumper is a debugging tool that helps you inspect variables and data during runtime. Install and activate the plugin in your WordPress environment to use it for debugging your plugin.
* Debug Toolkit – Hello from Tonya
Debug Toolkit by Tonya is another essential plugin for debugging. It provides various tools and features to streamline the debugging process for your plugin development.
* Query Monitor
Query Monitor is a powerful debugging tool that gives you insights into database queries, PHP errors, and more. Install and activate the plugin within your plugin environment for in-depth debugging capabilities.
3. Mobile and Web Live Server Debugging
* Herd/Valet Live Server Setup
Add the following lines to your plugin’s wp-config.php file:
define('WP_SITEURL', 'http://' . $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST']);
define('WP_HOME', 'http://' . $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST']);Install and activate the Relative URL plugin within your plugin environment to address any file path issues.
Run the command herd share in your plugin’s root directory to set up a live server for debugging.
4. Email Debugging
* Ensure Mail Server is Running
Check if your mail server is running using the command:
brew services start mailhog* To start the mail server, use:
brew services start mailhog* Use an SMTP Plugin
Install an SMTP plugin like MailHog for WordPress By Tareq Hasan or [FluentSMTP] by FluentSMTP & WPManageNinja Team within your plugin environment to debug email-related issues.
* Mail Dashboard (For Mailhog)
Access the mail dashboard at mail.test:8025 within your plugin environment to monitor and debug emails sent from your WordPress plugin.
5. Additional Plugin Debugging Tools
* Debug Bar
Debug Bar is a plugin that adds a debugging menu to the admin bar, providing insights into database queries, hooks, and more. Install and activate this plugin for additional debugging capabilities.
* Query Monitor Plugin Extension
Extend the functionality of Query Monitor with additional features specific to plugin development. Install and activate this extension for enhanced debugging tools.
This documentation provides a comprehensive guide to debugging WordPress plugins using various tools and configurations. Follow these steps to enhance your plugin development workflow and identify and resolve issues efficiently.