How to create a WordPress plugin ZIP file

Creating a WordPress plugin ZIP file makes it easy to share, install, or back up your plugin. Instead of manually copying files into the plugins folder, a ZIP package lets anyone upload the plugin directly through the WordPress dashboard.

Keep in mind

• The file format must be ZIP. WordPress does not support other archival formats.
• The ZIP file must contain a single root folder that has the same name as the plugin. This folder must contain the plugin files.

Recommended file structure

The following structure ensures your plugin adheres to WordPress best practices, ensuring your plugin is easy to install, maintain and extend.

1. Root Directory

The root directory of your plugin should contain:

• plugin-name.php: Your main plugin file with a header containing metadata
• uninstall.php Code to uninstall the plugin (optional).
• readme.txt Details about the plugin (optional)

2. Subdirectories

You can organize subdirectories any way you wish, but the following is common:

• /assets/: Store images, icons, and other media
• /includes/: Help functions and classes used in PHP code
• /languages/: Translation files (e.g., .mo and .po files).
• /public/: Files used in the front-end (e.g., CSS, JS, templates).

3. Example Structure

Here’s an example of a well-organized plugin ZIP file structure:

plugin-name/
├── plugin-name.php
├── uninstall.php
├── readme.txt
├── assets/
│   ├── banner-772x250.png
│   ├── icon-128x128.png
├── includes/
│   ├── class-plugin-name.php
│   ├── helper-functions.php
├── languages/
│   ├── plugin-name-en_US.mo
│   ├── plugin-name-en_US.po
├── admin/
│   ├── admin-menu.php
│   ├── admin-styles.css
├── public/
│   ├── public-scripts.js
│   ├── public-styles.css

4. Zipping the Plugin

When creating the ZIP file, your plugin folder should be in the root of the ZIP file. Your ZIP should only have that one folder in its root.

Instructions for Windows

Instructions for PowerShell

In PowerShell, you can use the Compress-Archive cmdlet to create a ZIP file. You specify the path to the plugin folder and path to the output ZIP file as follows:

$pluginFolder = "C:\path\to\wordpress\wp-content\plugins\my-plugin"
$zipDestination = "C:\path\to\my-plugin.zip"

Compress-Archive -Path $pluginFolder -DestinationPath $zipDestination -Force

$pluginFolder = "C:\path\to\wordpress\wp-content\plugins\my-plugin"
$zipDestination = "C:\path\to\my-plugin.zip"

Compress-Archive -Path $pluginFolder -DestinationPath $zipDestination -Force

In this example, the Path parameter specifies a folder. This is important because WordPress expects the ZIP file to contain a single folder with the plugin files. The Force parameter tells PowerShell to overwrite the ZIP file if it exists. You can remove this parameter to cause an error if it exists.

See also

• How to troubleshoot uploading a WordPress plugin ZIP file
• How to create a plugin directly on WordPress with a file manager