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WordPress.org Plugin Check tests

WordPress.org Plugin Check tests run the WordPress.org automated plugin check tool against your extension. This optional test focuses on guidelines and patterns important for submitting plugins to the WordPress.org directory.

Note: Currently, these checks are not automatically triggered for WooCommerce Marketplace submissions. They are available for developers who also distribute on wordpress.org or wish to maintain broader WordPress best-practices.

What is evaluated​

The tool currently runs checks from the plugin_repo category, which helps identify violations of the WordPress.org Plugin Review Guidelines. These may include:

  • Core guideline compliance: Detects code that violates mandatory directory rules.
  • Repository readiness: Flags improper file structures, disallowed functions, or patterns that could prevent listing on WordPress.org.
  • General code health: May highlight deprecated functions, insecure code usage, or general best-practice concerns.

Interpreting results​

  • Success: No major issues detected.
  • Warnings/Failures: Potential guideline violations or best-practice deviations are highlighted. While not necessarily blocking for WooCommerce Marketplace, they could impact your plugin’s acceptability on WordPress.org.

Next steps if it fails​

  1. Review the flagged issues: Open the test report and note the specific areas of concern.
  2. Address the problems: Update your code, remove non-compliant functions, or adjust file structures as needed.
  3. Rerun the test: Confirm that the issues have been resolved.
  4. Consider reporting issues: If you believe the check is producing a false positive or that the tool itself has a bug, open an issue with Plugin Check. If you suspect a QIT-specific issue, email us at qit@woocommerce.com.

Scope and best practices​

  • Optional for WooCommerce Marketplace: Passing Plugin Check is not currently required for publishing on the WooCommerce Marketplace.
  • Future-proofing your code: Running these tests periodically helps ensure that your plugin remains compatible and well-structured for multiple distribution channels.
  • Combine with other tests: Plugin Check complements managed tests, security scans, and E2E tests, offering a broader quality overview of your extension.

CLI Usage​

Enqueue Plugin Check tests.

  run:plugin-check [options] [--] [<sut>]

Arguments:
  sut                                           Extension slug or WooCommerce.com ID

      --profile[=PROFILE]                       Test profile to use [default: "default"]
      --php_version[=PHP_VERSION]               (Optional) The PHP version to use in the test. Defaults to "Requires PHP" header in plugin or 7.4 if not set. Alias: --php [possible values: 7.4, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, ] [default: ""]
      --zip[=ZIP]                               (Optional) Local ZIP / dir / URL build to test
  -j, --json|--no-json                          (Optional) Output raw JSON response
      --async|--no-async                        (Optional) Enqueue test and return immediately without waiting
  -w, --wait|--no-wait                          (Deprecated) Wait for test completion - this is now the default behavior
      --print-report-url|--no-print-report-url  (Optional) Print the test report URL (contains sensitive data - use cautiously in public logs)
  -t, --timeout[=TIMEOUT]                       (Optional) Wait timeout in seconds
  -g, --group|--no-group                        (Optional) Register the run into a group